Focusrite Saffire Pro 40

[Grooveman]

hi,
on my site you can see new interface Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 :-)

Best
Grooveman

[musicjon]

Link is to a non-english missing page.

[Fausto]

I browsed through the products and couldn't find it either...

[Whitecat]

He used to have photos up, must have gotten a visit from the Focusrite police...

Anyway, more info here!

Focusrite multi-channel firewire audio interfaces - Hardware

[mjteix]

Originally Posted by terminal3

He used to have photos up, must have gotten a visit from the Focusrite police...

Anyway, more info here!

Focusrite multi-channel firewire audio interfaces - Hardware

Here's a image:



And a link (chinese)

[Fausto]

I speak Chinese... the add said:

"Mjteix is god!"

Now seriously... does anyone know if the plugins shown in the add can run on internal DSP for monitoring purposes?

And why the hell the mixer can only handle 18 inputs?

What is the chip? DICEII?

Fausto.

EDIT: And the gate shown has no key input filters!

[Whitecat]

Originally Posted by Fausto

What is the chip? DICEII?

Yes.

That's all I know, I assume a more official announcement will come tomorrow probably and some of your questions may be answered...

[Pr.tiouz]

Why the f***g hell did anybody come out with this kind of product but with 32 in/24 out
in the same box (only 8 preamp)
with extensive monitor control like 3 volume knob with mute
12 stereo busses for no latency cans mix
price between 3 and 5K...

[wuss88]

http://www.dv247.com/invt/58155/

[Hard2Hear]

Nice, DiceII like all the other DiceII interfaces that SUCK. Ive gotta give it to the sales guys at TC ELectronics for selling their awful technology to every one of their competitors. Super high latency, terrible low buffer performance.

Looks like RME, MOTU, and Echo is all thats left.

[Frank]

Yup, that's why SSL's Duende Classic is problematic for many too cos its Dice II also.
This chip is really not for professionals maybe for home recording.

rgds

[Dennisb]

I've never used a TC interface myself but people say that they have a very good sound quality.

[Whitecat]

I've got a Digital Konnekt x32 and a Duende, both DICEII, and both are fine on my Macbook Pro, so it's only some computers that seem to have trouble with 'em... just do a little homework before you commit!

[musicjon]

I had an absolutely horrid experience with the TC Konnekt 24D, but the Konnekt 6 I'm using while looking for something better has given me no problems with a MacBook Pro.

[SEA]

I heard a lot of people are liking the Konnekt 24D now-a-days (since a lot of issues have been fixed). I'm looking to order one in a few days for my PC.

I'm using the Abit IP35 Pro XE motherboard and the Q6600 quad core chip with XP Pro.

Anyone here using the 24D? If so... how's it working now?

If it's still buggy... then maybe go with the original Saffire that has it's own DSP.

I wish the new Pro 40 had it's own DSP. :(

Here's what the FAQ says.

Q: Does Saffire PRO 40 have built in DSP? If not, why not?
A: No. The only member of the Saffire family with built in DSP is the original Saffire. This was designed to be an all-in-one recording solution, providing the facilities of a channel strip (input processing), small mixing console (foldback reverb and monitor mixing) and high quality audio interface all rolled into one. Saffire PRO, on the other hand, is a means for tracking the highest quality of multi-channel audio into the DAW, without the considerable extra cost of onboard DSP to provide potentially unnecessary processing.

Extra cost for a DSP? How about a choice of one with and one without eh?

Jamie

[jonnymags]

Got my saffire pro 40 delivered on Friday... still in its box but hoping to have a play tomorrow... it is DSP but only mixing...

[SEA]

Originally Posted by jonnymags

Got my saffire pro 40 delivered on Friday... still in its box but hoping to have a play tomorrow... it is DSP but only mixing...

Sounds great jonnymags.

Let us know how you like it.

SEA

BTW - I just got my Konnekt 24D. So far it's working great.

[Whitecat]

Looking forward to a full review.

Wish it had WC I/O (that worked properly - the 26io has it but really only as a cosmetic touch I think...) but otherwise I'm interested. I think the pres and conversion on the 26/10 are very good for such an inexpensive box.

[SEA]

Are the pres different on the 40 than the 26 and 10?

From the right up they sound different to me. Perhaps the next level up past their greens?

Also, I hear it has the Dice II chip that TC Electronic developed. If so, I wonder how the conversion is and if it's improved over the Pro 10 and 26?

Jamie

[Gordon]

anyone buy one of these yet?

[slapswan]

Originally Posted by terminal3

I think the pres and conversion on the 26/10 are very good for such an inexpensive box.

That has been my experience, too.

[Gordon]

Originally Posted by jonnymags

Got my saffire pro 40 delivered on Friday... still in its box but hoping to have a play tomorrow... it is DSP but only mixing...

What's the verdict?

[SEA]

I had ordered the Saffire Pro 10 but sent it back cause I wanted onboard DSP. So I tried out the TC Electronic Konnekt 24D and it was pretty good. My only complaint is for some reason, the 24D knocked out my audio device for listening to MP3s, Vids, etc. I was advised to do a full install of XP Pro but instead installed my WaMi 192X by ESI Pro (it's a PCI card with 4 mic pres in a 1 rack unit). I've had for over 4 years and everything worked just great!

So needless to say I sent it back (the 24D). I was looking into the Pro 40 but now have decided to go to the next level and get the MR816 by Steinberg. Yamaha put their best pres in it I heard and the REVX is supposed to sound great as well. A few more "shillings" (like $950'ish) but we'll give it a go next.

If for whatever reason I don't like the 816, I'll probably just use my Wami and get a few solo pres like the Focusrite ISA One. I might use both units anyway. Nice to have choices.

SEA

[jonnymags]

just posted to other thread but I cant get my pro 40 to be recognised by FW on my macbook. All other FW devices work fine... awaiting for focusrite to come back off their holidays... :(

[musicproducer99]

You're not the only one, it seems there is a thread over at sound on sound, and many customers complaining they can't get the Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 to work.

I bought one for christmas, and it won't work on my macbook pro.

The installation CD has written on it "Mac Universal Binary, Windows XP, Windows Vista", but Focusrite also accidentally forgot to put the mac drivers on the CDs (how does that get past beta test?), so all the CDs have been shipped without mac drivers. No biggie, as you can download from their website, but it says a lot about Focusrite's whole end to end testing process.

I don't know whats wrong with my saffire pro 40, but not only are there rumours of faulty units, and faulty firewire leads, the drivers don't even seem to install correctly in OS X.

Focusrite support is closed until 5th Jan (?!), and they say it will be limited after that as they catch up from the christmas period.

The sickening thing is, I actually made the effort to call focusrite before purchasing this product, to ask if there were ANY incompatibilities or faults or problems with the units, and they said there are no problems.

Overall, this is an interface to stear clear of, certainly for the moment.

Like everyone else, I've been left out on a lurch for weeks without a working interface and my opinion of Focusrite is going down. Like the rest, I'll be calling up focusrite first thing tomorrow.

[jonnymags]

My Pro 40 had a fried FW due to the dodgy cable supplied - however Focusrite have been nothing but great. They were in constant communication over holidays and I had my replacement unit on the 6th. They are also fixing my harddrive free of charge! Its the end result that counts and I can't fault them for that.

[Gordon]

Originally Posted by jonnymags

My Pro 40 had a fried FW due to the dodgy cable supplied - however Focusrite have been nothing but great. They were in constant communication over holidays and I had my replacement unit on the 6th. They are also fixing my harddrive free of charge! Its the end result that counts and I can't fault them for that.

So the one you have now works? How low of a latency can you get out of it? How does it sound? Etc . . .

[jonnymags]

Well unfortunately I have a lot of (non-music) work on until late into next week so my review will have to wait until weekend after next!

[Anaon]

Is there any new user of the Focusrite Saffire Pro 40?

Someone compared it to the Fireface 400 or 800?

[Cover'd]

Nope not yet it seems. I have one right here still in it's box, but I'm reluctant to open it and try to hook it up to the MacBook Pro because of the problems the guys above are outlining

I think it may be going straight back

All I want is a solid, reliable 8 out with MIDI via Firewire interface and have already had an Echo AudioFire 8 lose it's FW ports on me!



Update - I spoke to Focusrite and they said that issues they've had all centre on a batch of faulty Firewire Cables shipped initially and they have a list of potentially affected units here: Faulty firewire cables. .: Focusrite Answerbase

My serial number does actually appear on that list, but I have a 2 metre cable which apparently is ok - the 'deadly' ones are 1.5 metres in length. These cables are either right or wrong from the start, they do not 'develop' the fault

Have hooked the Pro 40 to my MacBook Pro (with EVERYTHING POWERED OFF at the time as you should!), downloaded the Mac OSX drivers and everything appears to be fine

It's staying (for now )