Arturia introduces AudioFuse 16Rig Rackmountable Audio Interface
Arturia ‘high density’ 16Rig is the top of the AudioFuse range and ideal for your modular synths, analogue outboard and vintage keys. It has more analogue ins and outs than any other AudioFuse and a matrix of connectivity options.
Arturia has introduced AudioFuse 16Rig, an advanced audio & MIDI interface that they say is designed for hardware users that want to connect and synchronize their whole setup. In fact it is the most connected of the AudioFuse range thus far.
It does seem incredible that the original AudioFuse was announced way back in 2015. A very flexible and highly configurable interface with four analogue ins and multiple digital connectivity options.
Since then the AudioFuse range has been bolstered with the AudioFuse Studio, a 20-in, 18-out interface with four input channels, and AudioFuse 8Pre, another flexible interface with eight input channels.
Arturia then focussed on smaller and cheaper audio interfaces with its MiniFuses, but is right back at the top end of connectivity with its new AudioFuse 16Rig rack-mount/desktop interface.
It is ‘high density’ which means it adds more analogue inputs than any other Arturia interface, so is focussed on anyone with lots of hardware. That’s you, Eurorack and synth users.
Yes, while other AudioFuse specs are bolstered with digital I/O, Arturia is aiming 16Rig’s extra analogue connectivity at those of us with an increasingly hardware-based studio. So you get 16 analogue inputs (two with digitally controllable preamps around the front), a whopping 10 analogue outputs, plus up to four headphone outs.
There is digital connectivity as well, with ADAT delivering another 16 channels plus a full complement of MIDI connectors. You can even use the interface as a USB hub with three extra USB-A sockets on top of its USB-C computer connector.
Rig16 has digital mixing built in and a ton of audio and MIDI routing, best dealt with by way of the AudioFuse Control Centre app, which looks like it will easily you connect any inputs to any outputs you like, all by way of a routing matrix.
Arturia says that the two inputs around the front are great for plugging any non permanent hardware to your setup and there’s even a 3.5mm input next to them to plug your phone or other devices into.
While much of the routing and mixing can be done in Control Centre, 16Rig has been designed so that you can do pretty much everything from the front panel too, with a large dial stepping through main input, output, mix and setup menus, plus button options to take you to more important areas, faster.
AudioFuse 16Rig is clearly aimed at electronic music producers with lots of keyboards, sound modules, outboard and Eurorack gear. And really it’s all about that routing, connectivity and mixing flexibility.
Arturia wants you to use 16Rig in a setup where you can route your Eurorack through 16Rig into your outboard hardware and back again, all the time playing along with your vast vintage keyboard collection. Arturia claims its internal mixing takes the strain away from your DAW.
Specifications:
- 16 x TRS analog inputs
- Includes 2 x high-quality digitally-controlled preamps
- Inputs 3 & 4 also available as 3.5mm stereo input
- 12 x analog outputs
- Includes 8 x DC-coupled TRS line outputs
- Stereo monitor outputs
- 35mm front-panel outputs for reamping, dual-headphones
- 2 x ADAT in, 2 x ADAT out
- Up to 16 channels of I/O at 48kHz, 8 channels at 88.2/96kHz
- Wordclock in & out
- 1 x MIDI in, 2 x MIDI out/thru
- 5-pin DIN connectors
- Route MIDI standalone
- Low-latency USB-C connection
- Class-compliant MIDI
- 3 x USB hub connections
- Two internal standalone mixers
- No computer connection needed
- Cue mixer for sub-mixing and added flexibility
- Main mixer controllable by MIDI
- Color display with rotary control & menu buttons
- Desktop or 1U rackmount configuration
- Includes AudioFuse Control Center
- Includes AudioFuse Creative Suite
- Analog Lab Intro
- Comp DIODE-609* NEW
- Pre 1973
- Pre V76
- Pre TridA
- Filter MINI
- Chorus JUN-6
- Comp FET-76
- Delay TAPE-201
- Rev PLATE-140
- Phaser BI-TRON
“AudioFuse 16Rig is clearly aimed at electronic music producers with lots of keyboards, sound modules, outboard and Eurorack gear”
The Arturia AudioFuse 16Rig is available now for $1,499/€1,299 and you can get more info from the Arturia website.
