Apogee Firewire Ambus - Realworld Experience?

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Howdy!
AD 8000 with 1394 Ambus Card over Firewire...

I'm thinking about going this way with my powerbook for location recording. Has ayone here experience with a similar setup?

Cheers, Niko

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...bump...

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I was a little early, but now:

Apogee News
Apogee’s Ambus Firewire Option Card For AD-8000 And Trak2 Is Now Shipping

NAMM Winter Convention-ANAHEIM, CA-January 18, 2007-Today at NAMM, Apogee Electronics announced that its AMBus FireWire option card for the AD-8000 converter and Trak2 audio interface is now shipping worldwide through authorized dealers and distributors. The new AMBus FireWire option card allows professionals with AMBus supported Apogee products to connect to their DAW via FireWire.

This new capability gives professional users the ability to extend the life of their AD-8000 and Trak2, through compatibility with the most modern connectivity options available.

“We are pleased to announce the release of the AMBus FireWire card,” Says Betty Bennett, CEO of Apogee Electronics. “This fulfills a commitment we made to AD-8000 and Trak2 users and shows our continued dedication to all members of the Apogee family.”

AMBus FireWire At A Glance:

* Two S400 FireWire connectors, allowing convenient chaining of multiple units
* A standard off-the shelf adapter cable allows connection to S400 FireWire ports
* Compatible with Apple’s Core Audio FireWire driver
* Supplied with Windows XP WDM/ASIO driver
* Up to 8 inputs and 8 outputs of 24bit, 88.2/96k audio (Max. 48K with AD-8000 converter)
* Fully compliant and compatible with 61883-6 and other relevant 1394 IEEE and AES specifications
* Low Latency Mixing via FireMix software

Availability: Now Available (for about 450 Euro)

[LOU AU]

Hi everyone. First time poster here. I've ordered the Ambus card for my Track2 and was wondering if anyone has any comments. I debated about getting the Ensemble instead, but I think the Track2 has better (o.k., different) sounding converters without the extra flexability. Any reviews yet?
Thanks,
Lou

[aftermidnight]

Originally Posted by LOU AU

Hi everyone. First time poster here. I've ordered the Ambus card for my Track2 and was wondering if anyone has any comments. I debated about getting the Ensemble instead, but I think the Track2 has better (o.k., different) sounding converters without the extra flexability. Any reviews yet?
Thanks,
Lou

Lou,

I'm looking at getting the card for my Trak 2 but I'm afraid that it's not going to like being on the same fire firewire bus as my other audio card. I am wondering also how people are liking it. Anybody??? I guess so far I've not seen anything negative about it, so that's usually means it's working fine. Have you gotten yours yet? and what's the verdict?

[krs]

Yes re: FW w/ the Trak2, please post your findings when you get it....

[LOU AU]

Has anyone recieved one yet? I have been getting the reply " two more weeks" since February. I have two on order at two different stores just to see who get one first.
Lou

[JB3]

Were these Firewire cards really ever produced/shipped/sold?

[toadmanxtro]

anyone ever get one? I've been looking for one myself but find them so ever elusive.

[JB3]

I had a discussion with someone in sales at Apogee after they discontinued the AMBUS series cards. I was told that they had actually completed the item (AMBUS Firewire) and that he would look around and see if there were any still in the office. He later related that there were none.

I never did get an answer as to whether any were ever sold or put in use.

It would be interesting if a fellow Gearslut could verify whether these cards (AMBUS Firewire) ever saw the light of day. I have two AMBUS HD cards, and let me tell you, they may be the only two in the world. I have never seen or heard of another one. I would like to have two more...

YMMV

[Spaced]

I can confirm that the Firewire AMBUS card does exist! I have serial#10.

Apogee were very kind to give me one in exchange for my old MLAN firewire card (that never really worked that well, mainly due to Yamaha's rather underdeveloped software) Another example of Apogees spectacular after sales support!

I use it in my Trak2 in conjunction with an ADAT AMBUS card to pass Core Audio into ProTools HD. The Trak2 also provides an additional 8 analog outs from PT (versatile box the Trak2)

It's a shame that they've discontinued them as they work great, but I guess letting all the AD8000s and Trak2s in the world interface via Firewire wouldn't be a very smart business move- it would hurt sales of Ensembles, Rosettas etc. Continuing support for it all would cost too...

[LOU AU]

I did finally receive one. Rock solid performance. It does, however, lack the flexibility of an Ensemble. I am surprised that they discontinued the card.

Lou

[JB3]

Wow, that's confirmation on two cards. So they really do exist! Maybe as many as ten?

Lou when did you get yours and from where? (If you wouldn't mind disclosing...)

I finally gave up and went ADAT to Firewire using the M-Audio Lightbridge, so that now I can have my Digi 192 and three AD 8000's work with Apple AU or (since I bought two Ambus HD cards before they dissappeared) Pro Tools...pretty flexible, 34 in 36 out AU/HD.

I must add however, that the M-Audio Lightbridge has some constraints that require it to be the only item on it's Firewire bus. (Had to add a PCI Firewire card to get stable operation.) Presonus' new Lightpipe however uses different chips and does not appear to have any such restraints but is lacking s SPDIF channel (32 in 32 out plus monitor for Presonus, 34 in 34 out plus monitor for M-Audio)...

Sorry, a little off topic, but alternate methods of entry for the Apogee units to gain Firewire/AU compatibility...

[LOU AU]

Hi J.B. - I got mine,i think, around May but had it on order at West L.A. Music and Guitar Center in Sherman Oaks for three months. The one at west L.A. Music never showed up (although they did charge me for it). The one I did get from Guitar Center I got because I kept calling Apogee daily about the cards and if they could just send me the damn thing and I would eat the shipping costs. Eventually it was delivered. I sure wish it had better flexibility, but it does extend the life of a very good product.
Good luck. Sounds like you figured out a good solution.
Lou

[lukehatpadl]

Originally Posted by LOU AU

Hi J.B. - I got mine,i think, around May but had it on order at West L.A. Music and Guitar Center in Sherman Oaks for three months. The one at west L.A. Music never showed up (although they did charge me for it). The one I did get from Guitar Center I got because I kept calling Apogee daily about the cards and if they could just send me the damn thing and I would eat the shipping costs. Eventually it was delivered. I sure wish it had better flexibility, but it does extend the life of a very good product.
Good luck. Sounds like you figured out a good solution.
Lou

Which makes me wonder - anyone had any luck getting AMBus HD cards? They are also discontinued, and appear to pretty hard to find. I wonder if it's worth contacting Apogee directly.