PreSonus FireWire audio interfaces

The PreSonus FireStudio Project is an outstanding, affordable audio interface that offers a wide variety of features, including 8 xmax preamps, more than 10 imputs, midi, and much more. Some of the features include: - High-Speed FireWire (IEEE 1394) Audio Interface - Up to 96K Sampling Rate - 8 XMAX Class A Microphone Preamplifiers (+60dB gain) w/ Trim Control - 8 Analog Mic/Line Inputs, 2 Instrument Inputs - 8 Analog Line Outputs - S/PDIF Digital Input and Output, MIDI Input and Output - Balanced Send / Return for Channels 1 and 2 - Zero Latency Monitoring with FireControl Mixer/Router - Separate Balanced Main Outputs and 8 Balanced Analog Outputs - Software Package including PreSonus Studio One Artist, 20 new PreSonus Native Effects plug-ins and virtual instruments and a bundle of third-party loops, software, and instrument sounds In addition, it connects you your computer via firewire, making it faster than any USB audio interface and much more reliable. I connect it strait to my Mac and use it with Apple's Logic to record drums, guitar, keyboard, and vocals. UTILIZATION The driver that come with the PreSonus FireStudio Project are indeed very stable and include a software mixer that is very useful. With the Firestudio, you can record up to eight tracks at once, more than any other audio interface out there. GETTING STARTED The only issue you could possible have with this interface is if you don't have a firewire input. Other than that, this is an easy to use, affordable unit. OVERALL OPINION Overall, the PreSonus FireStudio Project is an amazing unit for recording both in the studio and at home. It's incredibly easy to use, and the sound is amazing! I have never been happier with this unit, and I am actually considering buying another! So consider it too, this is as good as it gets for the price!

Nope,worked right out of the box.it is bus powered which makes it very moblie,comes with everthing you need to get started even Cubase LE $299 UTILIZATION This thing was a walk in the park,set you sample rate and your all set.the Mixer is very easy to use aswell GETTING STARTED Very rugged steel design,I've droped it off a table moving the mic that was pluged into it and it still works like a champ. OVERALL OPINION Very very clearn Class A Preamps and this unit will produce crystal clear Audio no need for EQing.I give it a 9 becuase I am sure there is something that sounds better but I am sure its about twice as much. I love it for the easy of use and the sound quality is Amazing.well worth the money best investment I've made yet... Originally posted on FutureProducers.com Posted by: DreaminginStereo (January 1-, 2005)

I got this a while ago before switching to a MOTU interface. It served me well while I had it though the MOTU I have now has more features. I used it basically for the preamps and for AD conversion. I used it with a PC running Nuendo. The PC has a dual core processor and 4GB of RAM so it's a higher end box. This has got 8 XLR inputs, all with gain controls and phantom power for your condenser mics. It connects with firewire. It also has MIDI in and out, which is a nice little bonus if you need it. It has a 1/4" jack on the front for headphone monitoring, and also SPDIF connections on the back if you need them. UTILIZATION This was very easy to install like most firewire interfaces. You just install the drivers, plug in the power and firewire, and turn it on, and your computer and host do the rest. You will of course want to make sure that your host is using the inputs from your FP10 and not from an internal sound card if you have one. Other than that there isn't much configuration to worry about. There aren't compatibility issues with my computer. The manual is sufficient, but this thing has limited functionality so there isn't much to explain. GETTING STARTED The drivers were fine on my computer. I never encountered any bugs, so I'm sure they're stable enough now that they don't need to be updated often. This again was using the FP10 with Nuendo on a PC, with Windows XP. The latency is marginal since firewire has good bandwidth. You can get 8 audio inputs simultaneously with this. There are also 8 independent outputs on the rear panel, all of them 1/4" outputs which can be useful if you have a slightly more complex setup. OVERALL OPINION I used this for about a year before upgrading. The sound of this box is okay - definitely good for the price but not breathtaking or anything. The affordability and convenience are its best assets. However, you have basically no metering, so you'll have to rely on your host to tell you what's going on with your levels and clipping, which is really a pain for someone like me. You don't get XLR outputs, so you might have to go with some non-traditional cabling for connecting other devices. At $400, this is one of the best entry level converters for more than 1 or 2 channels. You'll definitely want to upgrade to something else with more features eventually though. Overall, not a bad piece of gear, and a good value. I wouldn't get it again now, but I'd recommend it for a beginner.