MultiMix Firewire 8

[flat1ine]

I posted this question before in the General Equipment forum, I just figured I'd ask here as well.

Has anyone used an Alesis FireWire mixer?

I'm very curious to know if the Firewire connection would be able to send each channel individually. For example, if i wanted to run channel 1 on the mixer to channel 1 in Audition, and simultaniously record channel three on the mixer to channel 3 in Audition, could this unit handle it?

I'm assuming it can't due to it's price and the fact that the specs don't specifically mention it, but then again, the specs are vague and information's scarce.

Most likely, the Firewire connection lumps all the channels together, but it'd be badass if that wasn't the case.

Anything anyone knows will be very much appreciated - my Yamaha M508's starting to show it's age.

Thanks.

[Carvin man]

I dont think the firewire mixer is out yet. According to the Alesis folks it's do out in July. The Alesis Multimix USB16/12/8 are out but they will only record to one channel. You can not multi track with this unit.

[flat1ine]

i just called alesis, spoke with an excellent fellow named dan, and was very impressed at the friendly, informed and pleasent manner in which he treated me. and i'm not even a customer.

on to the good stuff.

i spoke with dan at some length about the potential of the Multimix Firewire mixers, the 8 track model in particular. he told me that the firewire series will be able to send each channel on the mixer to a separate track in a multitrack recording program - audition or cool edit for example.

basically, the firewire series will do what much higher priced units [firebox, firepod, maudio products come to mind] can do, with more flexibility, and cheaper.

apparently the Dice II chip that handles the firewire interface is produced by a company that alesis owns - which should allow for tight quality control, perfect integration, and technology specifically tailored to the demands of this mixer - and all at a price point that makes the rest of the industry look rediculous.

sounds good to me.
i'm going to have trouble waiting until july.

[Pughbert]

this sounds like a usefull little unit, would fit my needs very nicley - anyone got the prices, i couldnt find them. And did you ask about using it as a control interface - as in mix on the multi mix, and have it make the changes on the software. Cheers...

[flat1ine]

from what i can tell, the 8 track will sell for around $250 - considerable lower than anything else i've been looking at - the firebox [2 xlr ins] sells for around $400, and M-Audio's just about the same.

as far as it being a control surface, i have absolutely no idea. although, given the fact that the dice II chip seems to be handling everything else, maybe they'll lump EQ and other functions in there as well.

there's nothing cooler that moving sliders and knobs and having your software respond.

cheers.

[diogo]

i really wonder about the pres in these things..
if they were at least as good as a dmp3 i think idd get one...

[diogo]

bump...

any news yet? anyone own one yet?
release date update?

anything....

[johnsuitcase]

I spoke to Alesis today, looks like mid-August for ship date.

Also, the tracks go to the firewire interface post-fader, post-eq. I'm looking at this as a replacement for my Motu 828 and Behringer ADA8000, with the bonus of being able to do a decent headphone mix via the Aux outs.

Has anyone used any of the other Alesis mixers? Are the Pre's comparable to Soundcraft M series, or Allen & Heath? I'm guessing there's some difference, but I've read a few things where they've compared favorably to Mackie's.

[SMX_Dizzy]

Originally Posted by flat1ine

from what i can tell, the 8 track will sell for around $250 - considerable lower than anything else i've been looking at - the firebox [2 xlr ins] sells for around $400, and M-Audio's just about the same.

unfortunately, i just went to the Alesis site and found the press release info. They said it'd retail for $599, so it's kinda out of my range now. How much do you think i could pick it up on ebay for?

[SMX_Dizzy]

NEVERMIND!!!!!! Zzounds has it for around $250, so you were right! I'm pickin that baby up!!!

[flat1ine]

yeah, zzounds and sweetwater both have it for $250 ... i'd REALLY like to hear a little more about it before i buy - a hands-on review from sweetwater would be nice, even user reviews would be nice, but i'm waiting on this one with fingers crossed ...

[YeshuasFan]

I'm not sure how the pres in the Alesis MultiMix series compare to those in Soundcraft, Allen & Heath, or Mackie mixers, but I do know from experience that they are a vast improvement over what Behringer puts in their Eurorack UB series mixers.

[stanjanssen]

Does anybody know about the audio quality you get from the converters in the multimix firewire 8? it's 24bits/44.1 kHz right? Do they sound okay? is there even a lot of difference between converters with the same conversion rate?

Thanks,
Stan.

[stanjanssen]

bumpty bump....really interested in this interface....any experiences you'd want to share?

[stanjanssen]

...SMX_Dizzy? ...anyone?

[flat1ine]

we should have a review from stinkfish pretty soon - the thread's here ...
http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthr...48#post1621948

[stinkfish]

You WOULD be getting a review from me soon. I have the 16 track on order from zzounds. Buuuuuuuuuuut zzounds now says they will not receive any of these boards until the end of september. So a review probably wont be available from me until the middle of october. I just spoke to zzounds yesterday and they said they would be getting twelve and instead got none. Oh well. I will post my reviw as soon as I can though. Looks like a great unit. I chose it because the only other board with firewire was almost twice as much $$$$.

[flat1ine]

this is pretty sketchy ... some sites say they're not released yet, some don't have them in stock, some DO have them in stock, but they're charging an assload ...

i'm getting pissed ... i was inches away from ordering the 8 like, 10 times today ...

[stinkfish]

Its new man.There could be all kinds of stuff holding things up. I was mad yestreday but Im better now i guess. Just have to wait. Maybe they gave a bogus release date so more people would pre-order. Who knows. Im pretty sure thats why weve seen them for so cheap. They probably havent built any yet!!!

[flat1ine]

very well could be it ... it's also kind of weird the the 'picture' everyone's got of the unit is just a photoshopped 3d render .... [i'm a graphic designer when i'm not here - i know fake when i see it]. i think sweetwater says they have them in stock?