MOTU 4pre - No Monitor Mute Switch

[Jack Stoner]

From another recent thread, I recently sold off some high end equipment and "downgraded" my MOTU to a 4pre.  It works as good as the MOTU 896Mk3 Hybrid I sold with one exception, there is no mute switch for the monitor speakers like there was with the MOTU 896Mk3 Hybrid or other interface units I've had over the years.   Nothing can be muted in their CueMix control program to mute it either.  This was confirmed by MOTU support.  The only way, in the unit, is to rotate the digital encoder monitor volume control to "off".   As its a digital encoder control it takes several complete turns of that control  - a hassle.   

Fortunately, I found an old "Nanopatch" control unit that I forgot I even had.  Its just the thing.  It has a (push button) switch to mute and even a volume control.  Its placed between the 4pre outputs and the monitor speakers.

 

Edited May 13, 2019 by Jack Stoner

[Jim Roseberry]

If you can set the Monitor Dim amount to attenuate all audio (assuming you're not using the Talkback features), that would effectively give you a "mute". 

[Jack Stoner]

MOTU support told me there was no way; no switch or nothing in the CueMix program to do it. 

I don't want to mute everything - I want headphone audio - just control (mute) the monitor speakers when desired.

The added Nanopatch unit between the L/R Monitor (Line) outs and the speakers works OK.   It even has a

volume control, so I don't have to mess with the volume control (encoder) on the front panel.  I have it set for a loud

signal and control it with the volume control in the Nanopatch.  If I want to mute I press the "mute" switch.  

It is, however,  an extra piece of hardware to get around what MOTU forgot.