Upgrade from Firebox as digi in

[Monkey Allen]

Just looking for a few starter tips...I've used the Presonus Firebox for ages...initially as preamp and interface but now hooked to ART mpa Gold...the Firebox just acts like the digital in to my PC. Anyway...it's headphone line is super loud and I am just thinking about alternatives to the Firebox. I no longer use it's preamps.

So I'm just looking for tips...any recommendations for a digital in? I will use the ART...but I would like to upgrade to something else other than the Firebox to use as the digital in/ converter.

I'm not sure if it's pointless to look for some kind of card that has preamps...I suppose it is as the ART is handling the preamp duties.

Anyway...any suggestions, thanks.

 

[Gizzmo0815]

Just looking for a few starter tips...I've used the Presonus Firebox for ages...initially as preamp and interface but now hooked to ART mpa Gold...the Firebox just acts like the digital in to my PC. Anyway...it's headphone line is super loud and I am just thinking about alternatives to the Firebox. I no longer use it's preamps.

So I'm just looking for tips...any recommendations for a digital in? I will use the ART...but I would like to upgrade to something else other than the Firebox to use as the digital in/ converter.

I'm not sure if it's pointless to look for some kind of card that has preamps...I suppose it is as the ART is handling the preamp duties.

Anyway...any suggestions, thanks.

Without knowning how much you're looking to spend I could recommend the Firestudio Mobile. It wouldn't be a huge upgrade, but it's a nice replacement for the Firebox with a lot more flexibility.

I had the Firebox also, I had been using it for a while. Great starter interface, but it's only got the two line inputs as I'm sure you're aware. The Firestudio Mobile has 10 inputs total (6 line, 2 preamps, and 2 SPDIF), so it's a lot more flexible.

The preamps on it are the same as their Firestudio line (XMAX) so they're really quite good. About 70db of gain and clean enough to run my SM57 (notorious for needing pretty clean preamps) with very little noise. The preamps are very useful as DIs for guitar and bass if that's your thing also. Plenty of room there.

Bought it for 299. It's like an updated, sleeker, more flexible version of the Firebox.

 

[Monkey Allen]

Thanks for the tips...I'm still not sure what I really need. I don't record drums or anything that needs multiple inputs. I basically record one instrument at a time...guitar, vocals...the rest at this stage is midi...midi bass, midi drums, midi piano.

I have the ART mpa Gold which has 2 pre channels. I will probably get another preamp of some description soon. I just don't think I really need an interface that is an all in one like the Firestudio Mobile...I suppose I need something to act as the link between my preamps and my PC...so that's a converter. But I don't know if spending money purely on a converter is a waste of time in a home studio/ hobby studio kind of set up.

If I get a combo interface such as the Firestudio...then maybe that's a more logical idea...I would get decent adda plus the extra ins and outs it may have.

I'm just reading about that Firestudio at gearslutz now. My 1st reaction is that anything like that...with so many features in such a small unit...well there must be compromises somewhere in what it offers/ is capable of.

Do you know anything about the attenuation of its knobs? How about the headphone line? Is it outrageously loud like the Firebox?

 

[Gizzmo0815]

Firestudio

Monkey Allen,

Sounds like we pretty much do the same thing.

When I was looking to upgrade I looked at the Firestudio Tube and the Firestudio Mobile. The tube has 10 preamps, which is just way too many for me since I pretty much do the same as you. However, It's not out of the realm of possibility that sometime in the future I might want to record several inputs at once, so I wanted something with a lot of line ins. I'm looking at buying the same Art Preamp that you have (next model up Art MPA Pro II) as well as the Really Nice Preamp. Both are dual channel, so with the firebox there's no way I could have them both plugged in at the same time. But the Firestudio Mobile has the 6 inputs, so I can do that, and keep two more lines open if I need them. With the two preamps on the front that's 6 preamp channels. Not bad from such a small unit!

I compared the preamps that are on the unit with the ones on the Firebox as well. The difference is quite noticeable. They're very usable for a home studio. And for electric guitar/bass they're more than loud enough.

The headphone amp is also not nearly as deafeningly loud as the one on the Firebox. On the Firebox I would only turn the headphone volume up a few clicks. This one I set at about 12 o'clock on the dial (if I did that on the Firebox I would need a hearing aid afterwards).

All in all it's not bad. I look at it this way. I looked around at some of the AD/DA converters and you might actually have some trouble finding one that allows for the amount of inputs you want for your preamps.

Like I said, all in all the FS Mobile isn't a massive step up from the Firebox, so I wouldn't expect miracles. But from what it sounds like you and I work on a lot of the same types of things, and I'm quite happy with it as a minor upgrade to my studio. So take that for what it's worth. There are a few other units out there that do similar things from Focusrite, Motu and the like, so those would be the comparable options you've got.

Hope that helps!!

 

[Monkey Allen]

Yeah that's a good point...because I will also be buying a more decent/ better quality preamp too....so maybe the FS Mobile with it's ins can be useful there.

You're right about the headphone on the Firebox...I read somewhere they compensated to try to fool people into thinking it had more gain than it actually does....by having a headphone out that blew you across the room.

I'd say that I'm probably a bit too concerned with adda/ conversion...depends on what you read...some people say basic units/ interfaces have decent enough conversion...others poo hoo that...anyway for a hobby recorder like me it's probably not a big deal.

thanks