Steinberg has announced that will no longer need to rely on other companies' hardware for an interface to record into Cubase. The announcement of the MR816 CRX means that Steinberg is it's own, complete computer recording package, and God it feels good to be independent.

Sure, Cubase will think of the fun times it had with other interfaces, but the features on the new MR816 CRX will make it easier to move on. For starters, the interface features eight combo XLR-TRS inputs, each with its own discrete Class A "D-Pre" mic preamp. Each channel has individually switchable phantom power, and there are 1/4" inserts on channels one and two. The interface also boasts ADAT and S/PDIF I/O, and a total of eight analog 1/4" outs.

Thw CRX even has a fully-loaded DSP section on board that will run VST3 processes like EQs and REV-X reverbs. There's also a virtual channel strip called the Sweet Sport Morphing Channel Strip. The MR816 CRX not only provides a hardware interface for Cubase, it makes the Cubase software itself more powerful.

Steinberg will be showing off the MR816 CRX, along with a bunch of other new hardware, at Summer NAMM 2008 in Nashville.