Are there any Thunderbolt audio interfaces that support MIDI and USB connectivity as well?
This page compares 4 Are there any Thunderbolt audio interfaces that support MIDI and USB connectivity as wells with verified specifications and prices. Top options include MOTU 8pre-es, MOTU 16A, MOTU 24Ai. Prices range from £744 to £1,147. All data is sourced from manufacturer documentation and specialist retailers.
| Product ⇅ | Price ⇅ | I/O Count ⇅ | Number of Channels ⇅ | Sample Rate (Hz) ⇅ | Bit Depth (bits) ⇅ | Latency (ms) ⇅ | Thunderbolt Version ⇅ | Power Supply ⇅ |
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MOTU 8pre-es
US
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£882.21 ≈ | 24 in / 28 out (52 total) | 52 simultaneous audio channels | 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz | 32-bit | 1.6 ms round-trip at 96 kHz over Thunderbolt | Thunderbolt 1, compatible with Thunderbolt 2 and 3 | ✓ |
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The MOTU 8pre-es is a rackmount audio interface with eight mic, line, and instrument inputs, eight balanced analog outputs, 16 channels of ADAT optical I/O, and AVB networking. It supports Thunderbolt and USB connectivity, includes onboard DSP mixing and effects, and suits recording studios, bands, drummers, and producers needing many simultaneous inputs. ★ Ideal forIt suits users seeking a Thunderbolt audio interface with MIDI and USB connectivity because it provides Thunderbolt 1, USB 2.0, MIDI I/O, 52 simultaneous audio channels, and eight mic, line, and instrument inputs.
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MOTU 16A
US
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£1147.09 ≈ | 32 inputs / 34 outputs | 66 total channels | 44.1 to 192 kHz | 32-bit | 1.8 ms at 96 kHz | Thunderbolt 4 | ✓ |
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The MOTU 16A is a professional 32-in/34-out Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 audio interface with AVB networking, onboard DSP mixing, effects, ADAT optical I/O, and flexible routing. It suits recording studios, live sound systems, broadcast setups, and users who need extensive line-level connectivity and low latency. ★ Ideal forIt supports USB connectivity through USB4, USB3, and USB2-compatible USB-C, but it has no built-in MIDI interface, so it does not fully meet a requirement for both MIDI and USB connectivity.
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MOTU 24Ai
US
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£743.86 ≈ | 24 analog inputs, 48 digital I/O, 72 total | 72 | 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz | 24-bit | 0.625 ms | — | ✓ |
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The MOTU 24Ai is a rackmount audio interface with 24 balanced analog inputs, three ADAT optical banks, USB 2.0 connectivity, AVB networking, and a built-in 48-channel mixer with DSP effects. It suits professional studios, live sound systems, and installations that need many line-level inputs and expandable digital or networked audio. ★ Ideal forIt suits users seeking a Thunderbolt-compatible system with MIDI and USB connectivity because it provides USB 2.0 audio and can expand through AVB when connected to a separate Thunderbolt-equipped MOTU interface, but it has no built-in MIDI ports.
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Universal Audio Apollo Twin X QUAD Gen 2 Thunderbolt Audio Interface
US
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£914.69 ≈ | 10 | 8 | 192 | 24 | 1.1 ms at 96 kHz | 3 | ✓ |
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Apollo Twin X QUAD Gen 2 is a 10x6 Thunderbolt desktop audio interface with QUAD Core DSP for real-time UAD plug-in processing. It includes two Unison mic preamps, a Hi-Z instrument input, and optical Toslink (ADAT or S/PDIF) digital input, letting you record through DSP effects while monitoring. It's designed for musicians, producers, and project studios that want low-latency tracking and studio-quality conversion in a compact setup. ★ Ideal forIt connects to computers over Thunderbolt 3 (UA lists the Thunderbolt host connection), but it does not list any MIDI connectivity (so it does not specifically provide MIDI plus USB connectivity as built-in features).
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