My Pro 40 went and died and I need some guidance here!

Level Anything

Level Anything

Member
I'm in a tough spot here guys.

Yesterday, I unplugged everything from my Pro 40 and after I plugged it back in the FW Active light wouldn't come on so it obviously wasn't even showing up in my computer (Mac Book air. I'm going from the firewire out of the Pro 40 into a Thunderbolt adapter into the Mac.) I read online and contacted live support and what happened most likely is that I plugged the firewire into the Pro 40 upside down. I'm still pissed off that the plug will fit either way, and was assuming that it only fit one way like a USB plug but I was evidently wrong and the support guy said I probably fried some chip that's inside it.

So here's the rub. I bought this used last April for almost $280. If I send it in to be fixed it'll most likely cost me $150-ish w/ the shipping so I'm thinking of just buying another interface.

I'm wondering what you guys would recommend that's not over $450. I see some refurbished Pro 40's for $300, but now I'm apprehensive about using one because of what happened here. Is there another 8 in/out interface that you guys would bless? This comes at a really bad time for me financially and I'm going to have to put the majority of this purchase on a credit card but I don't want to have to buy another one of these. I've done the research but none of the ones I've seen seem worth it (Presonus) because there is newer stuff that seems better. It's like either you buy one for $475, or another one for $1200. There's gotta be something else right?

Also, if anyone here has had experience with the issue I described above then do tell.

I take online music production courses, and also am recording an album right now so this really messed me up. Thanks in advance to anyone who can point me in the right direction.
 
Level Anything said:
and what happened most likely is that I plugged the firewire into the Pro 40 upside down. I'm still pissed off that the plug will fit either way, and was assuming that it only fit one way like a USB plug but I was evidently wrong
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Well I don't know. You may have done, but the firewire port on the Pro40 is designed so that you can only plug a firewire cable in one way. You might have been able to force it, but I reckon you would have notice the difficulty in plugging it in.

Does power still get to the Pro40? You should get some indication that it's going even if FW is not connected.

Have you checked the thunderbolt adapter?
 
You might like to consider the new Tascam US-20-20? (see current SoS)

It does not at present work on USB 3.0 on a mac but I am sure that will be solved very soon. In any case the USB 2.0 performance is very good.

Dave.
 
Well, the firewire will only fit in there right one way, but it will fit the other way too (just not as snug). I wasn't looking at it head on when I went to plug it back in and kind of just put it in without knowing it was upside down. Like I said, it doesn't fit as well, but it does fit. I've only had USB interfaces before that so I did it w/out even thinking, just like w/ a USB port when you try to plug it in and it's upside down and you curse and turn it over. So I fucked this thing up myself which is even worse cuz now I'm mad at myself, but you'd think it wouldn't be so easy to fry whatever chip the support guy was talking about. That's the reason I'm weary of buying another Focusrite. This is the second one I've had that has broken. The first 2i2 just stopped sending signal one day.

Anyways, I checked out the M-Audio Pro Fire 2626 and a couple other ones. I need an 8 in 8 out because I do a lot of 8-track reel to reel recording and then dump it all to Pro Tools for mixing/editing. I'll check out that Tascam, but I do need something this week.

Thanks guys.
 
Don't blame Focusrite! You should be more careful where/how you plug things in.

My Focusrite interface is connected by Firewire and it would take major strength to plug it in upside down. Also, it's been running perfectly since 2007.

I'd be more inclined to be wary of buying second hand - you don't know what the previous user has done to it or why he's selling it!!
 
Jonesey9 said:
Don't blame Focusrite! You should be more careful where/how you plug things in.

My Focusrite interface is connected by Firewire and it would take major strength to plug it in upside down. Also, it's been running perfectly since 2007.

I'd be more inclined to be wary of buying second hand - you don't know what the previous user has done to it or why he's selling it!!
Click to expand...

You do have a point but the fact that you CAN get a FW plug in the wrong way is still inexcusable.
I defy anyone to do that with a USB connector (well, maybe if you first broke out the "tongue" in the socket, never seen it done mind) Even so the downstream EQUIPMENT should have polarity protection and the FW power source S/C protection*

The vast majority of connectors are foolproof. You simply cannot get an XLR, DIN, RJ45, 13amp plug in the wrong way.

*Current post on another forum. Guy's PC would not start, no power. Turned out to be a short, trapped wire on the front panel USB bank. Once cleared the PC booted fine and no other damage caused...Now THAT's what I call good design!

Dave.
 
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