Firebox vs Firestudio Mobile? (help please)

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Chordorganblues

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Hello, I'm just starting to transition from using a Boss digital recording studio to a more direct to PC approach. I'm pretty unknowledgeable and was hoping you good folks could help me out.

I'm looking at a couple firewire interfaces: The Firestudio Mobile and the Firebox

Those links bring you to PreSonus' product info pages. I've looked them over and as far as my puny unlearned mind can gather the differences between them are not crystal clear. There seems to be more touting of the pre-amps and "True" phantom power for the Firestudio (I'm looking to get an inexpensive large condenser mic). That sounds very nice and all, but is it any sort of real advantage over the Firebox? I am sure I am missing some other important bit aside from this.

So ultimately my question is, in your opinion,what makes the Firestudio worth or not worth the extra money vs. the Firebox?

Thank you so much and excuse my ignorance, I am working to amend it.
 
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The studio has 8 channels of digital to analog conversion for mixing on an analog mixer. Why do this? You may want to use outboard effects on a single channel. Also people like mixing with real knobs and faders.
 
Thanks for the info. That's probably not something I would need at this point so I guess that's a check in the Firebox's column.

Does anyone have any insight into the difference between the preamps or DACs on these things?
 
I imagine they are the same on both units. I think Greg_L uses one of these units. He has some audio posted in the MP3 Clinic. I would check it out.
 
I have a firebox, and the pre's seem pretty transparent to me. I have yet to post any samples on the 'net, though. Sorry to be of little help.

YMMV, IMHO, etc., etc., but I don't see the Firestudio mobile being worth the extra cash. I totally love all the options with my firebox. If the pres bother you that much, there's 2 line inputs and spdif that you can connect outboard pres to.
 
People had been complaining about the preamps in the Firebox not being powerful enough if you are using dynamic microphones and lots of people were resorting to using additional external preamps to get enough gain without too much noise. The preamps on the firestudio are improved.

If you are running Windows 7, the firestudio has a driver for it but the firebox does not.

In any case the Studio had more inputs and is the newer product so you could probably expect more support with it. The Firebox, incidentally, is being discontinued and replaced by the FS mobile.
 
I've been using the Firebox for a year now. I think it's decent value for the money you spend on it, but I can definitely confirm what has been said about the preamps. They do not have enough gain to push a dynamic mic unless you turn the gain dial up past 3 o'clock, at which point you get a very crappy sounding hiss.

In saying this, I'm mostly referring to recording "quieter" sources such as vocals or acoustic guitar. You shouldn't have any trouble sticking a 57 in front of a loud guitar amp (for example) and staying in the low-noise zone.
 
The bonus with the Firestudio Mobile is that the line inputs are actual line inputs an not just an attenuated feed to the preamps. The sound quality is clean. Preamps are fairly transparent but I bought mine for the line inputs. It's noticeably better than my MBox 2 as far as clarity is concerned. Not that the Mbox is bad but any use of external preamps induces a high pitched whine that is intolerable.
 
"People had been complaining about the preamps in the Firebox not being powerful enough if you are using dynamic microphones and lots of people were resorting to using additional external preamps to get enough gain without too much noise. The preamps on the firestudio are improved."


idk if they were improved as I only use the firebox but they are weak I use an AT 4040 and have to turn the gain allll the way up. hoo rah
 
Ldashpdx said:
idk if they were improved as I only use the firebox but they are weak I use an AT 4040 and have to turn the gain allll the way up. hoo rah
Click to expand...

That's with the phantom power on? I find it hard to believe that the preamps are so poor that you have to have the gain all the way up with a condenser mic. What kind of levels are you expecting? An average peak of -12 dB is quite acceptable. I've never had that problem with any condenser. Even with a dynamic, I get decent levels on the Firestudio Mobile and my Mbox.
 
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