Firepod Vs. ONYX 400F

  • Thread starter Thread starter ThaArtist
  • Start date Start date

Which is better?

  • Presonus Firepod

    Votes: 43 55.8%

  • Mackie ONYX 400F

    Votes: 34 44.2%
  • Total voters
    77
T

ThaArtist

New member
Ok I know there has been talk about the new MACKIE ONYX 400F and this might have even already been discussed. Sorry for asking it again if it has... (Maybe should keep threads longer then 8 pages in here?)

Anyway... I'm bout to purchase either a firepod or the ONYX 400F... I'm uncertain which one I want, they both would get the job done... I haven't heard either, just heard about them.

So my question is, which one will get better sound in your opinion? I need it mostly for guitars and vocals (mostly vocals)...

ANYONE!? :confused: :(

:)

Thanks.
 
ThaArtist said:
Ok I know there has been talk about the new MACKIE ONYX 400F and this might have even already been discussed. Sorry for asking it again if it has... (Maybe should keep threads longer then 8 pages in here?)

Anyway... I'm bout to purchase either a firepod or the ONYX 400F... I'm uncertain which one I want, they both would get the job done... I haven't heard either, just heard about them.

So my question is, which one will get better sound in your opinion? I need it mostly for guitars and vocals (mostly vocals)...

ANYONE!? :confused: :(

:)

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I think we have reached a point where the sound quality on all these types of units (in this price range) is going to close enough in comparison, that you might be better off deciding what "features" you need and go from there.

The Onyx pre's have been hyped to death, we all know that. But I'd imagine they are fairly good.

I've got some interest in the 400F but I'm waiting for the reviews to hit and see if things like drivers are working well.

Here's what a Mackie employee said on their forum..

"To me it's all about the driver support. It can be great hardware but if the driver sucks and developement gets "frozen" after the thing ships it's of no use at all."

We agree strongly with this sentiment, and have worked hard to make sure that the Mac and PC drivers work great, as well as undergo continuing development. Here's some details:

-When the unit started shipping, the current driver/control panel was version 1.04 (that's what's on the install CD), which gave us rock solid ASIO and CoreAudio support, from day 1. That's one of the reasons this product was "cough" a little delayed getting to market, we wanted to make sure the drivers were in great shape by the time customer #1 got one.

-Even as the unit started to hit stores, we were hard at work on the 1.05 software, which added GSIF support (for using with gigasampler on PCs), WDM support (so Windows users could use Itunes and other consumer programs when the band takes 5) as well as various useability tweaks to the control panel. All shipping units still have 1.04 on the disc, so anyone who buys one, please visit the 400F product page to download the 1.05 update.

-But wait, there's more! Right now, we are at work on a 1.06 update, which will add the ability for PC users to daisy chain 2 boxes into one big 20x20 ASIO device. Mac users running 10.4 can already do this with Tiger's "aggregate device" function, but we know PC users need love too, so that's where 1.06 comes in. can't say yet when it will be done.

So, I am hoping that these details show you that we try to think of our little 400F as a growing, living product, whose software and firmware can keep maturing and getting better. As more of you own and use the product, don't be shy about chiming in on this BBS about what new features you'd like to see the DSP mixer and control panel have. If it's technically feasible and enough people show they want a feature, we will always do our best to accomodate you guys, our beloved customer
Click to expand...

http://forums.mackie.com/scripts/forum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=27;t=000432
 
OK well it sounds like this thing is not the most stable then possibly? I love the way it looks, I love the way its layed out and the quality it seems to have. It sounds like their drivers are good enough to start working with it though...

I really wanna get the ONYX over the firepod cause i like the way the controls are layed out and the design of the box is... even though thats not the most important... foremost being sound quality and functionality... but still...

i can't decide between the firepod or the onyx400f...

:(

Any more input is apprecaited people :)
 
I can't comment from experience with either, but the Mackie unit just seems to be loaded.

And in general, I would say that I would trust the Mackie engineers to design a good and clean-sounding product with great specs and quality control ... before I would trust the Presonus guys. That's just based on my overall experience with the two company's products in general.
 
Still helpful thoughts... plus I'm thinking they wouldnt have released it without having stable drivers. I think I will be going with the ONYX 400F because it just sounds to me like the better choice...
 
well i'd say the drivers SOUND rock solid as it is. just the new releases add more/different functions (like daisy chaining)...but you aren't gonna buy 2 400f's anyway are you?


if you do a search on this forum, you'll see i've been pondering the same thing for the last 3 months.....and I STILL haven't decided.

the biggest factor at this point now though is $$$$$.
i can get a used firepod for $450.
I can't get a used 400f, so I can get a new one for $700.

onyx's pre's, I think everyone will agree = better than the firepods. how much better, I don't know - I've heard them seldom and wasn't really comparing at the time. haha.

I love that the onyx has 2 headphone outs, and that i can route seperate stuff to them - eliminates my small mixer I have to use now.


as for me, I hope to be getting the 400f by the end of this week...I unloaded my Q10 3 months ago before I left for school again, so I'll need something when I go back, and I'd rather UPGRADE instead of just getting the same as the Q10 but with a company that still exists. plus, a lot of people seemed to like the Q10 pre's better than the firepod anyway...and I definately don't want to DOWNGRADE...esp. by paying more for it!
ha

I guess that's my logic. but i'd LOVE to read a 400F review...i just can't find one.
 
Have not used the 400F, or the Firepod. I have been eyeing the Firepod myself. However, I have used an Onyx board in a live situation. (12 channel, I think) And I was immediately impressed by the pres. The guy who owned it traded in a VLZ for the Onyx, and the difference was immediately apparent to everyone present.
 
hey i found a review, it's a pdf looks like from some magazine, not sure which though. i just googled it and eventually found it! haha. lucky me.

anyway, i can send it to somebody if they wanna aol instant message me: quad5trio
 
yeah i'm stupid i can't remember it. haha. i just looked for it again but still can't find it. i can't remember exactly what i searched for thats the problem....

i downloaded the file and it was called sherri.pdf . searched that, still nothing. sorry! ha
 
Firepod

I used a Delta 1010 for a few years and it worked great but then had a need to record acoustic drums, so i shelled out some cash for the Presonus Firepod and it is badass for the money. Inputs one and two of the FIREPOD can be switched between microphone or instrument level while inputs three thru eight can be switched between microphone or line input. in a nutshell it works for everything i have needed. and it has 2 seperate outputs wich is cool becouse i run a mix to my rec monitors and for band practice i have an additional mix running to the PA. and im getting ready to purchase another Firepod and daisey chain them together. And i am using a firewire card and have had no problems, later.........................KEY
these are trax i have recorded using the Firepod
www.myspace.com/exesion
 
I'm currently using a M-audio 1814, which is setup a lot like the Onyx. I'm selling it to get a Firepod due to the fact that you can control the input level on the Firepod, not on the 1814. I'm not sure how the Onyx handles this, but whatever signal shows up at your line inputs, that's the signal that's recorded. There is no software way to trim the input. If you're using direct outs from a board, this has caused me some problems in the past so I'm looking for ways to control the input level. My plan is to sell my 1814 and my Behringer ADA8000 to get two Firepods for the same amount of tracks, but with input control on each.

What would be great is if they would just add ADAT I/O on the Firepod.
 
I think you might be able to control it with the software that the onyx comes with. If I'm not mistaken its like a built in mixer looking thing where you can control more stuff then the knobs on the front.

Thanks for sharin that though... So I know what I'm looking for "more"... So far I'm getting a great deal on the Onyx it seems... Once the local guy knows if he can get it he said he'd do it for like $540.00... And every online store says about $700.00

Thats so fantastic for me... Cause im the brokest emcee around...
 
jabulani jonny said:
I'm not sure how the Onyx handles this, but whatever signal shows up at your line inputs, that's the signal that's recorded. .
Click to expand...

You can control the Onyx preamps but not the other inputs.
 
Oh I did end up getting the onyx 400f. I'm lovin it so far and don't have any complaints as of yet. Mackies software that comes with it is wack though. I don't care for the way things are set up

I haven't used it a whole lot yet but yea... so far no complaints....
 
Im looking at the 400F. :D

like the way it handles inputs and outputs.

What I like is 4 inserts for channels 1-4

also the way I plan on useing it will be.

channels 1-4 will be for mics

channels 5-8 line in will be hooked to the VLZ1642 subs 1-4 or hooked up to the direct outputs if needed, depending on the setup needed.

this will give me the flexabillity I want.
as my needs grow will get another.

Looked at the 1200F but i think 2 400F's would be more flexable in the end.

My 2 watts
 
I reread my last post and have had a change of heart. I was going to two firepods until last week when I discovered the FireSTUDIO. That's right, this thing, when it's released in the next couple of months, will do everything I need, with pretty good pres and converters, inserts and plenty of input and output options, allowing for trim control before the signal hits the converters. All for about $900, not bad.
 
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