Stage Box

MOTU Stage-B16 Stagebox

The MOTU Stage-B16 is built for the road with a rugged 1U chassis, locking combo jacks, and front-panel headphone monitoring. It offers 16 mic/line inputs and 12 analog outputs with onboard DSP mixing and effects, plus AVB/TSN networking and USB connectivity. The dedicated headphone output with independent mix is invaluable for quick monitor checks, and the robust build quality handles the rigors of touring. A strong choice for the front end of a playback or IEM rig.

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Discontinued. MOTU AVB-era interface gone from major retail 2026-07 — superseded by the 2024+ line (828/16A TB4/848). Kept for owners; used-market staple.

Photos

Manufacturer product photography — the drawn faceplate stays true to panel layout; these show the hardware itself.

MOTU Stage-B16 Stagebox — Photo: MOTUClick to zoom

Documented outputs: 1414 destination connections
Documented inputs: 18Based on documented inputs
Rack space: 2UBuilder checks available rail space
Power draw: 35W45W documented maximum
Catalog estimate: ~$1,695Use retailer rows for current price and stock

01 · What it does—and what that changes in your rig.

Product overview

Start with the payoff, then work through how it functions, where it fits, and the details that change a real build.

The payoff

Stage Box decisions, organized around the whole rig.

The MOTU Stage-B16 is a network-connected stagebox that lives at the analog edge of your rig — the point where microphones, DI boxes, and playback sources enter the digital domain and where monitor feeds return to the stage as analog signals. Its sixteen inputs and twelve outputs, combined with onboard DSP and dual AVB ports, make it a serious front-end for an IEM rack or a compact playback system. The headphone output on the front panel is a genuine working tool: you can sanity-check a mix or verify signal flow without pulling out a laptop or walking to FOH.

Documented outputs: 1414 destination connections
Documented inputs: 18Based on documented inputs
Rack space: 2UBuilder checks available rail space

MOTU product panel2U · 35W

Function

How it works in the path

At load-in the numbers matter. Eight of the sixteen inputs are XLR combo jacks suited for microphones or line-level sources; the remaining eight are quarter-inch TRS, which works well for keyboard submixes, playback outputs, or anything already at line level. Two of the twelve outputs are XLR male — useful for the mains or a FOH send — while the rest are TRS. The two AVB Ethernet ports let you daisy-chain or connect to a network switch without losing a port, which keeps cabling tidy when the Stage-B16 is talking to a MOTU interface or another AVB device across the stage. At 35 watts nominal draw in a 2U chassis weighing 3.2 kg, it is light enough that the rack weight budget stays reasonable.

Best fit

Where it earns its place in the rack

This unit belongs in a rig where AVB is already the transport or where you are building a MOTU-native system from scratch. If your console or interface speaks Dante or MADI, you will need a protocol bridge and that erases much of the value here. Engineers running hybrid rigs with a mix of analog and network I/O will appreciate the flexible input pairing, but anyone expecting straightforward AES67 interop should verify compatibility before committing. The $1,695 price puts it in direct conversation with other 16-input stageboxes in the AVB space; where it earns its keep is the onboard DSP and that front-panel headphone amp, which together reduce your dependency on a laptop for basic monitoring tasks on busy show days.

In the rack

Details worth deciding before load-in.

Use the dual AVB ports in a daisy-chain to a second MOTU device rather than running separate home-runs — it keeps your Cat6 count low and the network topology simple to troubleshoot mid-show.
Assign the two XLR outputs to your main IEM transmitter feeds and reserve the TRS outputs for auxiliary or utility sends; the XLR locks are more reliable on cables that get yanked during changeovers.
Plug a set of in-ears directly into the front-panel headphone output and assign it an independent mix for line-check — you can verify every input and output without disturbing the running mix going to the transmitters.
Budget the full 45-watt maximum draw figure when calculating your rack's power needs, not the 35-watt nominal — a fully loaded analog I/O section under phantom power load will push closer to that ceiling.

02 · Know the whole path before you buy.

Signal path

Learn the route as a block diagram: source, product function, transport, and destination. Select any block to see what enters, what changes, and what leaves.

Interactive block diagramAuto-looping · hover, focus, or tap to hold a stage

Port-type signalProduct functionSystem boundary

Follow one signal from source to destination

Each block answers the same three questions: what arrives, what changes here, and what leaves.

01 · Source · selected

01 · Source

18 documented inputs

XLR female + ¼-inch TRS

Arrives as: 18 documented inputs
Connector: XLR female + ¼-inch TRS
Signal: analog audio

03 · What this product asks of the rest of the system.

Compatibility

Treat connector names as the start of the check—not the answer. These are the boundaries that determine a complete working path.

Best fit · Stage Box

Use it when 2U and 241 mm of depth fit the case.

Plan the companion path

Complete the path with upstream and downstream gear that matches connector, direction, signal type, protocol, and wiring standard.

Connector boundary

Documented connectors: XLR female, ¼-inch TRS, XLR male, RJ45. Match connector, direction, and signal type—not shape alone.

04 · Every connector, grouped by job.

I/O ports

Switch the product view and the documented port inventory updates with it—hardware and data stay side by side.

Every connector, grouped by job.

Switch panels to keep the hardware view and the documented port list in sync.

Panel view

Front panel

Rear panel

All documented ports for MOTU Stage-B16 Stagebox
Port	Panel	Connector	Direction	Signal	Channels
Mic/Line In 1 (XLR)	rear	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic/Line In 2 (XLR)	rear	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic/Line In 3 (XLR)	rear	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic/Line In 4 (XLR)	rear	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic/Line In 5 (XLR)	rear	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic/Line In 6 (XLR)	rear	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic/Line In 7 (XLR)	rear	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Mic/Line In 8 (XLR)	rear	XLR female	input	analog audio	—
Line In 9 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	input	analog audio	—
Line In 10 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	input	analog audio	—
Line In 11 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	input	analog audio	—
Line In 12 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	input	analog audio	—
Line In 13 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	input	analog audio	—
Line In 14 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	input	analog audio	—
Line In 15 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	input	analog audio	—
Line In 16 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	input	analog audio	—
Analog Out 1 (XLR)	rear	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 2 (XLR)	rear	XLR male	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 3 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 4 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 5 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 6 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 7 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 8 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 9 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 10 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 11 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
Analog Out 12 (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
Headphone Out (TRS)	rear	¼-inch TRS	output	analog audio	—
AVB Network 1 (RJ45)	rear	RJ45	bidirectional	digital audio	—
AVB Network 2 (RJ45)	rear	RJ45	bidirectional	digital audio	—
USB-C	rear	usb c	bidirectional	data	—
Power (IEC)	rear	IEC C14	input	power	—
MIDI In	rear	midi din5	input	data	—
MIDI Out	rear	midi din5	output	data	—

Showing 35 of 35 documented physical ports. Scroll to review the remaining rows.

05 · Compare the decision, not just the price.

Alternatives

The rows are organized around fit, power, I/O, and system role so a cheaper unit cannot hide a more expensive workflow.

Compare	MOTU Stage-B16 StageboxThis gear	Allen & Heath DX168 Stage Box	Midas DL32 Digital Stage Box	PreSonus NSB32.16 Stage Box
Fit	📐 2U	📐 4U	📐 3U	📐 3U
Power	⚡ 35W	⚡ 30W	⚡ 45W	⚡ 40W
Weight	⚖️ 7.1 lb	⚖️ 12.1 lb	⚖️ 24.0 lb	⚖️ 8.8 lb
I/O	🔌 35	🔌 27	🔌 59	🔌 4
Estimate	💵 ~$1,695	💵 ~$1,699	💵 ~$1,699	💵 ~$1,899
Deep dive	Current selection	Full comparison →	Full comparison →	Full comparison →

06 · Resolve the questions that can change the purchase or build plan.

Planning questions

Short, source-backed answers surface rack fit, power, cabling, and connection details before they become surprises.

How will the MOTU Stage-B16 Stagebox affect rack fit and case depth?

It occupies 2U. Its documented depth is 241 mm.

How much power does the MOTU Stage-B16 Stagebox draw?

Typical draw is 35W and documented maximum draw is 45W.

What connections does the MOTU Stage-B16 Stagebox have?

35 documented physical ports, including Mic/Line In 1 (XLR), Mic/Line In 2 (XLR), Mic/Line In 3 (XLR), Mic/Line In 4 (XLR), Mic/Line In 5 (XLR), Mic/Line In 6 (XLR).

Is the MOTU Stage-B16 Stagebox discontinued?

MOTU AVB-era interface gone from major retail 2026-07 — superseded by the 2024+ line (828/16A TB4/848). Kept for owners; used-market staple.

07 · See this unit inside a real rack plan.

Builder preview

Placement is only the start. Builder checks space · depth · weight, power headroom, dependencies, and compatible signal paths around this exact catalog item.Open in Builder

08 · Related gear, in the order you may need it.

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Planning guides for stage box systems.

Fundamentals · 6 min

From Stage to Ear: How Audio Flows Through an IEM Rack

A walking tour of the signal path from microphone to in-ear monitor, with what every box in the rack actually does to the audio along the way.

Workflow · 10 min

Stage Plots and Input Lists That Sound Engineers Actually Want

A plain-English guide to writing the input list, stage plot, and patch sheet that house engineers want — without the jargon, with examples, and with a free way to generate one.

Workflow · 10 min

Setting Up Stereo IEM Mixes on an X32 / M32

Step-by-step: linking aux buses into stereo pairs, pre-fader vs post-fader, routing buses to Ultranet vs physical XLRs vs AES50, and adding a bus-level limiter.

Networking · 9 min

Dante vs MADI vs AES50: Which Audio Network Should You Use?

A practical comparison of the three audio-over-network protocols you’ll encounter in a rack rig, with guidance on when each one is the right pick.

Photos

Product overview

Stage Box decisions, organized around the whole rig.

How it works in the path

Where it earns its place in the rack

Signal path

18 documented inputs

Compatibility

Best fit · Stage Box

Plan the companion path

Connector boundary

I/O ports

Every connector, grouped by job.

Alternatives

Planning questions

Builder preview

Midas DL16 Digital Stage Box

Midas DL32 Digital Stage Box

Behringer S16 Digital Stage Box

Behringer S32 Digital Stage Box

Midas DL251 Digital Stage Box

Yamaha Rio1608-D2 Dante Stage Box

Related articles

From Stage to Ear: How Audio Flows Through an IEM Rack

Stage Plots and Input Lists That Sound Engineers Actually Want

Setting Up Stereo IEM Mixes on an X32 / M32

Dante vs MADI vs AES50: Which Audio Network Should You Use?