REALLY need help with Saffire,getting screwed :(

R

Ricky Denim

New member
Hi guys. I posted a little while ago about getting a Focusrite Saffire. My girlfriend bought it for me on ebay. THe seller had good rep and it was a good deal.
Upon receiving the Saffire, everything worked correctly except the phantom power. It did nothing. I use a Studio Projects B1 and it just wouldnt power it.THe mic still works fine in my 4 track mixer.
So i sent the Saffire back and they replaced it.
Loaded it up and SAME thing. THinking it could be my PC or FIrewire card, I took it to a mates house and connected to laptop with firewire 6pin built in.
Same thing.

We got a multimeter and tested the phantom power and it was outputting nothing. Hence why it wasnt working.

I've contacted the seller and they say that i've blown the preamps using my mic and they wont give me a refund. Ive also asked for an invoice so i could take to authorised repairer but they wont reply to that.

WHat should i do? Please help
 
Yeah it does. Line in inputs work as does playback from PC. Its just the phantom power.
THe seller claims my mic could have been 56-58v and blown the preamp or something. I called Saffire autho dealer here and they said that bull. Said it would just short mic if anything.

Trouble is, I have no official warranty so autho dealer wont fix or help even if i pay,and seller blaming me for issue.
 
Sorry to be dense lol but schematic? Do u mean layout of electronics?
On the manual, which is on CD or website it does show the layout.
The dealer said it has 2 resisters or something and that a mic couldnt blow them up. Im no electronic expert but i did nothing but connect it to firewire and press the phantom button. Thats it.
 
You didnt blow it up, unless maybe the mic also allows it to be battery powered and there were batteries in, but even that shouldnt do it...and if the mic is working with another device, then no way is it shorted in a way to pop that card.

If the resistors arent surface mount they should be easy enough to change. You might as well learn this stuff now, having some soldering skills will give you a lot more creative possibilities and save you a lot of money in the long run.

See if your friend with the multimeter can read the schematic well enough to test for power inside the unit between the blocking caps and the xlr. Make sure he knows its DC
 
Thanks for your help :)
One thing i noticed which is very confusing, on the back of the Saffire it has a power adapter hole which says DC above it. THe adapter is used to power it incase u dont have 6pin firewire and only 4.
THe adapter she sent me however shows AC output and is US with converter to aus.
I thought maybe that was it but looking through the manual it states AC 1.5a output so i not sure.
 
do i read you correctly that you plugged an AC transformer into a device wanting a DC supply?

no offense brother, but that aint right.

if they sent the wrong adapter, they are 100% at fault. because regardless of whether you should know the difference or not, they supplied the part as the "correct" one.
if you were responsible for boneheading that one, then you have learned a life lesson to apply to electronics, and cannot hold the seller responsible. AC and DC are not interchangeable, no matter what angus says.

then again, i might have read that incorrectly.

i hope you get it straightend out.
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Maybe this is a place that got a bad shipment from back door charlie in whatever factory in China that builds the things. I'd call Focusrite to see if its a valid serial#.
 
Hi guys, still waiting to hear from the seller :(

As far as power goes its a bit weird. The back on the unit definately states DC in. BUt looking through the manual it states AC 12v 1A which is what the seller provided. So i dont know. Either way though, I tried the Saffire with just the 6pin firewire which should have powered the unit itself. Only tried the power adapter when it still didnt work.

Good call on serial no. Might call them and find out.
Thanks guys
 
Hard2Hear said:
Maybe this is a place that got a bad shipment from back door charlie in whatever factory in China that builds the things. I'd call Focusrite to see if its a valid serial#.
Click to expand...

Possible explanation. He might have just gotten a bad batch and sold it cheap. Was it a lot cheaper then new? I guess you might have to ask your gf.
 
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