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The MR816 CSX is smarter than your average audio interface.

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The problem with your standard computer music setup – computer, audio interface and software – is that the freedom to mix and match whatever gear you like leaves hardware and software designers struggling to integrate truly advanced features.

However, now that Steinberg is owned by musical equipment giants Yamaha, the opportunity has finally arisen to do exactly that at the core level with its Cubase DAW. Wisely, Steinberg has chosen to combine DSP-fuelled audio interfacing with extensive software-linking to Cubase (version 4.5 and above).

The first devices in this new range are the MR816CSX and MR816 X 'advanced integration DSP studios', and it's the more powerful CSX variant that we have here. The X edition is essentially the same but minus the Channel Strip DSP effect.

Overview

Strip away all the Cubase integration-related extras and the MR looks much like any quality FireWire interface. It's a 24-bit/96kHz-capable unit with a total of 16 ins and outs (eight analogue and eight digital in each direction).

There's a full complement of eight class-A mic preamps (using Yamaha's D-Pre design), and the first two channels also include instrument inputs and unbalanced pre-conversion insert points. Both coaxial and optical digital connections are included, and the eight digital channels can be allocated as ADAT, S/PDIF, or split (six ADAT, two S/PDIF).

Other connections include word clock in and out, twin FireWire (you can daisy chain up to three units) and two independent headphone outs on the front panel. Surprisingly, there are no MIDI connections.

The front panel offers a gain knob, an LED level indicator, and 26dB pad and phantom power switches for each mic pre.

For the non-Cubase user, the MR is operated much like any other audio interface. It's worth noting that it retains its routing settings when you shut down, and that you can use it without a computer, as a converter or basic mixer

"Unfortunately, since Steinberg's own Cubase and Nuendo are currently the only DAWs to cater for VST3, you won't actually be able to use the effects in other programs"

Features include near-zero latency routing and monitoring, and CoreAudio (Mac) and ASIO (PC) drivers. You can use the supplied MR Editor application to apply the device's DSPs to the analogue inputs, and options include the Channel Strip insert, REV-X monitoring reverb, low-cut filter and phase reverse. You can use the two front-panel encoders to access phones levels, master level, Morph and REV-X settings.

You can load up the MR's Channel Strip and REV-X as plug-ins within your DAW, providing it supports VST3. Here, certain instance limits apply, the options being: eight mono instances; four stereo; six mono plus one REV-X; or three stereo channels plus one REV-X.

Unfortunately, since Steinberg's own Cubase and Nuendo are currently the only DAWs to cater for VST3, you won't actually be able to use the effects in other programs until/unless their developers add VST3 support.