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Key Features
Overview The brand new software accompanying the Saffire hardware is a revolutionary new platform from the team that produced LiquidControl and the Forte Suite. This stylish application floats comfortably over any recording software and allows extensive control over the sound of the recorded signals and the multiple (monitor and headphone) output paths. Compression, reverb, amp modeling and EQ Saffire-powered plug-ins are included. All four are also available as a suite of plug-ins from within the recording platform in use. Up to five separate user-defined stereo mixes can be created of all incoming signals and recorded tracks from the recording platform. With such comprehensive monitoring/foldback options and onboard high quality signal processing and effects, the Saffire is truly the interface of choice for the serious recording engineer. The FF Pre As with the Red and ISA ranges, the Mic-pre technology found in the Platinum and Saffire ranges is designed to the highest possible standards. They uphold the same wide bandwidth philosophy featured in the original forté console, back in 1989. All Focusrite mic-pres feature custom components, which have undergone an intense testing and qualification process. With the facts and figures in, Focusrite designs then have to pass the essential listening stage. Any design can measure well on the test bench but only a great design can be qualified in the studio. The FET-based design in the Saffire range is no exception and ensures the same low noise and distortion performance as earlier transformer-based designs. It delivers clarity without colouration and exhibits the signature transparency for which Focusrite have become famous. Plug-in Suite However, only Saffire features these plug-ins as Hardware-powered versions, driven by onboard DSP to provide latency-free Compression, EQ and Amp Simulation for tracking, with latency-free reverb for monitoring. FAQsQ: What is Saffire? A: Saffire is a new breed of Firewire interface with onboard DSP and 24-bit/192kHz processing. Saffire fuses state-of-the-art hardware with highly integrated software to take audio interfacing one giant step closer to the professional studio experience. Intended for the project studio, home musician, educational/music labs and computer enthusiasts, Saffire will set a new level of price & performance due to its impressive feature set and attractive price point. Q: Will this be the only Saffire product? A: No. This will be the first of a family of computer I/O products from Focusrite. Q: What comes in the box? A: he Saffire hardware and accompanying CD containing software (SaffireControl application and AU/VST EQ, Compression, Amp Sim and Reverb plug-ins) and drivers. There is also a firewire cable and power supply. The hardware powers off a standard 6-pin firewire port, with the power supply only necessary when connected to the smaller 4-pin ports on some laptops (that cannot supply power). A Getting Started Guide and complete User Guide pdfs are both included on the accompanying CD. Q: What are the USP's of SaffireControl (the free Focusrite software application that comes with the hardware)? A: First of all, it?s best to think of the Saffire as more of a Focusrite channel strip than just a simple interface. Obviously, it?s got Focusrite front end as you can see from the hardware but all the additional controls you'd expect to see on a channel strip are included in SaffireControl, and much more. In SaffireControl, the user can apply processing to the two analogue inputs in the form of quality Focusrite EQ and compression (designed by the same team that created the Forte Suite for Pro Tools), as well as being able to simulate classic amplifiers if plugging a guitar straight into the Saffire. The other significant USP is the monitoring/output matrix. Within SaffireControl, the user can create a total of five independent mixes of the pre-recorded audio (the 'backing tracks') for latency-free monitoring purposes without having to adjust the levels of the tracks within your sequencer etc. which may have already been mixed and which the user may want to leave alone. Furthermore, all of these unique mixes, which can also include different amounts of all four inputs and foldback reverb, can be seen at all times from the main SaffireControl window without having to access additional buried windows. It is the closest the user can get to simulating an entire recording studio with a single portable interface! It?s also important to mention that, despite the software?s complexities, SaffireControl has been designed to be as easy to use as possible. As such, there are preset buttons for S/Card and Tracking modes (explained in more detail later) and both Compression and EQ plugs are multimode, having a template mode with settings for Voice, Acoustic Guitar, Piano and the other main instrument groups for anyone that?s new to signal processing. Q: Is Saffire cross-platform? A: Yes. Windows XP and Mac OSX. Q: Is Saffire a USB device? A: No, Saffire is a Firewire 400 device. Firewire has a much larger bandwidth than USB 1.0, allowing Saffire to have multiple i/o and sample rates up to 192kHz. There are also two Firewire ports on the Saffire so that you can chain/connect additional Firewire devices to your computer, such as hard drives, even though your computer may only have one Firewire port. Q: What is the difference between Firewire 400 and 800 specifications? A: The main difference is bandwidth. Firewire 400 is really all you need for audio applications unless you're running 48 tracks at 192 kHz. Of course, there is a higher price associated with Firewire 800 and we wanted to keep the Saffire price as low as possible. Q: Does the disk track specification change based on sampling rate used? A: In analogue terms, no; Saffire's 2 in x 10 out are available even at 192kHz. At 96kHz; you have 14 data paths (2 analog in and 2 digital in x 8 analog out and 2 digital out). At 192kHz; you have 12 data paths (2 analog in x 8 analog out and 2 digital out). Q: What are Saffire?s system requirements? A: Mac: OS X Panther (10.3.9 or later), G3/800MHz, G4/700MHz, 256MB RAM PC: XP, Pentium Celeron, or Pentium compatible processor of 900MHz, 256MB RAM Q: I hear Saffire has its own built-in DSP. What does this mean and what is the DSP used in Saffire? A: This allows the Saffire to power plug-ins and software that mean the tools available to the user are extended far beyond what you can see on the hardware alone. The DSP used is Analog Devices Black Fin. Q: Does any free recording software come with Saffire? A: es, Steinberg Cubase LE. Q: What other popular sequencer/audio software packages have been 'qualified and tested' to perform with Saffire? A: Saffire will work with all ASIO, WDM and Core Audio compatible software, in other words all software apart from Pro Tools. It's been tested thoroughly with many software packages including Cubase, Logic, Sonar, Ableton Live, Digital Performer, and Propellerheads Reason to name a few. If you have a question about compatibility of Saffire with other software, email tech@focusrite.com. Q: What are the differences between Cubase LE and the real thing? A: Cubase LE is the real thing in as much as it's an excellent entry-level package. You get 48 tracks of audio and 64 MIDI tracks. The only difference between LE and SE there is that SE has unlimited MIDI tracks, but 64 is hardly going to feel limited. (This is already a much higher spec than Pro Tools LE, which only manages 32 audio tracks.) The MIDI spec is much more integrated with Cubase too, as this is where Cubase began (as a sequencer) whereas Pro Tools has always been more of an audio workstation. You also get a large range of Cubase plug-ins and VSTs. Of course, if the user ever decides to upgrade to Cubase SE or SX, all of their sessions will be compatible. Q: Why is having 8 analog outputs important? A: he concept of Saffire is to extend the physical outputs of a laptop or desktop computer. This enables the end user to get 8 discrete channels of audio. Do not discount the fact that many industries like gaming will want to use this feature for surround production. Plus, the multiple outputs mean that the small desktop box can offer the monitoring capabilities of a larger desk in a recording studio, making recording multiple artists simple. Q: Can I run the digital inputs & outputs with the analog inputs & outputs simultaneously? A: Yes, with the exception of 192 kHz as previously mentioned. Q: What is Saffire's maximum track count at 96 kHz with the enclosed Cubase LE software? A: 48 audio tracks and 64 MIDI tracks. This is the maximum number of tracks allowed in Cubase LE. Q: Does Saffire's track count increase at lower sampling rates? A: No it does not Q: hich audio software packages are compatible with the Saffire? A: Saffire will work with any ASIO or WDM compliant software on a PC. On a Mac Saffire uses Apple's CoreAudio driver, so it will work with any CoreAudio compliant software. It has been fully tested and is working with all of the most popular software packages. If you're not sure if a particular software is supported, please consult the user manual to determine if it supports ASIO or WDM on PC or CoreAudio on the Mac. Q: What is the difference between input mix and cue mix? A: Each pair of outputs (1/2 ? 9/10) can be assigned its own unique mix of both the four input channels and 10 channels of audio from the recording software in use (Logic, Cubase, etc.). These mixes are created in stages; first, the input channels are balanced, for example if you want a little more of input 1 than 2 and even less of inputs 3 and 4 (the signal connected to the SPDIF In) going to the main monitors then you simply set the levels of the inputs accordingly in the IN 1/2 BAL section of outputs 1/2. This then becomes the INPUT MIX for that stereo output pair. If you only want to hear this signal with no pre-recorded audio from you sequencer then set the slider in that section in the extreme left position. The mix of pre-recorded audio coming from you sequencer is called the PLAYBACK MIX and is set generically across all outputs using the faders in the top right of the SaffireControl window (S/W 1/2 ? 9/10). Alternatively, a custom P/BACK MIX for each pair of stereo outputs can be set in the corresponding section. This way, if one artist wants a little less drums or a little more bass compared to another then it is easy to achieve. To blend between amounts of the INPUT MIX and the P/BACK MIX on a stereo output pair, simply use the slider in each output section. A CUE MIX is another name for a HEADPHONE MIX. There are two main HEADPHONE MIXES/CUE MIXES in SaffireControl, which are outputs 5/6 (Headphone 1) and outputs 7/8 (Headphone 2). If even more headphone mixes are required by the engineer then outputs 3/4 could be sent to a distribution amplifier, so technically 3 unique headphone mixes are achievable. Q: How do you select what audio returns to each Saffire bus (meaning the S/W tracks within SaffireControl, e.g. the audio that becomes the PLAYBACK MIX) from your software (e.g. Logic, Cubase etc.)? A: When you have chosen the Saffire as the audio interface within the audio recording software (ie your sequencer), the input and output options audio that is available will relate to those within SaffireControl. For example, the user can select inputs 1 to 4 to be recorded to an audio track, which will relate to inputs 1-4 in SaffireControl, and similarly will be able to select outputs 1-10, which will become S/W tracks 1-10 in SaffireControl. Q: So I can only send ten tracks from Logic to SaffireControl to become the Playback Mix for my artists being recorded? What if my song has 20 tracks? A: You can assign as many audio tracks to be sent to SaffireControl S/W 1/2 as you like. That way, if tracks 1-8 in Logic are all drums, you can group them together by assigning them all to Outputs 1/2 within your sequencer, which will become S/W 1/2 within SaffireControl, e.g. the level of all the drums in the PLAYBACK MIX in SaffireControl will be controlled by the first fader in the PLAYBACK MIX section. Q: If there are only 8 analogue outputs, how come there are 5 output pairs available in the lower half of SaffireControl? A: As you can see from the symbol at the bottom of each output pair section, the last pair (9/10) is the SPDIF Output. Also, outputs 5/6 and 7/8 are the same signals as Headphones 1 and Headphones 2 on the front panel respectively. Q: What does float actually do? A: The float feature means that the SaffireControl window will sit permanently above all applications rather than disappearing each time the mouse clicks in another application?s window. This allows the SaffireControl window to be shrunk down to either of its reduced window formats and then positioned in one corner of the screen, where the meters for the inputs can be viewed continuously whilst making edits on Cubase/Logic, without having to cycle through different applications. Q: What is the soundcard setup all about? A: SaffireControl has two preset buttons to step through two main modes of operation; the first is the standard tracking mode for recording (the default mode when SaffireControl opens) and the second is for mixdown (Soundcard mode) when you want analogue outputs 1-8 on the rear of Saffire to match outputs 1-8 within you sequencer. The comprehensive monitoring capabilities of Saffire mean that, without preset buttons, numerous settings would need adjusting on SaffireControl to simply route 8 tracks from you sequencer to the relevant outputs on the Saffire (Soundcard mode). This is because, simply selecting a stereo drum track to be outputs 3/4 on the mixer in your sequencer will not route that track straight out analogue outputs 3 and 4 of the Saffire hardware but instead into S/W tracks 3/4 within SaffireControl. This is so that, in tracking mode, those tracks can be mixed with the audio being recorded to make monitor mixes for artists. Focusrite?s clever design team have taken all this into account and included a button to route the outputs set as 1-8 within your sequencer straight to Saffire's analogue outputs - this is listed on the Getting Started A4 sheet that comes in the box and also explained as being a good way of getting to grips with the workings of SaffireControl. Q: How do you select different sample rates? A: Simply press the S/RATE button in SaffireControl and a smaller window opens up where the sample rate can be selected simply by clicking on the desired value. From this window, the Saffire can also be made to synchronise from an external source connected to the SPDIF In. Q: Does Saffire include any plugs ins? If so, what are they? A: Yes: EQ, compression, guitar amp simulation and reverb. Q: How do I power Saffire's plug-ins? A: Not only can they run under VST or Audio Units format on the host, but Saffire also has its own DSP. The plug-ins can run off the Saffire's DSP (2 channels), the host computer or both! This is one of Saffire?s key differentiators. Q: How do I choose which versions of the plug-ins to use? A: When recording with the Saffire, no choices need to be made as all the plug-ins work within the free application SaffireControl and run off the Saffire hardware's DSP. This way, if wanting to record some additional audio into a track that's already maxing out the computer's processor, the user can still utilise Compression and EQ/Amp Modelling on both inputs as well as using the foldback (headphone mix) Reverb at no extra expense. If, on the other hand, the user is mixing a track and just using the Saffire as a means of outputting audio to the speakers then the AU or VST plug-ins can be used, in the same way as any other plug-in, within the audio recording/sequencing platform in use. Q: What are the limitations/possibilities of each plug-in? A: For the plug-ins running within SaffireControl: One instance of both Compression and either EQ or Amp Modelling can be applied to both analogue inputs 1 and 2 as well as foldback reverb in dual mono or stereo mode. No plug-ins can be applied to the SPDIF In, but if the engineer has an X-Station or a Platinum unit with digital i/o connected then no processing would be required anyway (for example J). If not using the SPDIF In, then inputs 3 and 4 (which are the SPDIF signal when the button below the meters within SaffireControl is active) default to become a second mirrored set of inputs 1 and 2 but without any Compression or EQ/Amp Modelling applied. That way, a backup of the 'dry' analogue inputs can be recorded, providing a safety copy that can have processing applied at a later date. Q: Assuming I have a 1GHz Pentium processor, how many instantiations of the Focusrite plug-ins can I reliably count on using my CPU?s on-boards processor? A: Lots. The plug-ins are not too demanding on the processor. The exact number will depend on the user?s CPU. Q: Quality wise, how do these plug-ins compare with other Focusrite plug-ins like d2/d3 and Forte Suite? A: There is no distinct sonic difference between the Forte and Saffire plug-in suites; Focusrite?s world famous sound quality comes through with both. Technological advancement in the area of software modelling in-house at Focusrite means that both the Forte and Saffire plug-ins are sonically impressive and always true to the original Focusrite analogue sound. Q: Is there a word clock input? A: No. But in the applications that the Saffire would be used for, this is not needed. Synchronisation is only used if timing is crucial (for example when doing 'laybacks' of audio in post production), or if there are several digital sources being recorded at one time, or if converters are rubbish due to having poor quality clocks. With the Saffire, the only sources being recorded are the analogue inputs and possibly a SPDIF signal, therefore the only digital clock sources that may need synchronizing are within the Saffire hardware and whatever is connected to the SPDIF In. This is why the Saffire only needs to be able to synchronise to its SPDIF Input and no word clock option is provided. Q: Can I use Pro Tools with Saffire? A: No. Only Digidesign hardware is compatible with Pro Tools. However, Saffire will work with all other ASIO or Core Audio compatible platforms, i.e. all other platforms. Q: How can Saffire hook up with other FF or Novation gear? A: The ideal combination for recording four microphone sources would be to have a Focusrite Platinum TwinTrak Pro with optional digital card connected to the SPDIF input on the Saffire, providing a full complement of Focusrite front-end. (Any Platinum with digital card would be fine though.) Novation?s X-Station has a SPDIF Out, which would also be a good combination with the Saffire; a backing track could be played on the keyboard and recorded whilst a singer and guitarist are recorded simultaneously. Alternatively, the Focusrite owner with no digital i/o could go directly into the Line input(s) to convert to digital, gain access to additional signal processing and then send to the recording platform. Q: What if I only have 4-pin firewire? A: The only difference between the two FW ports is that the 6-pin can supply power and the 4-pin can't. If you only have 4-pin then simply connect up the Mains adapter that's provided to power the Saffire. Q: What is the Dim Switch all about? A: This is a feature that is common on large consoles in studios, it reduces the output level of the monitors (any outputs with the 'H' button active in SaffireControl - normally just o/ps 1 and 2), in this case by 12dB. This gives you more control over a highly sensitive pair of connected speakers. Explained more simply: Imagine the gain dial is turned down really low on the amp/speakers connected to the Saffire and the music is still coming out pretty loud and just turning up the dial a little bit makes it significantly louder. The solution to this is to press the DIM button on the Saffire, then the volume of the music will go down (by 12dB) and you can turn up that dial and have a much better control over the volume. SpecificationsWINDOWS Operating System • Windows® XP Service Pack 2 (Home, Professional, 64bit XP or Media Centre Edition) or Windows Vista (32bit and 64bit - all versions) Computer • Windows® XP compatible PC • 400Mb/s IEEE1394/FireWire port (OHCI compliant recommended) CPU/Clock • 1.4 GHz Intel or compatible • 2.0 GHz Pentium© 4 or Xeon recommended for 192kHz operation Memory (RAM) • 256MB or more • 512MB or higher recommended APPLE MAC Operating System • Mac OS X Panther (10.3.3 or later) - Mac OS update may be required Computer • Apple Mac Power PC G4, G5 or Intel Mac (any) CPU/Clock • G4/800 MHz (minimum) • G4/1.5GHZ or higher recommended for 192kHz operation Memory (RAM) • 256MB or more • 512MB or higher recommended ADDITIONAL INFO • Firewire chipsets from TI (Texas Instruments), VIA, and NEC are recommended • It is highly recommended that Saffire be run on its own Firewire bus/card • In order to use Saffire with a 4-pin IEEE1394 port you will need a 4-pin to 6-pin cable (not included) and must use the PSU (included) Mic • Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz +/- 0.1 dB • THD+N: 0.001% (measured at 1kHz with a 20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter) • Noise: EIN > 120dB (measured at 60dB of gain with 150 Ohm termination (20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter) Line • Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz +/- 0.1dB • THD+N: 0.001% (measured with 0dBFS input and 22Hz/22kHz bandpass filter) • Noise: -88dBu (22Hz/22kHz bandpass filter) Instrument • Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz +/- 0.1dB • THD+N: 0.004% (measured with 0dBu input and 20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter) • Noise: -87dBu (20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter) Digital Performance • Clock Source: Internal clock or sync to word clock on SPDIF • A/D Dynamic Range 104dB 'A-weighted' • D/A Dynamic Range 110dB ?A-weighted' • Clock Jitter < 250 pico seconds • Sample rate 44.1 to 192kHz Weight • 1.1kg • 2.4Ibs Dimensions • 65mm (W) x 170mm (H) x 170mm (D) • 2.6" (W) x 6.7" (H) x 6.7" (D) Analogue inputs • Mic: 2 x XLR on front panel • Mic Gain: +13dB to + 60dB • Line: 2 x 1/4" TRS Jack • Line Gain: -10dB to +36dB • Instrument: As above, switched to Instrument • Instrument Gain: +13dB to +60dB Analogue outputs • Line level 8 x 1/4" TRS Jack • Nominal output level 0dBFS = 16dBu, electronically balanced • All outputs are useable as monitoring outputs Digital I/O • 2 x SPDIF (RCA phono) on rear panel (24-bit, 96kHz) Output transformer isolated MIDI I/O • 1 in / 1 out on rear panel FirewireS400 • 2 ports Power • Either via FIREWIRE or external PSU (12v AC, 1.5A) Headphone Monitoring • 2 x 1/4" TRS Jack on front panel (mirrors outputs 5-8) Awards Computer Music Magazine 2005  Digital Converter Technology Category 2006  Music Tech Magazine September 2005 Your thoughtsThere's something really spine-tingling about the Saffire's EQ when treating vocals - can't put my finger on it yet, but I think I'll just leave it as being that "magic" that a good EQ should have. And the headphone outs are really, REALLY clean. Nice, and much appreciated. I should also add that the installation process was the model of simplicity - how other manufacturers could learn from you on that. Auto install, auto update, auto plugin install, auto firmware flash. Great stuff! Anyway, I know you already know all this, just wanted to say that from a user's perspective this box is every bit as good as I'd hoped, and it's not often I can say that about technology... :)" David Harman :Thanks a lot for your solution and your fast and nice support. The best and fastest customer support i have experienced. I have had a few sound-cards including the original mbox and MOTU 828 mkII and a few others but everything about the Saffire is better, the software, sound quality, design. Thanks again" Fredrik Timour "I love mine. The onboard DSP is sheer genius, allowing you to monitor with zero latency (harware monitoring) and reverb." Harmony Central Forum - anon " We use the Saffire in our setup. It works very well and the hardware effects are very useful and quite good. For it's price, there isn't a better interface. I didn't try the Edirol but I bought a Saffire two months ago. I'm really satisfied with it. Pres are great, included EQ and Compression plug-ins are great too. I love the fact that I can have two different headphones mixes. It's very stable and I'm able to work at 128 samples of buffer size without any glitches. I have a Mbox and the only reason I'm keeping it is because I need to run ProTools sometimes. Otherwise, the Saffire is way better." Apple forum - anon "The idea of the Saffire is truly great, it's exactly the right idea. Being able to bring audio in and offload some DSP functions makes the computer really like a portable studio for a first time - the computer on it's own just doesn't have the sound quality or horsepower...." Andy - Philadelphia "This is by far the best computer-audio interface for the money. I have worked with the Mbox, M-Audio firewire 410, Presonus Firebox and the Lexicon Omega, and the Saffire outshines them all when it comes to sound quality...Can't wait to buy the next computer interface Focusrite builds (more inputs please for patching!!!)" Norman Cook - WA - USA "We use the Saffire in our setup. It works very well and the hardware effects are very useful and quite good. For it's price, there isn't a better interface. I didn't try the Edirol but I bought a Saffire two months ago. I'm really satisfied with it. Pres are great, included EQ and Compression plug-ins are great too. I love the fact that I can have two different headphones mixes. It's very stable and I'm able to work at 128 samples of buffer size without any glitches. I have a Mbox and the only reason I'm keeping it is because I need to run ProTools sometimes. Otherwise, the Saffire is way better." Anon - apple forum "So far using Saffire as a audio interface it work great! The pre-amp is good without spend lot of money to get the good result and the dsp-core plugin allow you to track down without latency problem also a cool experience..but most of all, i like the saffire controller concept..And the Eq, compressor also as a bones if u haven spend money to buy high-end third party plugin..after all, i said go for it..it will be your good partner before focusrite throw out more cool Saffire stuff." "I used it at the Apple - Guitarists Seminar, where ALL the machines were running the saffire quite happily at low enough latencies for live guitar playing. indeed Mark's entire demonstration was done using a saffire.... not a single Audio glitch in sight" Quotes taken from SOS forum "Picked up the Saffire last night. This might be that interface I've been wanting for years. It sounds good and plays well with Logic, but the real story is the control software. I've never before used an interface that seemed designed from the start to speed up recording and make things simple without dumbing it down. The built in DSP powered EQ and Compressor sound good." Anon "I played a show last night with logic running through my Focusrite Saffire. I did have some drum tracks backing me, but for the most part, my setup acted as only an effects rig for my guitar. All said, the system worked wonderfully, and the crowd loved the complex, powerful sound." Willian Waldrop "Before I purchased the Saffire I considered several interfaces. I looked at M-Audio, E-Mu, Pre-Sonus and M-Box. I know I made the right choice. The support has been outstanding. My review which I will submit to Harmony Central will reflect this. Again, thanks for the support. Robert Plovanich, Austin, TX USA I just got the Focusrite Saffire and it (pre's included) ROCKS. Plus you get some DSP and plugins too..." Daniel Pool-apple forum "I hate firewire but this was to much to pass up. It was taken a little while to figure the DSP out,But after that, i got it runnin like a champ. I wish Cubase SX3 prosessed at 192kHz, boy would that put icing on the cake,,,,,,,you must get this jewel box" "I work at a music store and got to check it all out before I bought one. I just put it through the paces and this thing is amazing. Sounds wonderful... converters, preamps and plugins. On par with others in it's class (Firebox, UA-66) but blows them away for features/flexibility." Both taken from Sweetwater forum, USA I got my Saffire - and it's bloody cool. It's GREAT! - I love the plugin's - simply dynamite!!!" Michael Sumner, Canada "It's still very new to me, but so far it has surpassed my expectations! (A word for Daniel at Sound Control-whom I talked to at great length before making my purchase-his patience and expertise was invaluable!!)" Mac Bulman, Sheffield, England "I used to love my Mbox until now. i got a Saffire for work to use to teach music Tec to students at NACRO. I have been a sound engineer for 10 years and have dreamt for the day were you have a external I.O. with D.S.P. compression, EQ, Reverb MIDI and 2 headphones outputs (very important). I took home the Saffire to test it out with a friend Jim hows a song writer (attached jpeg) and a Mbox owner as well. We recorded Bass (Saffire I.O.),Guitar's,Vocels (AT4040) ,V-Drums (MIDI) then to Audio after a bit of edit) on logic 7 on a G4 Mac laptop. i love the fact that you can record vocals with compression it makes such a differences, And with no latency. And that you could monitor the V-Drums throw the Saffire while recording the MIDI wich is cool. Thank you for making the Saffire it is an excellent product. I will be selling my Mbox shortly and replacing it with Focusrite Saffire thank you." Samuel J Booth, London, England "Best sounding digital compression and eq i've ever used. The shrink and float features are invaluable." Stephen Berg, California, USA "Having used it for a good session over the weekend and tonight its almost laughable that i used to consider my ozone as a quality s/c....the difference is staggering... just going over some old mixes(not that old) and finding discrepancies was a bit of a shock....no word of a lie i was amazed how poor id mixed some tracks with my ozone, some of them sounded very weak, esp. the top and bottom end.... i didnt expect this...i always thought it was a bit of a myth A/D D/A conversion ? how wrong could i be! i burnt to disc a version of a track id mixed with my ozone and compared it with against the same track id tweaked using my saffire. i then played them one after another on my denon hi-fi and had a good chuckle to myself this is a quality product" Taken from the Future Music forum "About time - a decent spec unit from a top manufacturer for under £350! Very impressive unit. There's been a lot of hype prior to the launch of the Saffire and after reading some rave reviews in both Sound On Sound and Future Music I decided to buy one. It's exactly what I was looking for with the right amount of IO for my needs. Very stylish and compact without being too 'fussy' and looks great next to the white and silver of my iMac! Feels sturdy enough and yet it's takes up hardly any space. Top marks for the Saffire Control software - very useful and thankfully easy to use (other developers should take note) and the plug ins are a nice bonus. Only been using it for a just over a week so time will tell. Overall I think it's a great bit of kit for the money - I reckon you're on to a winner!!!" Paul Wassall - Cheshire - England "I've owned a Digi 001, a MOTU 828, a Firewire 410 and a Mbox. The Saffire is better than any of those. Great job!" Meriol Lehmann - producer - Quebec "Thank you for producing a truly fantastic product. It is the 3rd audio interface I purchased for use with my dell laptop - inspiron 6000. I tried the m-audio audiophile and the drivers were terrible! Then I tried the presonus firebox which I liked for the most part, but it did have intermittent audio clicks and pops. Then, on a whim, I purchased your product hoping that all of its hype might live up to it. What especially sold me on your unit was the built in effects to limit the cpu drain caused by using vst for the basic like eq and compressor. Wow, your unit sounds great and is quite honestly ROCK SOLID!! I have not had a click or a pop. I had lowered my expectations thinking that those glitches were a fact of life with laptop recording. But, you have proven me wrong. Thank you!!! Now I cann finally spend time recording and not trying to get my setup working!" Stephen Theriot - LA "Thanks so much, Oliver (Tech Support). I just love this unit. Honestly, I really do almost weep when I listen to the sound it produces compared with all my rack gear from five years ago. If you ever release a portable flash recorder model for field recording or podcasts, please let me know." Fred Leo "Well, I really wasn't expecting a mass-market product to sound like this. On replay, there is a superb level of detail, and the high end in particular is clean and very well presented. The mic amps need some special comment! Although I wouldn't say they are 'neutral' in sound (in a way that something like the Grace201 is), what you do get is the wonderful and very useful sound of a great discrete transistor style design (I have no idea if it actually is or not). It does indeed sound like the ff green pre I have, which I have always liked due to the somewhat flattering colour it adds to some sources. Having this in a firewire box is fantastic. On my current project I made some great vocal recordings with the Saffire - I couldn't initially believe the results were musically more pleasing than the normal channel I use. This was a shock, given the price difference. One final thing to add, and congratulate you on, is the way the Saffire allows you get musical results from your session performers. By not having the usual faffing around with DAW interfaces regarding monitoring and foldback reverb issues, you can get straight down to the job in hand. This has a considerable human effect on the people in your session! Great to see design extending beyond the engineering." Ambrose Field Composer, and three-time Prix Ars Electronica Digital Music Honorary Award Winner "I wanted to thank you for the great publication. It has refreshed my love of recording. Thanks to a review in your magazine (Tape Op), I found the right gear for my budget and am loving my Focusrite Saffire interface. Using this portable interface with a laptop has turned me into a portable studio. The sound from my Focusrite Saffire interface is righteous! I love what I hear from this equipment. Restoring vinyl, recording instruments, vocalists or narration - they all print beautifully. My complaint is there aren't enough hours in the day to record." Scott Stover - Letter to Tape Op Magazine Related Products |
