Metric Halo LIO-8 mkIV
Recording & Mixing Console / Interface
Audio Interface$2,395Manufacturer list price
Specifications
- Type
- Audio Interface
- Description
- Recording & Mixing Console / Interface
- Topology
- Custom hybrid DSP/FPGA processing engine (MH DSP Engine)
- Signal path
- Digital (recallable / digitally controlled)
- Channels
- 8
- Channel format
- 8x analog in / 8x analog out, 2x DI, stereo headphone out; mic preamps optional in 4-channel blocks up to 8
- Form factor
- 1U rackmount desktop unit (rack ears included)
- Rack units
- 1
- Connection
- USB-C, Ethernet/MHLink
- Sample rate (kHz)
- 44.1-192
- Bit depth
- 24-bit converters / 32-bit internal DSP
- DSP
- true
- Power (W)
- 20W nominal / 25W max
- Phantom power
- 48V
Details
Controls: Digitally-controlled analog trim/gain knobs, headphone level control, 15-segment precision front panel metering, meter-on-knob, numeric gain display, adjustable brightness/knob sensitivity
I/O: 8x A/D analog in (trim control), 8x D/A analog out (gain control), optional ULN-R mic preamps in 4ch blocks (0/4/8ch, P48 phantom, up to 90dB gain in 0.5dB steps), 2x Hi-Z guitar/bass DI in, stereo headphone out, 8ch AES in/out, SMPTE LTC I/O, MIDI I/O, MHLink (Gigabit Ethernet, up to 100m), USB-C (Class Audio, driverless), MH EdgeBus expansion slot (AES/SPDIF/ADAT/MADI up to 256ch via EdgeCards)
Notable use: Tracking, mixing, mastering, live sound, remote mic pre, A/D/A, active analog split, digital snake, DSP processing, format conversion, headphone amp, DI, meter bridge, monitor control, cue playback, integrated Session recording DAW
Notes: FLAG device_class: base LIO-8 mkIV ships as an 8ch converter/processor; ULN-R mic preamps are an optional add-in (0, 4, or 8 channels via separate Preamp Kit SKUs, see related entries) rather than always-populated like the ULN-8 mkIV -- classified as Audio Interface per task guidance but flagged since preamp count is configuration-dependent (channel_count of '8' reflects analog I/O, not guaranteed preamp count). Successor to 'LIO-8 3d' (page's own spec-comparison table cites 'LIO-8 3d' as prior generation: Gen3 analog/Gen2 converters, 26W power, 116-sample RTL, no unity-gain loop, no relay mute, vs mkIV's Gen4/Gen4, 15-20W, 18-sample RTL). 'LIO-8 3d' referenced in research brief is not currently sold as new. price_usd = MH Direct store list price (item 000-50047, productid=10009), verified 2026-07. year_intro left blank, not stated on official page (see ULN-8 mkIV entry for third-party estimate ~2021-2022, unconfirmed).