All user reviews of 4/5 for the M-Audio Firewire Solo

I wanted a firewire card to use Ableton Live with low latency and be able to record guitar (via jack) and voice.

UTILIZATION

Easy to use.

The drivers seem OK but are not updated.
My computer has blown some time ago. After repair means more to recognize the card. In fact the SAV of the computer was tearing their hair but the problem was with the internal card which bore the firewire ports. I think M-Audio was not there for nothing.
As it works well since I try not to touch the drivers.

GETTING STARTED

The installation was done without much difficulty.
The interface for the settings is not very nice, but ...

However, the connections / disconnections hot are not permitted!

OVERALL OPINION

This is my first and only external sound card.
She is still appropriate. It allows me to play with my midi keyboard to Live with virtually no latency.
The sound of guitar is good if the sound is clear. However, for the distorted sound I is not yet found a way to save it so it sounds like out of my Marshall amp and not as a small amp with 10 watts made in china (the e). I tried to connect the amplifier output to the input of the card or use a microphone in front of the amp but it gives a disappointing result ...
But what good is another matter.

I think I would do this choice.

I wanted to do the computer music ...

... Taken voice, guitar, bass ...

... I have not had the opportunity to use it for this purpose.

UTILIZATION

Need to make the scene, and find cheap stuff, I dug up a Behringer Xenyx 1002FX at 45 Euros, but there are only two slices preamp that I intended to vote.

How to add sound to scratch, bass, knowing that the other units are not and have no preamp Aqualisa?

Well I just plugged the FW Solo and offering me two separate preamplified inputs (XLR and jack).

On the XLR send the sound of scratching my amp picked up by a microphone Audiotechnica mb2k which, incidentally, is excellent and I get a Péchu his faithful and without having to touch anything else that 'to my guitar amp.

The input jack I plug my bass directly (an old Rickenbacker 4001) and nothing more I have a wicked sound.

Until we have more in this small FW Solo does more than help me ...

...

GETTING STARTED

No problem for the implementation (sound) ...

OVERALL OPINION

It's all a little (lot) of démerder, a little off topic ...

... But the result is surprising ...

You still think that I use this little box for what it is for one of these four ...

...

You know!

UTILIZATION

As long as you got what exigXP + sp2), ca marche.utilise 1 month on a pc light (P4 2Ghz 256ram), it's easy, it crashes not alone what it's going ...

GETTING STARTED

Well, repeats j'me is stable.pas latency audible, even with little ram, and this with a lot of tracks and plug ins (Cubase SX).

OVERALL OPINION

I like the simplicity of use. The preamp is not too bad, but I do know that through dynamic microphones (m88, E835).
damage to the south.
it corresponds exactly to my use: decision-scratching, bass, vocals, percussions, one has.

For the price this card has very good characteristics for a solitary composer: it can record guitar, bass, and any microphone. 2 inputs, one XLR with phantom power supply and the other jack with impedance matching for guitars.
But one dark spot: the phantom power supply creates a small hiss when the active (at least that's what I get by combining it with my Behringer B2-Pro)

UTILIZATION

Simple installation, we must not think that once connected the drivers installed.

GETTING STARTED

Simple, uncluttered control panel on the computer.
A small bug when pannelisation active monitoring on the control panel, but can be adjusted by touching the knob.
inaudible latency (4-5 ms).

OVERALL OPINION

In the end very good card for its price, portability interesting. The sound reproduction itself is significantly better than on a map "multimedia" general public.
PAr cons when using condenser microphones you may be forced to buy a preamp in addition to avoid the whistling of the 48 V. ..

I was looking for a mobile interface for lugging around with my powerbook 12 "and can save drafts of components (bass and vocals) any o.
Old PB, so no USB2, Firewire Bond or nearly so.

priori in this price range, all interfaces are connected, so I especially chosen for ergonomics suited me well.

I connect an SM58, a variety of low (active and passive).
Today I use tantt with PB12 "and Audacity, tantt a macbookpro and GarageBand.
I use it occasionally in concert to record - but two tracks is a bit lightweight.

UTILIZATION

No problem with install From the time of drivers using date, the original ones (books on CD with the card) as rotten.

I think not m'tre never used the manual, the card plutt as simple ...

She sometimes weird things at the mmorisation the config, but nothing insurmountable.

GETTING STARTED

The drivers are not being updated prs stable. Plant it once or twice, not particulirement under a heavy load, and no rptable fawn, so nothing mchant, has not the plant or Systm the application so nothing lost!

I mainly use it with Audacity, sometimes with DP4 (but I never took the time to me) and just today with GarageBand.

Latency and silent just leve pnible to beginners in Audacity, but a priori Audacity had more than the card I ever gave a look that prcis ment in GB since I do not hear it.

OVERALL OPINION

I have about two years.
I tried an Audiophile, an M-box and FA66, the ergonomics are quite content and price that made my choice, sound quality issue, the M-box I thought might be a little above the rest c'tait kif-kif - without testing exhaustively defined. And I did not need MIDI, so exit the audiophile.

But I will rpter: j'apprcie ergonomics.
on the other hand I quickly finds its technical limitations, mainly that I record the bass. For voice, flte, Jew's harp, your exact trs is correct, but the bass is lost normment dynamics and clarity even by inserting a pramp ddi .

The report price is honnte quality, it was a good tool, easy to use, for a reasonable price, yet I found this product line a little shaky: that too much or not enough.
If c'tait again, I would most definitely a card to be of lesser quality around 100 Toneport kind, either, now that I know my needs better, the range above, just to be sr not to be soon by the quality of pramp and converters, and in fact I currently eyeing on the Apogee Duet.
But I do not regret at all, for beginners and better understand my needs, it has amply fulfilled its mission.

Opportunity makes the thief, but I was looking for the firewire

Models home and recording rps with a static hanging from the ceiling

Dell Precision M6300 Core 2 Duo 3GB of RAM, 40 GB for XP, Linux 40 + go to an external USB drive of 120 GB

Behringer three in a static, one-half cash Yamaha and Godin.

UTILIZATION

Zero problem
not
simplissime
not need not read

GETTING STARTED

I have the latest updates downloads directly, no problem
know
Reaper, Audacity, Hammerhead, Windows, Ardour, Audacity on Linux
8ms
2 (no more simultaneous input)

OVERALL OPINION

1 month
+ Connectivity-the number of
not
unbeatable (but occasionally as new and half price ...)
yes

What characteristics have motivated your choice?
Firewire, the price!


With which instruments or systems (console, preamp, DTD ...) and you use the connection with what? Connected to the Firewire port of the Macbook, HS80M output (Jack 6.5 sound card side, XLR side monitors)


For what purpose? What is your config (Motherboard / CPU / Ram / Disk ,...)?
Home studio, connected to a Macbook 2007, 2.16Ghz, 2GB RAM, 160DD, MACOS X.6.7

UTILIZATION

The drivers are stable?
RAS, even at low latency.


What software do you use most often?
Logic Pro 9, Ableton Live 8.


They are often updated?
No idea, I have recently.

GETTING STARTED

The installation is done it without problems?
Yes, under MacOsX we insert the CD, it installs, it works.

The general configuration is easy?
Very simple, the software is fairly succinct.


Have you experienced any incompatibilities?
Not at the moment.


The manual is clear and sufficient?
Clearly yes, plenty enough ...

OVERALL OPINION

For how long have you been using it?
Two days ...


Did you try many other models before getting this one?
That incorporated into the BCD3000 which I used to do anything other than sound card backup (Even though quite bulky as sound card if you know what I mean ...).

What thing do you like most/least about it?

+ The price (199 euros at Energyson)
+ Firewire
+ Fairly compact
+ Power Phantom
+ Quality of preamp
+ Audio Quality

- Unable to use the connector on the front in addition to the rear facade
- No balance on Outputs
- The simple design (which can also do its charm)


What is your opinion about the value for the price?
Good.


Knowing what you know now, would you make the same choice?
Everything depends on the number of In / Out that is desired, it good enough for me personally.

Purchased in order to make the taking of good quality and rere at home: guitar via DI in AmpliTube
taken acoustic micro + di
taken a few voice
for use in portable stereo recording

preamps are excellent for the price and collect fairly
HI-Z is a blessing to play with the amp simulation style or AmpliTube guitar rig ... and it is indispensable

acien on my config (Pro Xeon Dual-generation S604 SURT pc-dl + 2 GB RAM) I had to go back many buffers to mix without problems

with the new config (on p5wdh E8400 + 4 GB ram) I play and I do not lag up the buffers when the project is already very busy: good point.

It is a perfect tool for msusiciens soloists, guitarists singers, nomadic or not you can make recording at home and send your tracks to the studio without getting burned by the sound engineer for the preamps are very good.

I now feel a boundary with the XLR only because my skills were better that 5 years ago I feel the need to refine my acoustic and taken to use several microphones.

The other drawback is that the headphone output is driven by the same knob that monitor outputs: clock at night, fancy a bit of his I plug my headphones j sends the high impedance level and there ..... aaarg my monitors that I had forgotten to turn off wake the whole house ... and it is especially peinible damage to the mix when you switch from headphones to monitors.
So many small console routed quality essential.

The big downside is the lack of midi interface. If you are equipped with a USB keyboard but do not worry if your keyboard dude comes home with his gear or you need a live sync you should invest in an external interface which significantly reduces the side nomad machine ...

UTILIZATION

I'll respond to some opinions that talk about problems with the drivers: the firewire card (which also supports the PSU) is not hot-pluggable, so it is normal that after a bet Standby or re-connection of the card it is no longer recognized by the system.

but frankly that takes the risk of seeing his project planting in the making with his standby in windows activated??

The updates are regular.

Buffer adjusted to 128 samples I work with 4 ms latency without problem.

GETTING STARTED

Installation is not very clear: we must let the software install multiple components and wait for Windows to recognize them and you often have to try several times even if you always follow the same procedure.

OVERALL OPINION

So I used it and it made me so many services that would be hard to note too severely.

To have worked on 410 of the same brand more upscale, I confirm that the audio quality is identical and very good.

The high input impedance Instrument is a blessing and is essential for direct take on pain of being left with a sound all rikiki.

Think twice before buying these two points:

- I'm fairly sure that jaume need more than one XLR input?
- I am sure never need MIDI?

... And make your choice.

The price / quality ratio is excellent, especially on the second hand market. The companion