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Eddie Eagle M&M
Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2393
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:53 am Post subject: Anybody using a Focusrite Saffire? |
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Got any feedback on it? |
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louzucaro The Gates of Troy
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 1915 Location: Chicago area
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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I have one at home connected to a Vista machine running AA 3.0.
It works.
One funky thing is that they include a power cable and a Firewire cable...you only need one...if you use the Firewire cable, you don't need to use the power cable, so I'm not sure why it's included.
Also, I found that daisy-chaining it through an external hard drive's Firewire ports isn't fun, because the drive goes to sleep all the time. Doh!
But the Saffire is pretty non-nonsense and I never had any trouble with it. I haven't used it a ton...a handful of times last year right after the baby was born and I was home for a few weeks. _________________ Lou Zucaro
http://www.voicehero.com
"Well, yeah, there's my favorite leaf!" |
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Eddie Eagle M&M
Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2393
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:49 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Lou. I remember reading that they include a power cord for non firewire connectivty. The firewire provides power but if you want to run it offline you can use the power cord.
I probably wouldn't be daisy chaining so no prob there.
How's the sound?
Eddie |
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ricevoice Cinquecento
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 Posts: 532 Location: Sacramento, CA
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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I've been using one for a little over a year, I like it. I daisy-chained it with my external but put the Saffire in the middle of the chain, so it's not dependent on the external for anything.
I don't use any of the onboard effects (it's got comp/eq/reverb)... the effects are a pain to authorize if your recording PC isn't online, but the unit works fine if you don't bother. I only did a little research before I bought mine, but most of what I read said it had the best AD/DA converters in its price range and it's really quiet. I'm happy with my purchase. _________________ Chris Rice - Noisemaker
www.ricevoice.com |
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Eddie Eagle M&M
Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2393
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:39 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Chris! |
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Donna King's Row
Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 1118 Location: The studio or the barn.
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Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:37 am Post subject: |
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I'm glad to see this discussion. I currently use a MAudio Fast Track Pro USB interface, and while it is vewy vewy quiet, I find that I have to boost the volume a lot when I edit, even with the fasttrack gain as high as it will go. How's the gain with the Saffire? |
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Living Culture Contributore Level V
Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 189 Location: Taipei
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Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:56 am Post subject: |
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I've been using the Saffire LE for about a year, and I don't think anything its price range can touch it.
One little hangup I have is the "consumer" SP/DIF, using the IO. Most pro gear would use "pro" SP/DIF IO. This means that if you want to use the the SPDIF with another device, you will have to budget for an overpriced convertor too.
Other than that, great preamps and sound. |
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georgethetech The Gates of Troy
Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 1877 Location: Topanga, CA
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Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 2:22 am Post subject: |
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Donna wrote: | I'm glad to see this discussion. I currently use a MAudio Fast Track Pro USB interface, and while it is vewy vewy quiet, I find that I have to boost the volume a lot when I edit, even with the fasttrack gain as high as it will go. How's the gain with the Saffire? |
You must be using Windows, am I right? _________________ If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
424-226-8528
VOBS.TV Co-host
TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder |
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Donna King's Row
Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 1118 Location: The studio or the barn.
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Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 7:08 am Post subject: |
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Yup, I am using XP. Why do you ask??? |
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georgethetech The Gates of Troy
Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 1877 Location: Topanga, CA
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Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:24 am Post subject: |
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Have you checked the Windows mixer panel to see if the Wave output level is turned down? If you are using the WDM drivers instead of the ASIO drivers, this can happen. _________________ If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
424-226-8528
VOBS.TV Co-host
TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder |
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Eddie Eagle M&M
Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 2393
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Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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Well, after going through 3 firewire cards 1 with TI Chip, 1 with NEC Chip and 1 with LSI chip I say farewell to firewire and Saffire. None of the cards would talk with the unit even though Focusrite sez TI and NEC chips are recommended. These were not cheap cards either. @$53 each.
I'm now looking at the Edirol UA101 or the Lexicon U42S
About a hunderd bucks dif but the Edirol has more controls and inputs. I really like having a limiter on the Edirol. The Lexicon is a sexy little interface and I like the output control on it as well as having gain controls for each channel, not to mention the dbx preamps for each channel. But I think the Edirol may win out based on functions. The Edirol preamps are great too, not to mention the sampling rates on the Edirol go up to 192k and the Lexicon only goes to 96 with both at 24 bit. I know I know.... what the hellck am I going to use 192 for? Well I do have synths and it would be nice to catch all the nuance of the sounds.... and they are there, not to mention the sound from the mic would be rather sensitive... Do I really want to hear the subtlties of voice? Or have a forgiving system that would help me out?
They are both USB and that means no brainer!! |
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donrandall Guest
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Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | Well, after going through 3 firewire cards 1 with TI Chip, 1 with NEC Chip and 1 with LSI chip I say farewell to firewire and Saffire. None of the cards would talk with the unit even though Focusrite sez TI and NEC chips are recommended. These were not cheap cards either. @$53 each. |
I'm sorry to hear that it doesn't work well for you.
My Focusrite Saffire works perfectly. I couldn't be more pleased with it.
No problems of any kind.
Sometimes even the best parts don't play well with other parts, even those from good families. |
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