KVR Audio

uncleruby · Post by **uncleruby** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 1:06 pm

RME say they have no plans for any other firewire units (at this time)...yes there are less exspensive alternatives, but I'm certain the audio spec and build quality on the RME will be better...Terratec has firewire units coming out-but it looks like they are far into the future..they do have a surround sound Aureon?, unit out with firewire, but I think it does not have many ins/outs...The Hercules 16/12 is out soon in the US this interface may sway me to go cheaper($599?).but I have a lot of outboard gear that is capable of very hot levels (>+4) and I find the less expensive stuff cannot handle higher input levels- to me a sign of lower quality??..the Firepods nice, but I dont need so many mic inputs....I think everyone will be making Firewire interfaces, this is just the begining...Peace

Miles1981 · Post by **Miles1981** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 1:33 pm

The Fireface can jandle up to 56 channels, no other interface can do this.
What is more, it is used in measurement, less than the Mobile IO products, but they are better than the 828 and others. The preamps are better and, what is essential in the measurement field, the converters are more time invariant.
But as nobody tested it

It should be sent in Europe in late summer too

TomR · Post by **TomR** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 2:00 am

uncleruby wrote:...Terratec has firewire units coming out-but it looks like they are far into the future..they do have a surround sound Aureon?, unit out with firewire, but I think it does not have many ins/outs...
....I think everyone will be making Firewire interfaces, this is just the begining...Peace

As I'm currently investigating buying a firewire interface, let me add my findings so far

Terratec already has other firewire units out(called Phase 24 Firewire and Phase 88 rack Firewire, on sale at http://www.musicstorekoeln.de and http://www.thomann.de), although strangely there's no mention of these on their website.
Echo has also announced a line of firewire interfaces last January but there's still no sign of these yet (not even preliminary specs or anything afaik)
ESI was supposed to come out with 2 more fw interfaces besides the Quatafire: the Octafire and Hexafire (all 3 of them were originally announced at Frankfurt musikmesse 2003

). I asked them a couple of days ago about those via email (because all info has mysteriously disappeared from their site) and was told: 'Since we are replacing the main chip, they will be available in the next year.'

Anyway, for those interested: these are the specs I was given:
HexaFire:
Supports up to 24bit/192kHz, 16 channel balanced analog I/O, 16 Channel AES/EBU digital I/O, 16 Channel ADAT digital I/O, 16 channel TDIF digital I/O, 2 channel S/PDIF (coaxial) digital I/O, 2 channel AES/EBU digital I/O, 8 MIC preamps with +48V Phantom Power, 1 port MIDI I/O(16 MIDI channels), SMPTE(LTC & VITC) interface, WordClock I/O, Headphone Amp eith volume control, Cascade up to 4 units for 64 audio channels, Powered by external power supply to maximize analog quality, Windows XP/MacOSX compatible, MRSP $999.99
OctaFire:
Supports up to 24-bit/192kHz, 8 channel analog I/O, 8 channel AES/EBU D-Sub, 2 channel S/PDIF(coaxial)digital I/O, 4 MIC/INST preamps with +48V Phantom Power, 4 port MIDI I/O(64 MIDI channels), Wordclock I/O, Headphone Amp with volume control, Zero-Latency monitoring with discrete Internal Mixer, Cascade up to 4 units for 64 audio channels, Powered by FireWire bus or external power supply, Windows XP/MacOSX compatible, MSRP $699.99

Judging from specs and price the Hexafire would outclass the Fireface...

Tom

uncleruby · Post by **uncleruby** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 3:05 pm

Hi there,
I've been doing the same reasearch...The Terratec firewire interfaces must still be in development. I have only seen mention of them on Harmonycentral.com in the news section. I have asked dealers here in the US about them and they havent heard anything yet?? the Terratec mic2+ and Mic8+ with firewire seem promising, They have SPL working with them on these units...I love my SPL gear it is rock solid!
I can tell you that I just got an email from someone at ECHO Audio. he said their Echofire products were delayed because of some big "new" thing happening with the company...how did he put it? "A Business opportunity"....I'm dying to add some more ins and out to my setup and really want to go firewire, but I want to add something with the best possible spec, and its just not out yet...cheers

electro · Post by **electro** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 12:18 am

The multiface isn't that much different than the fireface though.

Phaedo · Post by **Phaedo** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 8:39 am

Well, it's a lot smaller...

...which funnily enough is a consideration.

Miles1981 · Post by **Miles1981** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 8:45 am

I prefer good converters, and with 10 A/D and 8 or 10 N/A, for 1300€, it is cheap. It's RME converters, no ESI "cheap" converters.
It seems to have a lots of possibilities, but can it handle all the connections simultaniously ? The fireface can, other cards at 1000€ that have external capabilities can't use them together.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 12:01 am

Miles,
from what I've read and seen the ESI Octafire and Hexafire are kind of a Firewire Wamirack resp. Maxio XD. The specs of the Maxio read 123 dB dynamic range and 120 dB DA. Sure, there's more to converter quality than that, but the Wamirack got a very favorable review in SOS for its audio quality and drivers. So I wouldn't exactly call ESI "cheap"

Of course RME has an established reputation and I'm sure the Fireface will deliver, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in what other, newer companies that are trying to build a reputation have to offer. Anyway, at this point it's all just speculation based on specs on paper. Your point about simultaneous I/O is certainly valid though.

uncleruby,
I've now received a similar reply from Echo. The FW line has been delayed until Fall. Apparently there will be a 2in/6out, a 8in/8out and a 12 in/12 out interface.

Tom

Miles1981 · Post by **Miles1981** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:00 pm

TomR > I would like to see some tests, but measurement tests, that would give a better hint at the quality than SNR, although SNR IS a parameter that had be looked at

There is a battle between people in the acoustic field on the qualities needed for the converters. I think, we won't have the answer...

Phaedo · Post by **Phaedo** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:38 pm

The real noise test is play a DIed guitar through quadrafuzz. If it makes a sound you like, the noise floor is acceptable.*

*Assuming you don't like the sound of badly behaved guitar amplifiers.

goodickin · Post by **goodickin** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:02 pm

how does the rme pci type 2 card bus work with a lap top ? you need to buy that and then a rme break out box to connect it too?> or can you use that pci card to connect to any thing thats fire wire? or can it actualy do any thing on its own?

Phaedo · Post by **Phaedo** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:15 am

The only use of an RME PC card is to connect to an RME break-out box. It doesn't even use firewire, just the cables.

Shakergreen · Post by **Shakergreen** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 4:34 am

Miles1981 wrote:Did someone try it ? Its specifications sound very intersting

I just received 1 of the 10 fireface 800 to arrive in Canada, $2300 CDN
I am using it with my Compaq x1010ca laptop, direct in with the firewire 400 connection. I did have to update drivers that were issued on the 12th of August, prior to the update the fireface kept locking up my program. so far it is very sweet!!!!!! However I am a complete novice, so have not got a clue when it comes to using it or Samplitude 6, I know it works, as I have successfully recorded 3 tracks at the same time of a live performance, all direct into the fireface, and sounding transparent on playback. but I still have not figured out the fine tuning, of my putor/software. I have discovered latency issues when recording anything after the first track. I understand that this is normal , but was surprised to have this problem, with what I thought was a reasonably fast laptop and powerful software, plus the fireface. I was wondering if adding an external hardrive that is 7200 RPM's would help on the latency issue??

RME FireFace 800