Apple Mac Hardware. Pricing on the Best in Pro Audio You are logged in and shopping with special discount pricing. FireWire Audio Interfaces. There’s been one major frustration over the years, though, particularly for PC users: because the Firewire standard requires more by way of two-way communication between the devices at each end of the connection (in this case, the computer and the audio interface), it means that there are more potential points of failure. Before purchasing an audio interface, the first step is to ascertain what type of communications your computer supports. Almost all modern computers feature at least two USB ports; however, FireWire is somewhat more limited to the pro audio and video environment, and many budget PCs will not support FireWire out-of-the-box.
- Best Firewire Audio Interface For Mac Windows 10
- Best Firewire Audio Interface For Mac Download
- Best Firewire Audio Interface For Mac Os
- Best Firewire Audio Interface For Mac Computers
- Best Firewire Audio Interface For Macbook Pro
28x30 FireWire/USB 24-bit/192kHz Audio Interface with 8-channels of XLR/TRS Analog Inputs with Microphone Preamps, AES/EBU, S/PDIF, ADAT, S/MUX, and Built-in DSP Mixing and Effects - Mac/PC $ 995.00 Or $42 /month § for 24 months i. Thanks to MOTU’s Hybrid interface technology, the Audio Express connects to any current Mac or PC via FireWire or high-speed USB 2.0. Connect your mic, guitar, keyboard, and digital input, and you are ready to make pro-quality recordings in your personal studio.
The best firewire audio interfaces offer fantastic opportunities to record high quality audio from several sources with minimal latency. Firewire connections offer substantially higher bandwidth than USB and therefore offer low latency.
Firewire audio interfaces range from large ‘rack’ styled devices through to pocket sized incredibly compact and durable audio interfaces. Some come with full colour LED/LCD displays for input and output levels, others offer portability by being powered by batteries.
Whether you’re looking to record a keyboard, guitar or vocals, the best way to setup your recording station is to plug into your computer and make tracks via an audio interface. Low and zero latency models are considered to be the best firewire audio interface options on the market.
What Is A Firewire Audio Interface?
The best firewire audio interface connections work differently to USB models. They are much much faster at streaming data, which leads to much lower latency. The biggest issue with firewire audio interfaces however is that most standard computers do not have this type of port. Which means you may need to change some of your hardware to accommodate a firewire audio interface.
Choosing a firewire audio interface is great however not all firewire connections are built the same way. Firewire 400 & firewire 800 formats exist. If you’re computer has firewire 800 ports then you have double the bandwidth than those with firewire 400 ports. So firewire 800 sounds like a no brainer right? Not exactly, it’s very rare that you’d need this enormous increase in bandwidth. If you’re using your audio interface in a home studio with 2-10 input/outputs then the reality is that any and all firewire formats will be good enough for you needs. If you’re using 56 channels of 24-bit/192Khz audio simultaneously then we do recommend you push for a firewire 800 compatible model.
Interested in small audio interfaces?
Firewire Audio Interface Price Range
The price of top quality audio interfaces has fallen dramatically in recent years. This is great news if you’re looking to get hold of a device that will give you a fantastic sound without costing the earth. This is because many brands have taken their previous generation audio interface models and repackaged them. Usually with some modern nuances to create a budget model of their current range. Don’t be put off by this, these audio interfaces are still great value. They might not have all the latest bells and whistles but they get the job done. Which means you don’t need to pay substantial amounts of money for them.
Depending on what you want to achieve, you’ll priorities different features when finding the best firewire audio interfaces for your situation. If space is an issue you’ll look for a small to medium sized interface that provides you a great experience and end result while not taking up a large portion of your limited space. If you’re in need of a portable audio interface then you’ll probably rule out any rack mountable models. Instead you’ll be looking for small battery powered options.
Firewire Audio Interface Inputs & Outputs
Audio interfaces come with a range of inputs and outputs. Some will have line inputs, mic preamps, headphone outputs, mic inputs & many other inputs and outputs. Make sure the model you consider has what you need. If you’re kitting out a home studio then you’ll be looking for the best firewire audio interface which features (such as phantom power) the inputs and outputs you need at an affordable price range.
Some of the best firewire audio interfaces come with software as part of the package. Pro tools is a popular editing software that we’ve seen offered as part of audio interface packages in the past. Purchasing an audio interface that comes with a reputable editing software is a great way to justify paying more for your audio interface because you’re saving money elsewhere.
What is an Audio Interface?
In essence an audio interface allows you to take audio signals and pump them in and out of your computer. The decision on which one is right for you simply comes down to a combination of your budget and how you like to work. Simplistic models exist that simply convert analog audio signals to digital audio signals on the way to your computer. This is because your computer will have software such as pro tools that is able to understand digital audio signals. Allowing you to layer, manipulate and refine the sound and then pump out to a speaker or amplifier. The audio interface will convert your digital audio signals back to analog signals on the way out of your computer. This way the speaker is able to play the sound for you to hear. These types of audio interfaces are known as AD/DA (Analog to Digital/Digital to Analog) converters
Overall we think firewire is a great choice and offers a significant speed boost when compared with most USB models. We’ve collected a list of the best firewire audio interfaces on the market to help you find the right one for you.
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RME Audio Fireface UFX II
- ✔ Ultra-low latency operation with USB and FireWire
- ✔ All inputs and outputs can be used at the same time
- ✔ Direct USB Recording
- ✔ Best low latency performance
or Choose Your Preferred Region
This is one of the most reliable and fully featured interfaces on the market. It runs on good old USB so there’s no trouble running it on MacOS. It’s quite striking how Steinberg has reflected the look of the UFX II in the AXR4. The Fireface UFX has 60 channels of audio! Digitally controlled high-end preamps, reference class converters and full 192 kHz operation.
The Fireface UFX II has 30 ins and 30 outs with 4 digitally controlled mic preamps on the front, another 8 analog on the back and the rest in ADAT, AES/EBU and S/PDIF digital. The latency and performance of RME’s USB technology are second to none and supports audio resolutions up to 192kHz. Along with the excellent monitoring screen, MIDI I/O and wordclock features, you can also plug in a USB stick in the front and record directly to it. Imagine taking an instant mix from a recording session or live show. The internal TotalMix FX software gives full routing access and hardware mixing with DSP effects.
RME Fireface UC
- ✔ Up to 192kHz sample rates
- ✔ Provides revolutionary ultra-low latencies even with multiple channels
- ✔ Class compliant MIDI ports
- ✔ Compatible with Windows 10 and Mac
or Choose Your Preferred Region
This interface boasts excellent parameters, many inputs and outputs (8 in/8 out) and also the ability to connect via USB and FireWire.
But the main thing about the Fireface UCX is the clean untainted sound and stable performance. The included Total Mix FX software, although it looks slightly outdated, has some impressive functionality.
This interface, largely due to its impressively stable handling, is excellent for capturing performances of all kinds. With the abundance of inputs and output it’s suitable for recording drum kits and large ensembles.
That said, for the average home studio, its capabilities are probably overkill. Most home recording does not involve drum tracking. This is generally reserved for bigger studios, hence the price of the Fireface UCX.
The Fireface UC is ostensibly the same as RME’s Fireface 400, providing 36 channels of analogue and digital I/O with only the interface format changed from FireWire to USB.
The analogue inputs are split across the unit with two mic/line and two instrument/line sockets at the front and the remaining four at the rear on balanced TRS sockets.
Six of the analogue outputs appear as TRS sockets, which can be used for feeding a 5.1 surround system, while at the front is a single TRS socket for either headphone monitoring or an unbalanced stereo monitor path.
There is a single knob and two-digit LED display on the front of the unit that enables control of all output levels (analogue and digital) as well as the four front input gains. The driver interface has a dedicated page for control of the analogue I/O with gain faders, pad switches, phantom power for the mic inputs and impedance switching for the instrument/line inputs.
Also on this page are settings for the overall gain structure of the analogue inputs, TRS outputs and headphone outputs. There are three ranges: 10dBV (unbalanced), +4dBu (balanced) and a Hi Gain (outputs) or Lo Gain (inputs) which offers more headroom for those who work with high-gain level balanced outboard. This is a unique function that really enhances the interconnection flexibility of the unit.
We know many engineers who spend countless hours (which equates to lost revenue) trying to iron out compatibility issues with their interfaces. If one was to add up the cost of these lost hours, the price difference between the Fireface UC and an alternative (cheaper) product disappears and in fact reverses.
We would heartily recommend this unit to anyone looking to buy a non-FireWire interface.
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There are a few things to watch out for if you have a late model Mac. First, the PCI interfaces are not going to work with any of the Mac Pros, and of course not with any of the Mac Books, Mac Book Pros or iMacs. Today's Mac Pro has a PCIe slot format. This will not work with PCI cards. Most of us would probably not need a Mac PCIe interface. Professionals with high i/o needs may want to go the MOTU PCIe route with a MOTU 24io, and a MOTU 2408 Mk 3. These are for large multi track systems with digital mixers. The Home studio enthusiast has many other options and they are mainly firewire options. That is what we'll mainly focus on here.
Tweak: This is the back of a Tascam FW1884, and audio interface with plenty of i/o. Click the pic to enlarge.
When comparing features like i/o be sure to check out these comparison charts
Firewire interfaces generally work well with the currentiMacs, MacBook Pros, Mac Minis and the Mac pro. Note that newer Macbooks do not have firewire. USB 2.0 interfaces are valid for those Macbooks and all the others as well. At the bottom of the page you'll find lots of polls, user reviews and discussions from our forums.
Keep in mind there are more audio interfaces that will work with your Mac. This is more of a list of those that should form the basis of your research. I am not including Digidesign interfaces here because they have done extensive compatibility theses on their website. That is where you should research matching your Mac to an appropriate Digidesign or m-audio interface.
When considering any audio interface there are 4 things that create the perfect storm for you.
- 1. excellent functioning drivers for your OS and applications
- 2. excellent sounding converters
- 3. excellent sounding preamps
- 4. sufficient and appropriate i/o for your studio
You can always add on different preamps and converters to nearly any audio interface. Preamps will plug into the line inputs and converters will use s/pdif i/o. But there are two things you cannot change, or fix, with the interface you eventually choose. You can't go in and re-write driver code. The drivers manage the 'traffic' from inputs to software to outputs and are at least partially to blame for latency issues, clicks and pops, and other nasties. Also you cannot change your i/o. If you get a box with 2 analog inputs and outputs, even if you buy a 100 channel mixer you can't change the fact that from the standpoint of the computer you have 2 channels in and 2 out and that will limit how many tracks you can record at one time to two. Its a great plan to get more i/o than you need. You can do this by choosing an interface with an ADAT 'lightpipe' input. This gives you 8 digital inputs into your system. You could add a rack of 8 analog preamps that have ADAT digital out.
The back panel of the MOTU 828mk3. Click the pic to enlarge
You can find audio interfaces for your Mac from $150 to $2,000 on this page. What is the difference? As above, quality of components for the preamps, converters and the number of hardware i/o. There is the research and development cost of making solid drivers, beta testing them among various applications, keeping the drivers updated through software and Operating system revisions. Finally there is the build quality of the box, brand name recognition, status in the professional community and how well the company follows Apple through its changes.
Best Firewire Audio Interface For Mac Windows 10
Low Cost (under $500)
PreSonus FireStudio Mobile FireWire Audio Interface |
Tascam US1641 USB 2.0 Audio/MIDI Interface
Apogee Duet
Also, look at the Mackie Onyx 820i 8-Channel Premium Analog Mixer with FireWire Interface
Mid Cost ($500-$1000)
Motu ultralite Mk3
Motu 8 pre
Motu 828 mk3, Traveler
| Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) 896mk3 Firewire Audio Interface |
Higher Cost ($1000.00 plus)
Tascam FW 1884
Best Firewire Audio Interface For Mac Download
RME Fireface 400
| Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) 2408mk3 Digital Audio Interface |
| Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) 24IO 24-Channel Audio Interface |
Apogee Ensemble
Mackie Onyx 1640i 16-Channel Premium Analog Mixer with FireWire Interface |
Metric Halo
Best Firewire Audio Interface For Mac Os
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Best Firewire Audio Interface For Mac Computers
Cool Links
Best Firewire Audio Interface For Macbook Pro
- Apple Discussions: Presonus Firestudio Project (See for Tascam us1641)
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