Today, Arturia has announced a spread of brand-new products that likely appeal to two very different audiences. The MicroFreak hardware synth lives up to its name, packing plenty of fun features into a small and affordable device. But Arturia's other new releases—the AudioFuse Studio and AudioFuse 8Pre interfaces—are designed for home recordists and professional audio engineers alike.
Expanding on its popular two-channel AudioFuse USB interface, Arturia's new AudioFuse family features "high-end, feature-packed audio interfaces for everyone, from the bedroom musician to the pro studio engineer," Arturia says.
The AudioFuse Studio, which will be available for $999 USD this spring, is a desktop audio interface with a straightforward layout and a total of 18 input and 20 output channels, including four inputs with Discrete Pro mic pres, and four additional line inputs. Two independent analog outputs have line and instrument level outs for your reamping needs, while eight digital ADAT inputs/outputs can handle up to 96kHz. The Studio's 24-bit AD/DA converters can provide a sampling rate of up to 192kHz.
In addition to all the features one would expect in a quality audio interface, it also has a built-in phono preamp for easy vinyl sampling, Bluetooth capabilities for both monitoring and recording, and up to 72dB in input gain.
The AudioFuse 8Pre is a dual-function USB audio interface and preamp expander that can be used as a desktop or rackmounted unit. It offers a total of 16 input and 20 output channels, including eight Discrete Pro analog inputs and four additional line inputs, allowing up to eight tracks to be recorded at once through the USB-C port.
Arturia also stresses in its promotional material that the 8Pre is great just for its preamps. With eight premium preamps and ADAT connectivity, it can expand the number of inputs of any existing recording rig you own or use.
Taking on similar interfaces from Presonus, Focusrite, and Audient, Arturia will be releasing the AudioFuse 8Pre for $799. Purchase of either the 8Pre or the AudioFuse Studio also includes free downloads of the AudioFuse Creative Suite, Arturia's software program with a selection of preamp settings, filters, and effects.
For all the latest product releases straight from the NAMM 2019 convention floor, check out our ongoing coverage.