Recording just got one interface more portable with the release of the MOTU Traveler-mk3. The travel-ready interface contains four high quality mic inputs with phantom power, optional battery power, DSP-driven mixing and effects processing and bus power, which proves its all for public transportation.

The four "a-four-mentioned" (you see what I did there?) mic pres are just the start of the illustrious I/O section. With eight channels total of 192 kHz analog recording and playback alongside twenty channels of digital I/O (featuring ADAT optical, AES/EBU and S/PDIF formats), this is one interface you can plug cables into all day long. Also, consider that you can expand this system with the 8pre mic input expander, which allows you to connect up more MOTU Firewire interfaces. In total, this 28 input / 30 output interface has the tools to feel right at home in the studio, on stage, remote or basically anywhere. Thus is the nature of the traveler.

The included CueMix FX lets you digitally mix everything you plug into your Traveler-mk3 without latency. You can apply hardware DSP-driven effects processing to ins, outs and busses without the help of your host (if you can even call it that) computer. The effects include Classic Reverb with lengths up to a full minute, seven-band parametric EQ reminiscent of old British analog console EQs, a conventional compression, and the Leveler -- another compressor that models the LA-2A.

Furthermore, the four combo mic / guitar inputs offer overload protection. This gives you an extra 12 dB of headroom above zero without clipping or harsh artifacts, which adamant time-savers like to call "hartifacts." Traveler-mk3 also is serious about remote locations. Long battery life and a backlit LED on all front panel controls let you take the Traveler-mk3 to the ends of the Earth to places nobody in their right mind would want to record anything. It works for both PC and Mac platforms.