Firebox vs 1616M

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ken7
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Ken7

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Does anyone have any direct experience with both of these units?
Which one do you prefer and why?

Features such as:
Sound quality - Is there really a difference at this cost point?
Ease of operation - How fast can you get up and recording?
Customer support

I will be using a Dell 9300 Laptop.

Thanks
 
E-Mu's drivers suck (limited WDM functionality). That is the biggest negative IMO about the 1616.
 
I own the Firebox. I recommend it highly.
 
Has anyone had both?
I'm trying to get a feel how they compare.

Thanks
 
You'll probably be hard pressed to find anyone that has owned BOTH of those pieces of equipment. If not for any other reason, they are both new in the last 6 months or so. I owned a firepod for a while, and it was a rock solid piece of gear.

If you're considering one or the other, just look into what you need. The E-mu pretty obviously has a lot more I/O options than the Firebox (2 extra analog and ADAT as well - 8 more channels there). The deal with the E-mu is it seems that people either get it and it works perfectly, or they have MAJOR issues with the drivers. The Firebox doesn't seem to have these issues. The E-mu's Patchmix software I've heard has a bit of a learning curve to it, but once you get it going correctly, it is supposed to be quite powerful.

Other comparisons: The E-mu can only be used on a laptop, but the Firebox (being firewire) can go either way. The E-mu supposedly (from what I've read anyway) has the better sound. The converters in the "m" series version are supposed to be the same ones in Digidesigns HD Systems.

The way I see it. With the E-mu, you take a chance of having problems, but if it works great, then you might have a piece of gear that is superior to the Firebox. You could buy it from somewhere that has a good return policy, so if you have the monstrosity of driver problems that about half of the 1616 owners are having, then you can simply take it back and get a firebox. Also consider what it is you need to record (ie: how many inputs simultaneously), and that will help your decision as well. Hope there was some helpful information somewhere in all that babbling. Good Luck.
 
cawhite12,

Thank you for this very enlightening post! I appreicate your reply as it has helped me with this research...

Now what if the the Focusrite Saffire is better than both of those? Oh well, we can't get them in the USA yet.
 
No problem, I know how overwhelming it can be to look for gear.

You can also check out www.productionforums.com. They have an unofficial E-mu forum on there, and they discuss the 1616. Bear in mind though, on support forums, you will rarely hear from the people who have success with the product, just the people who need "support". They do have a compatibility list on E-mu's website as well, so you might check that out.

Also consider your budget for EVERYTHING. (Remember mics, cables, monitors, headphones) I'm not sure how much of all that stuff you already have. Like I said before, which interface you get can greatly depend on what you need to record. In the right hands, any interface (well, almost any) can net fantastic results. When you do settle on your gear, take a lot of time to practice micing techniques, placement, etc... You will find that the room, mic technique, and quality of musicians will make a larger impact on your recording than an interface, as will the mics and the pre-amps they go through.

For what it's worth, I use a Dell Inspiron 8600 with a Tascam FW-1804 ($75 rebate right now if you get one). It works fantastic for what I do, and there is lots of room to grow. I was using a Firepod (Big Brother to the Firebox), but went to the Tascam to get better input monitoring and ADAT input. However, the Firepod worked perfectly, so that wasn't the reason for changing. Really I crossgraded rather than upgraded.

Hope this helps as well.
 
Go with the Firebox. The Cardbus standard is a dead man walking. HP is reportedly already shipping laptops with the new standard, and it isn't backwards-compatible.

Bottom line is that your laptop five years from now will probably still be able to be adapted to Firewire even if it doesn't have it built-in. It probably won't be practical to adapt it to Cardbus. Buying new Cardbus gear these days is basically throwing money away.
 
I just ordered the new Saffire and I should have it in about one week.

I figure its worth a try with all the good reviews I have read about it.
 
Ken7 said:
I just ordered the new Saffire and I should have it in about one week.

I figure its worth a try with all the good reviews I have read about it.
Click to expand...

put up a review when you get it :)
 
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