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Christophe GOUDOT « Why look elsewhere? »
Published on 02/22/13 at 13:56What characteristics have motivated your choice?
The 8-track analog, 8 ADAT tracks, the Focusrite name, 8 VU meters for input.
With which instruments or systems (console, preamp, DtD ...) you use it and how connections? ...
Tube preamps TLAudio A1 and 5050, DBX compressors,
Listens Focal Twin6 (a killer! Pardon, St. Bartholomew's true)
Yamaha console 01V2 as ADAT interface for 8 additional inputs to ADAT card i + 8 other additional inputs (= 24 entries, never used)
Presonus Monitor Station DEQ830 8x31 + EQ bands
Connectivity Map / Firewire PC
For what purpose?
I use it in a home studio? / Pro? (The limit is difficult to define, since I made a dozen CD, not counting the 30 or 40 made with his big sister Saffire Pro26 I / O)
Cubase 7 (10 and ProTools, but I would not be unpleasant), Izotope plugins, Oxford, Melda Production, Waves Mercury, Melodyne Editor, JSBridge for converting 32-bit plugins in 64-bit.
What is your config (Motherboard / CPU / Ram / Hard, ...)?
PC Windows 7 64-bit, Intel I5 2500, 16 GB RAM, 2 HD SSD, 1 HD 10000t/mn Velociraptor, 3 monitors, 2 video cards.
UTILIZATION
The drivers are stable?
No problem drivers if they are outdated. Updates are infrequent, but apart from one or two errors in almost 10 years, we can consider that it is reliable enough to think they are effective, right?
How many tracks you get to record / playback simultaneously? ...
I got to 52 playback tracks with Waves plugins and Oxford galore on almost all tracks with Cubase 7 32 bits (the waves are not 64-bit), when ProTools 10 am hardly allowed a fortnight, without being greedy about plugins.
Recording, since I work mainly in re-recording, I rarely higher than 7 or 8 simultaneous tracks (except drums) and I never had any problems, despite the same plugins that monitor mix.
With the buffer 128, the input latency / reading is about 3ms. Buffer to 256, I go to 5ms. Full price for the mix in 1024, all plugins outside, between 9 and 10ms latency, but who cares.
Warning: plugins output channel MIX OUT bring a big latency, barely compensated with the compensation function delay. So no plugin insert the mix during recording and everything is nickel.
GETTING STARTED
The installation is done it without problems?
No problem if you follow the installation procedure: first launch the software and connect Firewire to the computer when prompted.
The general configuration is easy?
The interface allows many things to the limit too (if you have a physical solution monitoring), but with 10 inputs, 10 outputs, he would perhaps reverse the charge otherwise. So, you must know what you want and have thought its a little config if it is a little developed.
In a simple config 2 outputs, it is a breeze.
Tip: turn the PRO40 (like all other interfaces, for that matter) and let it sync before opening the recording software before incriminate drivers.
Have you encountered any incompatibilities?
No
The manual is clear and sufficient? ...
Can do better. It feels good will, but it is not enough. on the other hand, there is not really need the basic config. Config on another more elaborate one is not supposed to need any manual ...
OVERALL OPINION
How long have you been using?
Years
Did you try many other models before buying it?
I had and I still have the Saffire Pro 26 I / O, even better, but more difficult to install and use (against 2 in / out ADAT, so 8 + 16 entries!)
I also used the 01V96V2 with additional ADAT card, so 16 ADAT in on a PCI RME 9636. Interesting for latency, but implementation difficult to discuss them together.
In fact today, I do not see the difference in capacity and is much simpler. I do not care about anything, the PRO40 is transparent.
What is so special that you like most and least?
There is nothing I do not like. On my Focal Twin6 rising to 40kHz and do not forgive anything, I did not breath (knowing that LUFS 0dB-14dB corresponds to the PRO40 and the unit level is about 3.5 on the knobs). Therefore not rely only entry level recording software, keeping a good headroom. It is the digital output of the PRO40 and therefore almost no additional blows up the level to listen, if you paid attention to the signal / noise ratio at the input.
How do you rate the quality / price?
As we say at home, "it's cheap for the price!"
With experience, you do again this choice? ...
If I had not kept in reserve 01V96V2, it's been that I would have bought one or two others, 16 or 24 simultaneous tracks.
Swore, spit, I'm not paid by Focusrite. But if it says to them ...
The 8-track analog, 8 ADAT tracks, the Focusrite name, 8 VU meters for input.
With which instruments or systems (console, preamp, DtD ...) you use it and how connections? ...
Tube preamps TLAudio A1 and 5050, DBX compressors,
Listens Focal Twin6 (a killer! Pardon, St. Bartholomew's true)
Yamaha console 01V2 as ADAT interface for 8 additional inputs to ADAT card i + 8 other additional inputs (= 24 entries, never used)
Presonus Monitor Station DEQ830 8x31 + EQ bands
Connectivity Map / Firewire PC
For what purpose?
I use it in a home studio? / Pro? (The limit is difficult to define, since I made a dozen CD, not counting the 30 or 40 made with his big sister Saffire Pro26 I / O)
Cubase 7 (10 and ProTools, but I would not be unpleasant), Izotope plugins, Oxford, Melda Production, Waves Mercury, Melodyne Editor, JSBridge for converting 32-bit plugins in 64-bit.
What is your config (Motherboard / CPU / Ram / Hard, ...)?
PC Windows 7 64-bit, Intel I5 2500, 16 GB RAM, 2 HD SSD, 1 HD 10000t/mn Velociraptor, 3 monitors, 2 video cards.
UTILIZATION
The drivers are stable?
No problem drivers if they are outdated. Updates are infrequent, but apart from one or two errors in almost 10 years, we can consider that it is reliable enough to think they are effective, right?
How many tracks you get to record / playback simultaneously? ...
I got to 52 playback tracks with Waves plugins and Oxford galore on almost all tracks with Cubase 7 32 bits (the waves are not 64-bit), when ProTools 10 am hardly allowed a fortnight, without being greedy about plugins.
Recording, since I work mainly in re-recording, I rarely higher than 7 or 8 simultaneous tracks (except drums) and I never had any problems, despite the same plugins that monitor mix.
With the buffer 128, the input latency / reading is about 3ms. Buffer to 256, I go to 5ms. Full price for the mix in 1024, all plugins outside, between 9 and 10ms latency, but who cares.
Warning: plugins output channel MIX OUT bring a big latency, barely compensated with the compensation function delay. So no plugin insert the mix during recording and everything is nickel.
GETTING STARTED
The installation is done it without problems?
No problem if you follow the installation procedure: first launch the software and connect Firewire to the computer when prompted.
The general configuration is easy?
The interface allows many things to the limit too (if you have a physical solution monitoring), but with 10 inputs, 10 outputs, he would perhaps reverse the charge otherwise. So, you must know what you want and have thought its a little config if it is a little developed.
In a simple config 2 outputs, it is a breeze.
Tip: turn the PRO40 (like all other interfaces, for that matter) and let it sync before opening the recording software before incriminate drivers.
Have you encountered any incompatibilities?
No
The manual is clear and sufficient? ...
Can do better. It feels good will, but it is not enough. on the other hand, there is not really need the basic config. Config on another more elaborate one is not supposed to need any manual ...
OVERALL OPINION
How long have you been using?
Years
Did you try many other models before buying it?
I had and I still have the Saffire Pro 26 I / O, even better, but more difficult to install and use (against 2 in / out ADAT, so 8 + 16 entries!)
I also used the 01V96V2 with additional ADAT card, so 16 ADAT in on a PCI RME 9636. Interesting for latency, but implementation difficult to discuss them together.
In fact today, I do not see the difference in capacity and is much simpler. I do not care about anything, the PRO40 is transparent.
What is so special that you like most and least?
There is nothing I do not like. On my Focal Twin6 rising to 40kHz and do not forgive anything, I did not breath (knowing that LUFS 0dB-14dB corresponds to the PRO40 and the unit level is about 3.5 on the knobs). Therefore not rely only entry level recording software, keeping a good headroom. It is the digital output of the PRO40 and therefore almost no additional blows up the level to listen, if you paid attention to the signal / noise ratio at the input.
How do you rate the quality / price?
As we say at home, "it's cheap for the price!"
With experience, you do again this choice? ...
If I had not kept in reserve 01V96V2, it's been that I would have bought one or two others, 16 or 24 simultaneous tracks.
Swore, spit, I'm not paid by Focusrite. But if it says to them ...