A renowned manufacturer of audio format converters and signal distribution solutions, DirectOut surprised the audio industry with a new development that will be highly effective for use across multiple applications. The USB.MADI is effectively a fully-fledged computer interface shrunk into a SFP (Small Formfactor Pluggable) module, which makes it the world’s smallest multichannel soundcard. It can be directly installed in any compatible DirectOut MADI SFP slot and connects via USB-C to Windows and Mac computers.

A renowned manufacturer of audio format converters and signal distribution solutions, DirectOut surprised the audio industry with a new development that will be highly effective for use across multiple applications. The USB.MADI is effectively a fully-fledged computer interface shrunk into a SFP (Small Formfactor Pluggable) module, which makes it the world’s smallest multichannel soundcard. It can be directly installed in any compatible DirectOut MADI SFP slot and connects via USB-C to Windows and Mac computers.

The USB.MADI has been designed with RME, another renowned German company that engineers reliable and stable audio interfaces that are equally trusted by audio professionals. Based on the proven USB core by RME, the USB.MADI delivers 64 channels of I/O at standard sample rate and is supported by RME’s high-performance drivers for macOS and Windows, ensuring low-latency interfacing between DirectOut devices and any DAW software.

Driverless operation is also possible thanks to the Class Compliant (CC) firmware, making the interface instantly compatible with portable devices, such as the iPad, supporting seamless audio production, whether in a venue or on the road.

Using the USB.MADI unlocks features from both RME and DirectOut, such as EARS (Enhanced Automatic Redundancy Switching), DirectOut’s proprietary technology, ensuring continuous audio playback with automatic switching in the event of signal loss. A true life-saver in any mission-critical show application, be it on festivals or theatre productions. Also included is RME’s TotalMixFX, giving the user comprehensive control over all I/Os on the computer, including zero-latency sub-mixes.

The USB.MADI SFP module is another manifestation of the fruitful collaboration DirectOut started with RME a few years ago with their USB.IO module, with both companies offering a wealth of expertise to make this an exciting addition to DirectOut’s existing solutions.

“This new module is a testament to the mindset we have at DirectOut. Creating solutions that do not only enhance a particular product but improve workflows and interoperability throughout all our platforms, making sure that all our customers can benefit. I’m looking forward to seeing what the USB.MADI will enable in all the vertical markets, and I am happy that we can again rely on the expertise of RME to provide high-performance operation, resilience, and undoubted audio quality,” says Luca Giaroli, Strategy Manager at DirectOut.

“At RME, we can look back at more than 30 years of experience in computer audio interfacing. Our passion is to provide reliable and unquestionable audio performance to our users. Combining our battle-tested USB stack with the modular platforms of DirectOut is a perfect match,” adds Matthias Carstens, Head of Development at RME.

The DirectOut team is showing this new solution during NAMM 2026, booth #18306, and ISE 2026, booth 7C710. Visitors to the booths will be able to find out more about the USB.MADI soundcard and discover even more updates for 2026. www.directout.eu