Firewire Recording Interface
Firewire interface for serious, good quality computer recording?
Q: I want a good firewire interface for serious, good quality computer recording, without having to cut off body parts & sell them to afford it. I want to record at least 8 tracks simultaneously…preferably set up like a mixing console. Any suggestions on interfaces, software, techniques, or anything in that area?
A: Haha…my band just went through this same dilemma. We decided on a Focusrite Sapphire 40. It’s a good $500 piece of hardware, but to be honest, it’s the best, cheapest 8-channel mixer available. The next up would be a M-audio Profire, but that’s in the range of $700. Also, Focusrite specializes in pre-amp hardware, so the sound quality for microphones is incredible.
I know you said cheap, but that is the best option for a full, 8-channel interface. It’s about as cheap as you’ll find one new. Maybe look on Ebay or craigslist…but that’s the cheapest we were able to find one.
Software…Ableton Live 8 is the DAW we prefer. It’s easy-to-use, and it’s cheaper (or free if you pirate it).
And, if you’re looking for a cheaper solution as far as interfaces go, you could do what we were using before we got the good interface and do this:
Get two (or more) Fasttrack Pro interfaces…these go for about $75 or cheaper. Then use a freeware program called ASIO4ALL which will let you chain these devices together. Using three fasttracks, ASIO4ALL, and your onboard sound card, you could acheive 8 channels for about $300.
So, those are my two suggestions. You could also get a 4-channel mixer, run 4 inputs to that, then record the mix in one channel. (We also used that technique for a while)
Hope some of this helps…feel free to email me if you’d like to discuss this stuff more. I could go on for hours…
digitalhigh@ymail.com
Mackie Onyx 1640i – Sweetwater
Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro with Ignition Pack 2 $899.00
Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro FireWire audio interface takes the system to the next level, providing high-speed FireWire-powered connectivity, more simultaneous audio I/O and connection options, and studio-grade 24-bit/96 kHz resolution t. Buy Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro with Ignition Pack 2 now!… Buy Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro with Ignition Pack 2 now!…
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G-Technology G-RAID 4TB Dual External Hard Drive w/ eSATA, USB 2.0, Firewire 400, Firewire 800 Interfaces and RAID 0/1 0G00273 $400.00
Hitachi G-RAID 0G00273 Hard Drive Array 0G00273 Hard Drive Arrays…
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M-Audio Audiophile 2496 MIDI Digital Recording Interface $129.99
M-Audio Audiophile 2496 Audio Card US41500C Sound Cards…
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Syba SD-EXPC34-2F TI Chipset 1394a (400Mbps) 2x Ports, 34mm ExpressCard $23.00
Add FireWire capability to your laptop quickly and easily with this ExpressCard to IEEE-1394 adapter! Featuring two 6-pin fire wire ports, this adapter makes it easy to use FireWire on any system with the newer ExpressCard/34 port. Plus, it is Plug & Play, so there’s no need for drivers! This controller card runs at about 400Mbps for transfer speed. It complies to ExpressCard/34 standard, IEEE 139…
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Focusrite Midnight ISA 110 and ISA 130 Plug-in Suite $89.99
Focusrite Plug-in Suite Of Compression Gating EQ and Reverb – Focusrite SCARLETT….
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Mackie Onyx Blackbird FireWire Recording Interface $499.99
Mackie’s Onyx Blackbird Premium 16×16 FireWire Recording Interface delivers industry-leading recording quality via eight boutique-quality Onyx preamps and high-end 24-bit/96kHz conversion in a sleek rackmount design. True analog hardware monitoring, in both mono and stereo, provide simple zero-latency recording, while onboard word clock and 8×8 ADAT I/O allow for ultimate expandability.
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M-Audio Profire 610 Firewire Recording Interface $399
The M-Audio ProFire 610 FireWire audio interface transforms your Mac or PC into a powerful 6 in/10 out recording studio. Premium digital converters deliver high-definition, 24-bit/192kHz audio throughout the signal path. Two preamps with award-winning Octane technology offer clean, transparent sound with low noise and exceptional headroom. The M-Audio ProFire 610′s onboard DSP mixing provides a totally flexible recording experience, perfect for creating multiple, independent monitor mixes. The user-assignable master volume knob gives you flexible control over output levels. MIDI I/O allows you to connect keyboards and other outboard MIDI hardware. The half rackspace recording interface also doubles as a standalone two channel microphone preamp and A/D-D/A converter. ProFire 610 is compatible with most major audio software, including Pro Tool M-Powered 8, making it an excellent choice for personal, high-definition recording.Can be used as a standalone 2-Channel Mic Preamp and a A/D-D/A converter6 x 10 simultaneous Analog/Digital I/OPremium Digital Converters – Up to 24 bit/192kHz For High-Definition AudioFlexible Onboard DSP Mixer2 Preamps With Award-Winning M Audio Octane TechnologyPhantom Power20dB Pad On Each PreampSignal/peak LED Indicator LightsJet PLL Jitter Elimination TechnologyStandalone Operation As 2 Mic Pre/2-channel A/D-D/A ConverterUser-Assignable Master Volume KnobPowered Via FireWire Bus Or External Power SupplyRugged Metal Half Rackspace UnitCompatible With major audio software, including Pro Tools M-Powered 8Package Contains:ProFire 610 InterfacePrinted Quick Start GuideMAudio FireWire Family CD containingSoftware drivers and PDF manualAbleton Live Lite6′ 6-pin FireWire cable6′ 4 to 6 pin FireWire cablePower supply
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Mackie Onyx 400F FireWire Computer Recording Interface $709.79
Jointly designed by the analog engineering experts at Mackie and the digital gurus at Echo Digital Audio, the 400F performs equally well as an ultrahigh-performance studio mic preamp and a superb 192kHz FireWire interface. It features 4 of Mackie’s flagship Onyx mic preamps and no-compromise analog circuitry that provide premium audio fidelity, loads of headroom, and impressive sonic depth. With 24-bit/192kHz A/D converters, dual FireWire ports, a 10 x 10 DSP Matrix Mixer the Onyx 400F also makes a killer computer audio interface.With the 400F you also get a full copy of Tracktion audio/MIDI production software and a raft of plug-ins from IK Multimedia, LinPlug, reFX, Raw Materials, Big Tick (PC only), Maxim Digital Audio, and Mackie.
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Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 FireWire Audio Interface $299.95
The Focusrite Saffire PRO 24 is the latest in Focusrite’s new generation of FireWire audio interfaces. As with all Focusrite interfaces, Saffire PRO 24 is the best sounding interface in its class, attentively designed with recording musicians and the modern home studio in mind.
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MOTU 8PRE 16×12 FireWire Audio Interface $549
The 8pre FireWire audio interface delivers everything you need to turn your computer into a powerful 24-bit, 96kHz digital audio workstation. The 8pre provides 8 microphone/instrument preamps with pristine 96kHz analog recording and playback, combined with 8 channels of ADAT optical digital I/O. Expand your system by connecting additional 8pres or other MOTU FireWire audio interfaces.
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Rme Fireface 800 Firewire Computer Recording Interface $1699
The RME Fireface 800 FireWire Computer Recording Interface offers 8 balanced line I/Os with software-controlled switching of the levels in the analog domain. All levels are under software control except the mic pre-amps and the headphone outputs. High-level A/D and D/A converter chips, I/Os that operate up to 192kHz, and 119 dBA dynamic range on playback speak to the stellar level of sound quality. The front features 4 balanced mic inputs with class-A stage, 48V phantom power and individual jack and XLR inputs, which can also be used as additional line inputs. 2 of the 4 mic inputs are available permanently as channels 9 and 10, while the other 2 can be used together with or instead of inputs 7 and 8 on the rear. A hi-Z instrument input for guitar and bass includes a soft-limiter, custom-tuned for musical instruments, that affords overload protection of the A/D-converter. The limiter’s harmonic distortion can be used for tube-like distortions. A special circuit delivers fuzz-box-type guitar distortions. A multi-stage filter hi- and low-frequency filter lets you clean up the sound as desired.The FireWire 800′s digital I/Os include 2 ADAT I/Os for connecting and inserting effect devices, mixers, or external converters. The 192kHz SPDIF-I/O works concurrently with 10 analog in- and outputs at the highest sample rate, plus 2 digital ones. All inputs and outputs are active at the same time. For example, the instrument input can be used either instead of, or together with, the line input on the back. The jack and the XLR sockets of the mic inputs can even be used simultaneously. To summarize, up to 35 signal sources can be connected to the Fireface 800 and recorded to 28 separate tracks.The DSP-based TotalMix mixer derives from the popular Hammerfall DSP series, with all inputs and outputs having the ability to be freely mixed, distributed and routed. Up to 14 completely independent stereo submixes are possible. The internal flash memory enables all settings including TotalMix to be recalled on startup. The device also works stand-alone as a submixer, A/D and D/A converter, headphone mixer, format converter, instrument or mic pre-amp, and monitor mixer. The SteadyClock sync and clock technology enable the unit to be used as a sync reference for your whole studio. SteadyClock refreshes clock signals and removes jitter. A time code option (TCO) for synchronizing to LTC, video and VITC can be added with the insert slot on the back.The Fireface 800 has a second port for hub functionality, a bi-lingual mode for full FireWire 400 compatibility, and an additional FW 400 port. With the multi-ports, several Fireface 800s can be used in parallel and at the same time with no problems.8 balanced line I/Os with software-controlled switchingPristine 192kHz A/D and D/A conversionUp to 119 dBA dynamic range on playback4 balanced mic inputs on the front with 48V phantom power and individual jack and XLR inputsHi-Z instrument input for guitar and bass with soft limiterS
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M-Audio ProFire 610 Firewire Audio Interface $399.99
M-Audio ProFire 610 Firewire Audio Interface is an excellent tool for computer based Multi-track recording. The ProFire 610 turns your PC (or Mac) into an incredible 6 input/10 output recording studio. Excellent digital HD converters provide your setup with 24-bit/192kHz. Two Award winning preamps boast a transparent sound packed with headroom without the annoyance of a high noise level.
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Used Presonus Firestudio Firewire Recording Interface $545.95
The FireStudio from PreSonus is a 26-in/26 out FireWire recording interface loaded with 8 of PreSonus’ acclaimed mic preamps. It has MIDI, S/PDIF, word clock, and ADAT (dual SMUX) I/O plus a 36×18 DSP matrix routing mixer. Firestudio also gives you up to 26 simultaneous inputs and outputs. Combined with the speaker volume and mix control of the optional Monitor Station Remote (MSR), it gives your studio advanced digital capabilities. You can easily think of the FireStudio as the big brother to the award-winning FirePod with more I/O, and adding the MSR (Monitor Station Remote) really upgrades your setup. The MSR is a complete surround-capable desktop remote control that gives you the ability to switch between Track, Mix, and Surround modes, as well as a talkback, dim, mute, mono, and dual headphone amplifiers. Track Mode delivers nine stereo mixes for monitoring in headphones during tracking, Mix Mode allows the user to switch between three sets of stereo monitors, and Surround Mode enables 5.1 surround control for mixing in surround sound. See the Recommended Accessories box below to add the MSR to your FireStudio order.FireStudio Includes Studio One Artist – Plus Gigabytes of Creative ResourcesThe FireStudio is bundled with an exceptional software package, featuring PreSonus Studio One Artist, the amazing new DAW software for Mac OS X and Windows XP and Vista that makes producing high-quality projects easier than ever before. As part of the Studio One Artist package, you get 20 new PreSonus Native Effects plug-ins and virtual instruments and a generous bundle of third-party loops, software, and instrument sounds.Note:As of 5/26/09, you can make your FireStudio 64-bit compatible via a PreSonus web update.FireWire audio interface24-bit/96kHz sampling rate8 Class A mic preamps8-channel 96kHz ADAT I/O (dual SMUX)S/PDIF I/OMIDI I/OWord clock I/O32x18 DSP matrix mixer/routerMac and Windows compatibleMSR Features (optional)Connects via cat-5 cableMain speaker volume controlTwo headphone amplifiersTrack Mode: 9 stereo mixes available during trackingMix Mode: switch between 3 sets of stereo monitorsSurround Mode: enables 5.1 surroundSwitch between surround and stereoTalkback, dim, mute, mono, and moreStudio One ArtistAll-meat, no-bloat, music-creation software with an intuitive, practical, single-window interfaceUnlimited tracks, insert effects, sends, virtual instruments, buses, and effects channelsPowerful drag-and-drop functionalityContent browser with convenient sort options and preview playerFull-featured, flexible automationPowerful real-time auto/manual time-stretching and resampling engineControl Link (advanced MIDI mapping made easy)Twenty 32-bit Native Sound plug-ins, including reverbs, amp modeling, and EQFour new virtual instruments, including a sampler and an analog-type subtractive synthAbility to control the software mixer in any FireStudio-series interface to create zero-latency cue mixes.Gigabytes of third-party resources, including Nat
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Used Presonus Firestudio Firewire Recording Interface 889406779990 $509.96
The FireStudio from PreSonus is a 26-in/26 out FireWire recording interface loaded with 8 of PreSonus’ acclaimed mic preamps. It has MIDI, S/PDIF, word clock, and ADAT (dual SMUX) I/O plus a 36×18 DSP matrix routing mixer. Firestudio also gives you up to 26 simultaneous inputs and outputs. Combined with the speaker volume and mix control of the optional Monitor Station Remote (MSR), it gives your studio advanced digital capabilities. You can easily think of the FireStudio as the big brother to the award-winning FirePod with more I/O, and adding the MSR (Monitor Station Remote) really upgrades your setup. The MSR is a complete surround-capable desktop remote control that gives you the ability to switch between Track, Mix, and Surround modes, as well as a talkback, dim, mute, mono, and dual headphone amplifiers. Track Mode delivers nine stereo mixes for monitoring in headphones during tracking, Mix Mode allows the user to switch between three sets of stereo monitors, and Surround Mode enables 5.1 surround control for mixing in surround sound. See the Recommended Accessories box below to add the MSR to your FireStudio order.FireStudio Includes Studio One Artist – Plus Gigabytes of Creative ResourcesThe FireStudio is bundled with an exceptional software package, featuring PreSonus Studio One Artist, the amazing new DAW software for Mac OS X and Windows XP and Vista that makes producing high-quality projects easier than ever before. As part of the Studio One Artist package, you get 20 new PreSonus Native Effects plug-ins and virtual instruments and a generous bundle of third-party loops, software, and instrument sounds.Note:As of 5/26/09, you can make your FireStudio 64-bit compatible via a PreSonus web update.FireWire audio interface24-bit/96kHz sampling rate8 Class A mic preamps8-channel 96kHz ADAT I/O (dual SMUX)S/PDIF I/OMIDI I/OWord clock I/O32x18 DSP matrix mixer/routerMac and Windows compatibleMSR Features (optional)Connects via cat-5 cableMain speaker volume controlTwo headphone amplifiersTrack Mode: 9 stereo mixes available during trackingMix Mode: switch between 3 sets of stereo monitorsSurround Mode: enables 5.1 surroundSwitch between surround and stereoTalkback, dim, mute, mono, and moreStudio One ArtistAll-meat, no-bloat, music-creation software with an intuitive, practical, single-window interfaceUnlimited tracks, insert effects, sends, virtual instruments, buses, and effects channelsPowerful drag-and-drop functionalityContent browser with convenient sort options and preview playerFull-featured, flexible automationPowerful real-time auto/manual time-stretching and resampling engineControl Link (advanced MIDI mapping made easy)Twenty 32-bit Native Sound plug-ins, including reverbs, amp modeling, and EQFour new virtual instruments, including a sampler and an analog-type subtractive synthAbility to control the software mixer in any FireStudio-series interface to create zero-latency cue mixes.Gigabytes of third-party resources, including Nat
Click here to learn more about Used Presonus Firestudio Firewire Recording Interface 889406779990
Used Presonus Firestudio Firewire Recording Interface 889406226005 $251.98
The FireStudio from PreSonus is a 26-in/26 out FireWire recording interface loaded with 8 of PreSonus’ acclaimed mic preamps. It has MIDI, S/PDIF, word clock, and ADAT (dual SMUX) I/O plus a 36×18 DSP matrix routing mixer. Firestudio also gives you up to 26 simultaneous inputs and outputs. Combined with the speaker volume and mix control of the optional Monitor Station Remote (MSR), it gives your studio advanced digital capabilities. You can easily think of the FireStudio as the big brother to the award-winning FirePod with more I/O, and adding the MSR (Monitor Station Remote) really upgrades your setup. The MSR is a complete surround-capable desktop remote control that gives you the ability to switch between Track, Mix, and Surround modes, as well as a talkback, dim, mute, mono, and dual headphone amplifiers. Track Mode delivers nine stereo mixes for monitoring in headphones during tracking, Mix Mode allows the user to switch between three sets of stereo monitors, and Surround Mode enables 5.1 surround control for mixing in surround sound. See the Recommended Accessories box below to add the MSR to your FireStudio order.FireStudio Includes Studio One Artist – Plus Gigabytes of Creative ResourcesThe FireStudio is bundled with an exceptional software package, featuring PreSonus Studio One Artist, the amazing new DAW software for Mac OS X and Windows XP and Vista that makes producing high-quality projects easier than ever before. As part of the Studio One Artist package, you get 20 new PreSonus Native Effects plug-ins and virtual instruments and a generous bundle of third-party loops, software, and instrument sounds.Note:As of 5/26/09, you can make your FireStudio 64-bit compatible via a PreSonus web update.FireWire audio interface24-bit/96kHz sampling rate8 Class A mic preamps8-channel 96kHz ADAT I/O (dual SMUX)S/PDIF I/OMIDI I/OWord clock I/O32x18 DSP matrix mixer/routerMac and Windows compatibleMSR Features (optional)Connects via cat-5 cableMain speaker volume controlTwo headphone amplifiersTrack Mode: 9 stereo mixes available during trackingMix Mode: switch between 3 sets of stereo monitorsSurround Mode: enables 5.1 surroundSwitch between surround and stereoTalkback, dim, mute, mono, and moreStudio One ArtistAll-meat, no-bloat, music-creation software with an intuitive, practical, single-window interfaceUnlimited tracks, insert effects, sends, virtual instruments, buses, and effects channelsPowerful drag-and-drop functionalityContent browser with convenient sort options and preview playerFull-featured, flexible automationPowerful real-time auto/manual time-stretching and resampling engineControl Link (advanced MIDI mapping made easy)Twenty 32-bit Native Sound plug-ins, including reverbs, amp modeling, and EQFour new virtual instruments, including a sampler and an analog-type subtractive synthAbility to control the software mixer in any FireStudio-series interface to create zero-latency cue mixes.Gigabytes of third-party resources, including Nat
Click here to learn more about Used Presonus Firestudio Firewire Recording Interface 889406226005
Steinberg Mr816x Firewire Interface $699.99
The Steinberg MR816X FireWire audio interface is part of the Advanced Integration DSP Studiothe hardware centerpiece in a latency-free recording and monitoring environment that fully exploits Steinberg’s renowned Cubase Music Production System.Designed by Steinberg and Yamaha, the MR816X Firewire Interface features unprecedented integration with Cubase. Offers a full range of audio I/O options and onboard DSP and renowned REV-X reverb. It houses 8 discrete Class A analog ‘D-Pre’ mic preamps with combination XLR and TRS analog inputs with advanced new inverted Darlington circuits and switchable phantom power per channel, as well as digital ADAT and S/PDIF I/O. The MR816X works with Mac OS X, Windows XP and Windows Vista.A latency-free recording and monitoring environmentUnprecedented integration with Cubase8 discrete Class A analog ‘D-Pre’ mic preampsDSP-powered FX including reknowned REV-X reverbAdvanced inverted Darlington circuitsSwitchable phantom power per channelDigital ADAT and S/PDIF I/OsSupports Mac OS X, Windows XP and Windows Vista
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Mackie Onyx 1640i 16-Channel Premium Analog Mixer with FireWire Interface $1599.99
The 16-channel Mackie Onyx 1640i FireWire Recording Mixer combines the benefits of a powerful 16X16 FireWire interface with the hands-on control of premium analog features like 16 Onyx mic preamps and Perkins EQ. Plus, it’s qualified by Mackie for use with all major DAWs, including Pro Tools M-Powered 8 (upgrade required*).
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PreSonus FireStudio Mobile FireWire Audio Interface $299.99
Finally, a new-generation, studio-quality FireWire interface that you can use anywhere! The PreSonus FireStudio(TM) Mobile combines the superior analog-circuit design and advanced platform technology of our acclaimed FireStudio rack-mount interfaces with the ability to run on bus power in field applications. Now you can have enhanced audio performance for music recording and creation anywhere you can lug your laptop!
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M-Audio ProFire 2626 Firewire Audio Interface $699.99
Building on a legacy of award-winning FireWire audio interfaces, the M-Audio ProFire 2626 brings next-generation performance to your PC or Mac host-based recording system. This powerful interface delivers 26 x 26 simultaneous I/O, complete with an onboard DSP mixer sourced from up to 52 audio streams.
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