experience with firewire audio interfaces

Karlis Abolins · Post by **Karlis Abolins** » 1 Oct 2006 6:11 am

What experiences have you had with Firewire interfaces?

I am looking to upgrade from my Edirol USB 1.1 UA-20 to a firewire interface. I want to improve my monitoring. The UA-20 has direct monitoring but has no way to blend the source and the recorded like the newer units. I have been reading reviews like mad and find a lot of conflicting info.
Edirol FA-66 - stable drivers, mediocre preamps
Focusrite Saffire LE - unstable drivers, great preamps
TC Konnekt8 - too new but Konnekt24 has problems with drivers and really nice preamps
Presonus Firebox - driver problems but good preamps

From what I see, the FA-66 seems to be floating to the top of the list (for me) because of the stable drivers. It also lacks a software based mixer which all of the other units have. That sounds like a minus but I am using a 2G Celeron laptop and I don't want too much happening on the PC that can affect performance.

Karlis

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 1 Oct 2006 6:25 am

I've got a Firebox and haven't got a clue how to get it running with the computer programs.........I just play my music through it now. Ha-ha.......

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 1 Oct 2006 7:08 pm

I have a Presonus Firebox that's firewire. I had to buy a firewire card and install it and for some reason a few months later the card quit working. I replaced it and have had no problems since. The 3 input firewire card was about $40 and it drops in an available slot like the other cards. I like it just fine.

Edited for driver comments.
I have seen no problems with the drivers in the unit.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Ken Lang on 01 October 2006 at 08:11 PM.]</p></FONT>

Karlis Abolins · Post by **Karlis Abolins** » 2 Oct 2006 8:05 am

Ken, How is the monitoring on the Firebox? Do you use headphones or speakers?

Karlis

Steve Stallings · Post by **Steve Stallings** » 3 Oct 2006 8:34 am

I have the Mackie Onyx400F as well as the Presonus Firepod. I believe the Onyx is a significant step up. The preamps in the Onyx are actually pretty good for the money.

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Steve Stallings
The Songs

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 3 Oct 2006 4:52 pm

Karlis: I use the headphones and only for what I'm inputing at the moment. I really don't have the room for monitoring speakers, and my computer speakers (with woofer) sound really good.

Tore Blestrud · Post by **Tore Blestrud** » 7 Oct 2006 8:46 am

I use the Focusrite Saffire. Works perfectly, I have not had any driver issues, and the preamps sound great!