M2 | M4 ™ User Guide Title Page 1280 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 Business voice: (617) 576-2760 Business fax: (617) 576-3609 Web site: www.motu.com Tech support: www.motu.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE M2 AND M4 (“PRODUCT”) CAUTION! READ THIS SAFETY GUIDE BEFORE YOU BEGIN INSTALLATION OR OPERATION. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS COULD RESULT IN BODILY INJURY OR EQUIPMENT DAMAGE. HAZARDOUS VOLAGES: CONTACT MAY CAUSE ELECTRIC SHOCK OR BURN. TURN OFF UNIT BEFORE SERVICING. WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR OTHER MOISTURE.
Contents 3 Contents 5 Quick Start Guide 7 M2 Quick Reference 8 M4 Quick Reference 9 Packing List and System Requirements 11 Software Installation 15 Hardware Installation 19 Working with Host Audio Software 23 Troubleshooting 25 Audio Specifications 27 Index iii
About the Mark of the Unicorn License Agreement and Limited Warranty on Software TO PERSONS WHO PURCHASE OR USE THIS PRODUCT: carefully read all the terms and conditions of the “click-wrap”license agreement presented to you when you install the software. Using the software or this documentation indicates your acceptance of the terms and conditions of that license agreement. Mark of the Unicorn, Inc. (“MOTU”) owns both this program and its documentation.
Quick Start Guide Thank you for purchasing an M series USB interface! Follow these easy steps to get started quickly. ☛ FOR MAC USERS 3 Go to the Windows Sound Control Panel and choose MOTU M Series as the default input and output device. 1 Connect the M2 or M4 to your Mac using the included USB cable. If your computer has USB-C ports, use a USB-C to USB-C cable (rated for USB2), or a USB-C to USB-A adapter, (both sold separately).
PLEASE REGISTER TODAY Please visit motu.com/m2-start or motu.com/m4-start to register your M series interface and gain access to all the software, virtual instruments, loops and sounds that are included with your purchase.
M2 Quick Reference 1 2 3 4 8 7 9 10 5 6 11 12 13 1. These two XLR/TRS combo jacks accept a mic cable or a quarter-inch cable, balanced or unbalanced, from a guitar or line level source. 6. Connect your headphones here. This signal matches the signal on the MONITOR outputs on the rear panel, but volume control (5) is independent. 11. These unbalanced RCA analog outputs mirror the signal on the quarter-inch outputs (12). You can connect them to a second set of speakers or other destination. 2.
M4 Quick Reference 1 2 3 10 9 11 12 4 5 6 8 7 13 14 15 16 1. These two XLR/TRS combo jacks accept a mic cable or a quarter-inch cable, balanced or unbalanced, from a guitar or line level source. 7. Connect your headphones here. This signal matches the signal on the MONITOR outputs on the rear panel, but volume control (6) is independent. 2. Use GAIN knob to add up to 60 dB of boost to the input signal. Watch the input level meter in the LCD while adjusting gain.
CHAPTER 1 Packing List and System Requirements PACKING LIST PLEASE REGISTER TODAY! The M2 and M4 ship with the items listed below. If any of these items are not present in the box when you first open it, please immediately contact your dealer or MOTU. Please visit motu.com/m2-start or motu.com/m4-start to register your M series interface and gain access to all the software, virtual instruments, loops and sounds that are included with your purchase.
PAC K I N G LI S T A N D S YS T EM R E Q U I R E M EN TS
CHAPTER 2 Software Installation OVERVIEW USB audio class-compliant operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Driver installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 M series Control Panel (Windows only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 MIDI I/O on Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 MIDI I/O setup on the Mac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Working with host audio software . . . .
M Series Core Audio driver for macOS On macOS, to enable your M Series interface in your Core Audio-compatible host software, go to the menu item or preference in your host audio software where you choose the audio device (Core Audio driver) you wish to use, and then select the M2 or M4 by name. M SERIES CONTROL PANEL (WINDOWS ONLY) On Windows, you can access the M Series control panel in the Windows Start menu.
MIDI I/O ON WINDOWS On Windows, the M Series driver installer provides a USB MIDI driver for the M2 and M4. This driver allows you to access the their MIDI input and output ports through its USB connection to the computer. The ports are published in Windows and are available to all MIDI software. MIDI I/O SETUP ON THE MAC Core MIDI is the “under-the-hood” component of macOS that handles MIDI services for MIDI hardware and software.
Figure 2-5: Device settings. 4 Repeat the above steps for each MIDI device connected to the interface. 5 When you are finished, quit Audio MIDI Setup. Your configuration is automatically saved as the default configuration, and it is shared with all Core MIDI-compatible software. WORKING WITH HOST AUDIO SOFTWARE For further information about using your M Series interface with host audio software, see chapter 4, “Working with Host Audio Software” (page 19).
Hardware Installation CHAPTER 3 A TYPICAL M2 SETUP Mic or guitar Mic or guitar Headphones MIDI controller or synthesizer Mac or PC Speakers MIDI synth DJ system Figure 3-1: A typical M2 studio setup.
A TYPICAL M4 SETUP Mic or Guitar Mic or Guitar Headphones MIDI controller or synthesizer MIDI controller or synthesizer B speakers Mac or PC MIDI synth DJ system A speakers Figure 3-2: A typical M4 studio setup.
CONNECTING TO A MAC OR PC AUDIO CONNECTIONS Connect the M2 or M4 to your host computer with the supplied USB-C to USB-A cable. If your computer has USB-C ports, use a USB-C to USB-C cable (rated for USB2) or a USB-A adapter (both sold separately). The M2 is powered by its USB connection to the host computer. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you are making audio connections to your M Series interface.
TRS quarter-inch analog inputs and outputs Quarter-inch analog inputs and outputs are balanced (TRS) connectors that can also accept an unbalanced plug. The outputs are DC-coupled, so they can be used for CV control output. ☛ Quarter-inch analog outputs are not cross-coupled. Therefore, when connecting them to an unbalanced input, use a TRS plug with the ring disconnected. Not floating the negative terminal will short it to the sleeve ground and cause distortion.
CHAPTER 4 Working with Host Audio Software OVERVIEW M Series interfaces provide multi-channel audio input and output for Core Audio compatible audio applications on the Mac and ASIO compatible applications on Windows, including MOTU’s Performer Lite and Digital Performer, Apple’s Logic Pro and GarageBand, and other third-party software applications such as Ableton Live, Avid Pro Tools, Cockos Reaper, Propellerhead Reason, Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo, Cakewalk SONAR, PreSonus Studio One, Bitwig, and others
Where to go in popular audio hosts Here is the location for this setting in various popular audio software host applications: Monitoring through the M2 or M4 If you don’t need to process a live input with plug-ins, the easiest way to avoid monitoring latency is to disable your DAW’s live monitoring feature and instead engage the MON (monitor) switch on the front panel of your M Series interface. Visit motu.com/m2-start (or /m4-start) to watch a video about this feature.
If you are at a point in your recording project where you are not currently working with live, patched-thru material (e.g. you’re not recording vocals), or if you have a way of externally processing inputs, choose a higher buffer size. Depending on your computer’s CPU speed, you might find that settings in the middle work best (256 to 1024).
Master fader The first track (yellow) is the master fader going to the M2 Main Out L-R. This is the main output from Performer Lite that you will hear on the M2 headphone output and Outputs 1-2 (speakers). Loopback track The second track (green) is the loopback track. Its input is set to Loopback 1-2 (from Youtube). Youtube is playing to the Mac’s output, which is set to the M2 in the Sound Control Panel. ☛ Notice that this track is not play-enabled.
APPENDIX A Troubleshooting My MOTU interface isn’t showing up in Audio MIDI Setup on my Mac. Due to the updated architecture of the new macOS High Sierra (10.13) or higher, the system extensions for all newly-installed third-party software will automatically be blocked from running. If your MOTU interface is not showing up in Audio MIDI Setup or your DAW on High Sierra or higher, you might need to enable the driver in your System Preferences.
■ A brief explanation of the problem, including the exact sequence of actions which cause it, and the contents of any error messages which appear on the screen. ■ The pages in the manual that refer to the features or operation of your MOTU Device or Performer Lite with which you are having trouble. The version of your computer’s operating system.
APPENDIX B Audio Specifications MIC in Connector Type Combo-style, XLR / TRS Pin 2 hot, tip hot XLR Impedance load 2.65 k Ω Phantom power +48 v, switchable per channel DIN 45596 / IEC 61938-P48 EIN -129.5 dBu At maximum gain, 150Ω, A-weighted Dynamic Range 115 dB < 0.0014% @ 10dBu (-97dB), A-weighted THD+N -97 dB (< 0.0014%) Unweighted Frequency Response +0 -0.1 dB, 20 Hz/20 kHz Ref.
Line Out Connector Type 1/4” Female, TRS Balanced, tip hot Output Impedance 100 ohm Per leg Dynamic Range 120 dB A-weighted THD+N -110 dB < 0.00032% @ -1 dBFS, Unweighted, 1 kHz Frequency Response +0, -0.1 dB, 20 Hz/20 kHz Ref. 1 kHz Max Level Out +16 dBu RCA Out Connector Type Female RCA Dynamic Range 119 dB A-weighted THD+N -108 dB < 0.00039% @ 9.
Index +4dB analog input 17 -10dB analog input 17 8pre-es specifications 25 A Ableton Live 19, 20 Analog inputs/outputs making connections to 18 Apple GarageBand 20 iOS connection 17 Logic Pro 20 ASIO 12 ASIO driver 19 Audio MIDI Setup utility 13 Avid Pro Tools 20 B Balanced analog 18 Buffer Size 12 C Class compliance 11 Cockos Reaper 20 Condenser mic input 17 Control Panel 12 Controller connecting 18 Core Audio driver 19 Core MIDI Audio MIDI Setup 13 benefits 13 Cubase 19, 20 Customer support 23 D Digi
I N D E X
