MOTU · Pro · Thunderbolt · From 2018

MOTU 8pre-es

Name: MOTU 8pre-es
Brand: MOTU

The 8pre-es was shipping by June 2018 as the eight-preamp member of MOTU's es family, sharing the 828es firmware, its color LCDs and talkback mic, and its ESS Sabre32 output converters (MOTU quotes 123 dB on the line outs). All eight mic, line or guitar combo jacks sit on the back, each with up to 63 dB of gain, 48 V and a pad, and you work them from the front in two banks of four. There are eight balanced line outs, two headphone jacks, two optical banks for another 16 channels of ADAT, and word clock, but no MIDI or S/PDIF. It connects over Thunderbolt or USB 2.0, with AVB Ethernet for adding more MOTU boxes. It's the one for tracking a drum kit or a band without buying outboard preamps.

8pre-es (2018)8pre (FireWire, older)8pre USB (older, still listed by MOTU)

Spec at a glance

Maker: MOTU
Size: Pro
Connects over: Thunderbolt
Made: From 2018
Inputs: 8 rear combo XLR/TRS mic, line or hi-Z guitar, built-in talkback mic
Outputs: 8 balanced 1/4-inch TRS (DC coupled), 2 headphones
Mic preamp gain: 0 to +63 dB in 1 dB steps; 48 V and -20 dB pad per channel
Converters: ESS Sabre32 DAC; MOTU quotes 123 dB dynamic range on the line outs, 118 dB on the mic inputs; up to 192 kHz
Digital I/O: 2 optical banks (16 ADAT channels at 44.1/48 kHz; bank A can be TOSLink), BNC word clock
Connection: Thunderbolt or USB 2.0 (one at a time), plus AVB/TSN Ethernet
Power: Internal universal supply, 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz, 35 W, IEC mains socket
MIDI and S/PDIF: None
Also listed as: MOTU 8pre es, MOTU 8preES, MOTU 8 pre-es

In the photos

How to tell it apart

The 8pre-es has all eight combo jacks on the back and bank buttons on the front that switch the gain controls between inputs 1-4 and 5-8, alongside two color LCDs and a talkback mic. The rear has a Thunderbolt port, a USB port and an RJ45 AVB jack. The MOTU 8pre (FireWire) and 8pre USB are older, different interfaces with no network jack.

Mac and Windows

Drivers and support

Over USB it's class compliant on a Mac and iPad. MOTU's Pro Audio installer for Mac (March 2026) supports macOS 12 through macOS 26 on Apple silicon and Intel, an older build covers macOS 10.13 to 10.15, and the Windows installer (January 2023) covers Windows 10 and 11 64-bit with ASIO drivers for USB and Thunderbolt. MOTU lists the 8pre-es as compatible with macOS Tahoe and macOS Golden Gate.

Which interfaces still get drivers

Power, cables and licences

What should come with it

An IEC mains cord. The supply is internal and auto-switching (100–240 V), so any standard IEC cord works.
One USB cable. A Thunderbolt cable wasn't included.
Rack brackets, fitted at the factory and removable for desk use. Check they're still on it.
For Thunderbolt on a Mac with USB-C Thunderbolt 3 or 4 ports, you'll need Apple's Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter, which Apple's store no longer lists. USB 2.0 needs no adapter.
AudioDesk came with it through registration, and MOTU says AudioDesk owners can ask customer service for Performer Lite. Transfers go through MOTU customer service, and only the registered owner can approve one.

Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing power supply or a licence that won’t transfer should come off the price.

What to check

We found no documented hardware fault pattern. It shares the 828es firmware, whose 2019 update added a low-bandwidth mode to help USB on X99-chipset PCs, and Sound On Sound found the es family's browser control app slow to switch pages.

01Model: Check the rear photo for eight combo jacks, Thunderbolt and USB ports and an RJ45 network jack. That's an 8pre-es, not the older 8pre or 8pre USB.
02Connection plan: Decide whether you'll use USB 2.0 or Thunderbolt. USB works on any current Mac or PC, while Thunderbolt on a USB-C Mac needs Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter.
03All eight preamps: Ask for a short video turning each gain control through its range with a mic connected, in both banks. Every channel should show smooth 1 dB steps and clean signal.
04Phantom and pad: Ask the seller to switch 48V and the pad on each of the eight inputs. Each should engage and its meter should respond.
05Outputs and headphones: Ask for music playing through outputs 1-2 and both headphone jacks. All should be clean, with no hum or dead side.
06Firmware: On arrival, open the web app and check the firmware at the bottom of the Device tab. Good is the current 828es and 8pre-es release from MOTU's download page.
07Packing: Ask how it'll be packed. Good is a double box with the front knobs and rack ears padded.

Buying your first one? How to pick a first used interface covers inputs, mic gain and drivers, and the power supply guide covers which ones need their adapter.

Find one on eBay

We haven’t been through this model’s listings yet. Search eBay and run every listing through the checklist above. Ask for a photo of the front and back panels and a short video of it recording, and pass on any seller who won’t send them.

Search “MOTU 8pre-es” on eBay ↗eBay search

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Brand

Size

Connection

Read

MOTU 8pre-es

8pre-es (2018)8pre (FireWire, older)8pre USB (older, still listed by MOTU)

Spec at a glance

Maker

MOTU

Size

Pro

Connects over

Thunderbolt

Made

From 2018

Inputs

8 rear combo XLR/TRS mic, line or hi-Z guitar, built-in talkback mic

Outputs

8 balanced 1/4-inch TRS (DC coupled), 2 headphones

Mic preamp gain

0 to +63 dB in 1 dB steps; 48 V and -20 dB pad per channel

Converters

ESS Sabre32 DAC; MOTU quotes 123 dB dynamic range on the line outs, 118 dB on the mic inputs; up to 192 kHz

Digital I/O

2 optical banks (16 ADAT channels at 44.1/48 kHz; bank A can be TOSLink), BNC word clock

Connection

Thunderbolt or USB 2.0 (one at a time), plus AVB/TSN Ethernet

Power

Internal universal supply, 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz, 35 W, IEC mains socket

MIDI and S/PDIF

None

Also listed as

MOTU 8pre es, MOTU 8preES, MOTU 8 pre-es

How to tell it apart

Drivers and support

What should come with it

An IEC mains cord. The supply is internal and auto-switching (100–240 V), so any standard IEC cord works.

One USB cable. A Thunderbolt cable wasn't included.

Rack brackets, fitted at the factory and removable for desk use. Check they're still on it.

For Thunderbolt on a Mac with USB-C Thunderbolt 3 or 4 ports, you'll need Apple's Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter, which Apple's store no longer lists. USB 2.0 needs no adapter.

AudioDesk came with it through registration, and MOTU says AudioDesk owners can ask customer service for Performer Lite. Transfers go through MOTU customer service, and only the registered owner can approve one.

Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing power supply or a licence that won’t transfer should come off the price.

What to check

01Model: Check the rear photo for eight combo jacks, Thunderbolt and USB ports and an RJ45 network jack. That's an 8pre-es, not the older 8pre or 8pre USB.

02Connection plan: Decide whether you'll use USB 2.0 or Thunderbolt. USB works on any current Mac or PC, while Thunderbolt on a USB-C Mac needs Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter.

03All eight preamps: Ask for a short video turning each gain control through its range with a mic connected, in both banks. Every channel should show smooth 1 dB steps and clean signal.

04Phantom and pad: Ask the seller to switch 48V and the pad on each of the eight inputs. Each should engage and its meter should respond.

05Outputs and headphones: Ask for music playing through outputs 1-2 and both headphone jacks. All should be clean, with no hum or dead side.

06Firmware: On arrival, open the web app and check the firmware at the bottom of the Device tab. Good is the current 828es and 8pre-es release from MOTU's download page.

07Packing: Ask how it'll be packed. Good is a double box with the front knobs and rack ears padded.

Buying your first one? How to pick a first used interface covers inputs, mic gain and drivers, and the power supply guide covers which ones need their adapter.

MOTU 8pre-es

Spec at a glance

How to tell it apart

Drivers and support

What should come with it

What to check

Find one on eBay

Compare with

MOTU 828es

MOTU 1248

PreSonus Studio 1810c

Universal Audio Apollo x8

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MOTU 8pre-es

Spec at a glance

How to tell it apart

Drivers and support

What should come with it

What to check

Find one on eBay

Compare with

MOTU 828es

MOTU 1248

PreSonus Studio 1810c

Universal Audio Apollo x8

Keep exploring