M
meltedtelly
New member
Newbies beware!
It's an apt way to begin....I have a question, but read on after the question if you’re new to home recording as I’m sharing my experiences to date and you may find them informative. If you’re a seasoned pro and want to read on, please do and correct me where I’m wrong and help guide others like me through the storm.
I want to ask anyone who has a 2.2 Ghz 15” Macbook Pro, bought in the last 6 months, if they have experienced any compatibility issues with firewire audio interfaces? Or, can you recommend one that you are using with this laptop that works like a dream? I rang apple yesterday and they told me that the firewire chip in my laptop is an Agere revision 8. I want to spend about 200 – 300 euro (let’s say the same in dollars).
That’s the question....now the history:
Just this week, I put a deposit down on a 15” Macbook pro with a 2.2 Ghz processor. I have no regrets as the decision was made after much scouring and reading and taking advice (not always directed at me) from forums, users and such. The MBP will be my DAW (impressed with a wet-behind-the-ears newbie using these abbreviations?? I didn’t think so....)
While deciding on a laptop (about 6 months of reading) I researched the best user rated tried and tested audio interfaces within my budget. I felt that I’d read enough to make a very informed choice and just yesterday had a look at the MOTU ultralite mk 3. It’s a firewire audio interface which is better than a USB one according to user opinions, which are a great resource for a first time buyer. (The mk3 is a little beyond what I can afford unfortunately)
THEN!!! Well, then what? Then I came upon the dreaded phrase....TI chipsets. Of course, this meant nothing to me but I read on as, due to the problem this particular person was experiencing, it seemed important to know as much as I could about firewire chipsets in general. I had previously thought that I could get a firewire audio interface, connect it to my laptop, get some basic software to record tracks and begin covering Bryan Adams songs....No, no. If like me, you know your way around a computer but couldn’t name the first component that someone rips out of a pc’s innards and holds up like a still beating heart, then you’ve lived in ignorant bliss and were not aware that there can be compatibility issues between laptops / pc’s and firewire audio interfaces.
TI chipsets are the tip of the iceberg....made of chips...of the greasy variety. No-one should buy a firewire Audio interface before checking that it is compatible with the firewire chipset in your pc / laptop. I have to put that in bold because I didn’t come across a statement like this in six months of searching and I could have made a big mistake if it weren’t for stumbling upon a thread yesterday (you’re welcome, stumbler!). Search “TI chipsets” on any recording or gear forum and you’ll find out exactly what I have and more. Some very important information is not made plainly obvious by the manufacturers of firewire audio interfaces; they should all have a note as part of the spec detailing what chipsets (the chips that operate the firewire port in your laptop / pc) they are NOT compatible with....but they don’t so people have discovered the hard way...like James Woods. Although it seems rectifying the problem costs only a little more cash (50 euro?) and an extra piece of gear, I was stunned that this compatibility issue could happen at all. Imagine, you buy some lovely shiny wonderful recording gear and after setting it all up correctly nothing happens when you press record and strum your guitar...or else you get pulses of static, crazy beeps etc.
I read that there was a problem with the mac book pro about 2 years ago as it had an Agere revision 6 chipset which had major compatibility issues with firewire audio interfaces. So if you buy a second hand Mac book pro, be aware of this. I’d say try to find out before you buy ANY laptop / pc what firewire chipsets it has. The TI chipsets are apparently the best and if you have them in your machine you can use most firewire audio interfaces with it. But there are no guarantees so if, like me, an issue like this has never occurred to you, I’m giving you a heads up about it and advise you to find out more (and get clearer explanations than I have given) as you may think that you already have all the info you need to buy your equipment. Then you sit down with all your lovely gear to belt out the first notes of “Summer of ‘69” and....nothing. Bryan Adams would spin in his grave....wait.....
It's an apt way to begin....I have a question, but read on after the question if you’re new to home recording as I’m sharing my experiences to date and you may find them informative. If you’re a seasoned pro and want to read on, please do and correct me where I’m wrong and help guide others like me through the storm.
I want to ask anyone who has a 2.2 Ghz 15” Macbook Pro, bought in the last 6 months, if they have experienced any compatibility issues with firewire audio interfaces? Or, can you recommend one that you are using with this laptop that works like a dream? I rang apple yesterday and they told me that the firewire chip in my laptop is an Agere revision 8. I want to spend about 200 – 300 euro (let’s say the same in dollars).
That’s the question....now the history:
Just this week, I put a deposit down on a 15” Macbook pro with a 2.2 Ghz processor. I have no regrets as the decision was made after much scouring and reading and taking advice (not always directed at me) from forums, users and such. The MBP will be my DAW (impressed with a wet-behind-the-ears newbie using these abbreviations?? I didn’t think so....)
While deciding on a laptop (about 6 months of reading) I researched the best user rated tried and tested audio interfaces within my budget. I felt that I’d read enough to make a very informed choice and just yesterday had a look at the MOTU ultralite mk 3. It’s a firewire audio interface which is better than a USB one according to user opinions, which are a great resource for a first time buyer. (The mk3 is a little beyond what I can afford unfortunately)
THEN!!! Well, then what? Then I came upon the dreaded phrase....TI chipsets. Of course, this meant nothing to me but I read on as, due to the problem this particular person was experiencing, it seemed important to know as much as I could about firewire chipsets in general. I had previously thought that I could get a firewire audio interface, connect it to my laptop, get some basic software to record tracks and begin covering Bryan Adams songs....No, no. If like me, you know your way around a computer but couldn’t name the first component that someone rips out of a pc’s innards and holds up like a still beating heart, then you’ve lived in ignorant bliss and were not aware that there can be compatibility issues between laptops / pc’s and firewire audio interfaces.
TI chipsets are the tip of the iceberg....made of chips...of the greasy variety. No-one should buy a firewire Audio interface before checking that it is compatible with the firewire chipset in your pc / laptop. I have to put that in bold because I didn’t come across a statement like this in six months of searching and I could have made a big mistake if it weren’t for stumbling upon a thread yesterday (you’re welcome, stumbler!). Search “TI chipsets” on any recording or gear forum and you’ll find out exactly what I have and more. Some very important information is not made plainly obvious by the manufacturers of firewire audio interfaces; they should all have a note as part of the spec detailing what chipsets (the chips that operate the firewire port in your laptop / pc) they are NOT compatible with....but they don’t so people have discovered the hard way...like James Woods. Although it seems rectifying the problem costs only a little more cash (50 euro?) and an extra piece of gear, I was stunned that this compatibility issue could happen at all. Imagine, you buy some lovely shiny wonderful recording gear and after setting it all up correctly nothing happens when you press record and strum your guitar...or else you get pulses of static, crazy beeps etc.
I read that there was a problem with the mac book pro about 2 years ago as it had an Agere revision 6 chipset which had major compatibility issues with firewire audio interfaces. So if you buy a second hand Mac book pro, be aware of this. I’d say try to find out before you buy ANY laptop / pc what firewire chipsets it has. The TI chipsets are apparently the best and if you have them in your machine you can use most firewire audio interfaces with it. But there are no guarantees so if, like me, an issue like this has never occurred to you, I’m giving you a heads up about it and advise you to find out more (and get clearer explanations than I have given) as you may think that you already have all the info you need to buy your equipment. Then you sit down with all your lovely gear to belt out the first notes of “Summer of ‘69” and....nothing. Bryan Adams would spin in his grave....wait.....