interfaces

Koushirou · Post by **Koushirou** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 12:58 pm

i know this thread has been made before but i figure we'd start fresh

i'm trying to find a decent upgrade from the maudio ozone i've been using as an interface. i'm looking at

Alesis io14

Edirol FA-66

Mbox Mini

Presonus Firebox

I guess that's about the price range/features I'm looking for. My favorite, just based on features, is the Edirol. But the only bad mark against is that it doesn't come with any recording software, while the others either come with Cubase or Protools. I'm using GarageBand right now so I could definitely use a software upgrade. But yeah, I dunno, if anyone has any opinions about these or similar interfaces, I'd appreciate it!

ken · Post by **ken** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 3:05 pm

I think the Firebox is the best price/performance deal. It has great features and comes with Cubase. You can usually find them used for $200.

Ken

Koushirou · Post by **Koushirou** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 4:45 pm

okay so i think at this point im deciding between the alesis io and the firebox. mostly because the edirol has no software, and the mbox is more expensive but is usb and has no midi.

the one thing im confused about is that the Alesis has an s/pdif input and output, while the firebox uses a cable that (i think) has L and R s/pdif inputs. if i wanted to plug in something like this (http://www.roland.com/products/en/SP-40 ... e_02_L.jpg), would i be able to do that with the alesis, even though it only has one input while the sp404 has an L and R output?

Koushirou · Post by **Koushirou** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 7:46 pm

i guess i might as well keep the ol' questions comin:

i just found out about the Alesis Multimix Firewire... and uhh they look amazing. is there any downside to them when compared to the firebox, etc. (besides lacking midi, being a bit more expensive, etc.)?

king_arthur · Post by **king_arthur** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 8:21 pm

Okay, I don't use a computer to record, but I'm seeing a bunch of things in the pictures you pointed to that you should be aware of...

Looking at the pictures of the Firebox, it just has one S/PDIF port, a 9-pin connector. Those two ports up above it are Fire Wire ports (great oversimplification: a faster version of USB ports). S/PDIF connections are often (usually?) via RCA cables, so you'd have to find an RCA-to-9-pin connector that's wired correctly for this unit, but you're probably better off using the firewire interface to connect to your computer.

If your computer does not have firewire, you're going to have to add a firewire card to be able to talk to the mixer.

The S/PDIF interface spec does include some copy protection stuff that may or may not come into play if you're using this as a mixer, but if you're feeding it a S/PDIF signal and then sending S/PDIF output back to the recorder, you MIGHT find yourself face to face with copy protection issues.

The ports on the back of the Roland Sp-404 are _analog_ i/o ports, not S/PDIF ports. So they would plug into a line input (usually RCA or 1/4"). Roland thingie does not appear to have ANY digital outputs. I think any of the units you're looking at would have line input.

The Alesis looks like it will take a bunch of S/PDIF inputs, but you have to have something that sends S/PDIF to make use of that. The Alesis does have FOUR line/mic inputs, and it looks like the other stuff only has two...

I'm also not sure what the "MIDI" connections on these mixer boxes do, but I suspect that they are not MIDI synth units, the MIDI connections are only to send control information (configuration, volume/pan/etc. on the fly).

Possible issue with buying a used (anything that comes with recording software) is that what you get may not include the software install media and/or if the program has already been installed and registered elsewhere, you may not be able to install it yourself. So if upgrading your recording software is part of what you expect to get out of this exercise, I'd recommend buying new, not used.

I'm not sure what specific things you'll be trying to do with this stuff, but if I was buying one, I would go for the Alesis, because of the four mics and because it appears to have actual individual gain controls for each channel on the unit. It does look like the Multimix Firewire 8 is about the same price range and gives you 4 mono mic/line + 2 stereo inputs, so if you'll be generating a lot of your sounds on MIDI synths and/or samplers, it might well be a better choice. Even if you only expect to be recording one or two tracks at a time, the Multimix would allow you to have two synths, two mics, a guitar FX box and a keyboard all connected at the same time and you wouldn't have to do a lot of cable-changing while you're recording.

Somebody who works with the sort of stuff may have corrections to some of my notes above, but I kinda get the feeling that you're making some assumptions about what some of the connections on these boxes are for that aren't what they really do....

Charles (KA)

Koushirou · Post by **Koushirou** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 8:59 pm

thanks a lot man

yeah i guess i assumed that the 404's output were s/pdif just cuz it looked vaguely similar. but besides that mistake, i think i figured out how everything works (though i wouldn't bet on it).

i guess unless someone has precautions about the multimix, or a better alternative, it looks like the best option at this point. i don't necessarily NEED to have a mixer, but considering it's in the same price range as the other interfaces, seems i might as well.

Me$$iah · Post by **Me$$iah** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:53 am

Does it have to be an external box.

Im still using an old pci card, and I believe it has yet to be beaten by anything.

seriously, this is the small card and is quite excellent and has s/pdif conections or theres middle sized card which is the same but more or there the big boy which is the same again but really so much more.

I recommend these cards over anything else. They are extremely versatile and sound amazing. Very good quality converters and the expansion abilties are unbelievable. 3 cards can be connected together and each card can expand with ADAT or analog I/O. Giving total ins and outs way beyond what I would ever need

Yup, these things are old, no vista drivers. Old hardware, and a very small company running things (not your M-Audio type of firm) but I'll stand by my cards against anything out there.
The user forums are also extremly helpful in getting systems to work, and very knowledgable about the art of making music.

It depends on what you want, but for a real shake up, and serious upgrade I recommend at least looking at these cards.
They can be found from time to time at very reasonable prices on ebay

Im so happy with my purchases, I try to do my best to promote the company. Just clik my sig, its all there

Sober · Post by **Sober** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:42 pm

Since when did Songfight have signatures?

I am very happy with my Firepod.

Adam! · Post by **Adam!** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:55 pm

Weird, I thought I posted in this thread. But all I would have said was "FIREBOX FIREBOX FIREBOX!".

Dan-O from Five-O · Post by **Dan-O from Five-O** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:24 pm

The Sober Irishman wrote:I am very happy with my Firepod.

And it seems to have dropped in price by $100. For a little more than the Firebox you get 8 inputs vs. 2.

Märk · Post by **Märk** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 12:49 am

I just bought a Firepod. Wish me luck.

Märk · Post by **Märk** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 9:59 am

wah ha ha ha holy fuck this thing is awesome!
First thing I did was, of course, see how it keeps up with VST stuff, and it works flawlessly @ 96K/1.5ms latency. Minor nitpick: I made a home-made rackmount, using measurements from my other rackmount gear; the Firepod is about 2mm too wide to fit in, I'll have to adjust the rails or something. I'd actually prefer just getting one of those cool bent tubular steel things, who sells those?

Best $362 I've ever spent on audio gear.

Billy's Little Trip · Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:04 am

The Firepod is just the expanded version of the Firebox, right? I love my Firebox. So far it's everything I need.

Märk · Post by **Märk** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 4:30 pm

Billy's Little Trip wrote:The Firepod is just the expanded version of the Firebox, right? I love my Firebox. So far it's everything I need.

Not sure. I know the Firepod has really, really nice mic preamps. This is more than I need, really, but I like the idea of being able to record live band performances and have 10 (well, 8 really- I don't have anything that outputs s/pdif... yet) discrete audio channels, which I can tweak/mix after the fact. The way I was recording us live before was trying (usually unsuccessfully) to get all the levels right in the mixer and recording 2 tracks.

Billy's Little Trip · Post by **Billy's Little Trip** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:14 pm

OK, I just looked at both. I don't have the s/pdid or midi in and outs. And only 4 lines in. But I do love the 48v mic pre. FireBox

Märk · Post by **Märk** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:16 pm

Billy's Little Trip wrote:I don't have the s/pdid or midi in and outs.

There's that 9 pin d-sub port on the Firebox, you just need the connector. Should have came with the unit, actually... Call up Presonus and get them to send you one. Midi is always cool to have if you use keyboards at all, and s/pdif is necessary for using VST System Link (if you want to add another computer into the mix as a VSTi slave or whatever) not to mention just a useful port. I actually wish this thing had optical rather than coaxial digital, because then I could link up with my laptop via it's Audigy 2 ZS card. Also, the digital coax cables are BLOODY expensive- I found one for 25 bucks, they go up to $140 or so. For a stupid cable with RCA connectors on it.

Billy's Little Trip · Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:33 pm

Oh yeah, I forgot about the 9 pin port. I dont remember a cable coming with the unit. But when the time comes that I need it, I'll get one.
Is the other firewire port for adding more firebox units, or to go out to a second computer. I could always read the instructions, but it's easier to ask, lol.

Märk · Post by **Märk** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 12:45 am

Billy's Little Trip wrote: Is the other firewire port for adding more firebox units, or to go out to a second computer. I could always read the instructions, but it's easier to ask, lol.

The other firewire port is for daisy-chaining multiple units. I know the Firepod supports up to 3 units daisy-chained for a total of 24 inputs @ 24bit/48K. (pretty much firewire's maximum bandwidth, if you're lucky)

Or, you can just plug other firewire stuff in. It's a firewire port, nothing more, nothing less. If you plugged a computer into each port, I'd imagine the first one connected would 'mount' the firepod/box as an audio device, the second would just establish a firewire network connection to the first, much like connecting two computers through the 1394 ports. I have to try this now. Possible undocumented awesome feature?

Sober · Post by **Sober** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 11:15 am

Sven wrote:
Or, you can just plug other firewire stuff in. It's a firewire port, nothing more, nothing less. If you plugged a computer into each port, I'd imagine the first one connected would 'mount' the firepod/box as an audio device, the second would just establish a firewire network connection to the first, much like connecting two computers through the 1394 ports. I have to try this now. Possible undocumented awesome feature?

Presonus says you can't do this, but they may just not want to guarantee this. Maybe the Firepod will feed two computers at once. Maybe it'll act as a 'through' firewire port. I don't know. Try it out.

Also, I can't get my Firepod to pick up the digital out from my motif. Right inputs selected in cubase, etc., no signal. Anyone use the digital in on their pods?

Billy's Little Trip · Tue Oct 09, 2007 12:04 pm

The Sober Irishman wrote: Also, I can't get my Firepod to pick up the digital out from my motif. Right inputs selected in cubase, etc., no signal. Anyone use the digital in on their pods?

I don't know if this is the answer, but I have to open the "firebox" mixer when I'm feeding in from my POD before Cubase sees the signal. I can even close ithe firebox mixer after I open it and all is fine.

Märk · Post by **Märk** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 5:01 pm

You have to set the sync to s/pdif on the firepod for the digital i/o to function, I think. Try it, see if it works.