Is anyone out there using the FirePod yet? I have a friend looking to buy a PowerBook (finally taking my advice) and I'm curious to know about anyone's good or bad experiences. I hear OS 10.3.5 has the drivers already installed...I love Apple.
I am trying to use it but not much luck yet. I think my problem is trying to learn Logic. I have it set up as the audio drive and that works great, I am just not getting any levels on the interface when I connect a mic or guitar to it. But like I said, I'm still trying to figure it out.
From what I read, the Firebox is 'class compliant' which means that it needs no drivers under Mac OS X... I don't have one but been looking recently and read this review on AudioMidi only yesterday:
http://nav.440network.com/out.php?mmsc=forums&url=http://www.audiomidi.com/aboutus/reviews/edge_firebox.cfm
Sound on Sound just reviewed it this month too, their comments:
Very compact, excellent feature set for the price, brilliant zero-latency monitoring via software...
Just my 0.02c worth...
I have one and am very satisfied, very straightforward, no problems yet, did flawless 8 tracks record in dp4.5, with iBook 1.2, only drawback is the need for manual syncing after sleep....
Im also looking at the FirePod as a prospective purchase. Its different to the firebox..no? the firebox is smaller?
I am using the Firebox and have been happy with it so far. Im using it with the cubase l.e. that was packaged with it. The pre amps sound nice and warm to my novice ears and it was very easy to set up since, as someone stated earlier, there were no driver issues since the firebox uses the native audio drivers that were made by apple. I was thinking of upgrading from 10.3.8 to 10.4.2 but found that cubase l.e.'s installer (the one that is provided by presonus in the bundle on earlier purchases) wouldn't work on clean install of tiger so i called Presonus and a week later recieved an updated cubase l.e. disc. Anyyway, if the firepod sounds anything like the firebox then i am sure you will be pleased but then again i use it for very basic things like recording guitars from my podxt pro and i have never used any other interfaces other than the mkii that we have down at the space. good luck with your purchase.
pandas
Been using a Firepod with GarageBand since Apri, '05. Very satisfied with it. Clean, crisp recordings with a lot of depth.
One issue, if anybody out there has advice I'd appreciate it: When recording with the Firepod apparently your instrument is heard realtime along with the previously recorded playback, so that there are no latency issues. However, the same knob that controls your instrument volume also controls the intensity of your instrument signal into the computer, and if you dial back your instrument's volume it dials back the 'saturation' level of the recording.
Are there any ways around this, to keep 'saturation' optimum, while lowering instantaneous volume level on your instrument? Garageband's track volume slider seems to work only on playback, not while recording.
A question for the firebox users: an add stated two mic-pre's and two line ins located on back. Does this mean 4-track simultanious or only two?
Re: Firepod
Thanks, Edge.
I agree the lack of control over current instrument volume relative to pre-recorded tracks is a serious omission. When trying to lay down an intense guitar riff, planned to have burning in the background, i find myself backing off so that i can hear and respond to the rhythm section. So far I've been able to work around it, but it's a pain.
Another thing I notice is that sometimes the tone and amount of effects on the guitar is different in playback than while recording. Specifically, the playback is much more treble-y.
The quality of Firepod recordings is so good other than that, it's a shame they haven't come up with a patch and/or a solution.
Okay,
I had missed this before, and still might not be using it correctly, but the 'Mix' knob on the bottom right seems to control the level of playback relative to current instrument.
In GarageBand the volume slider in the enabled track seems to control the volume post-computer, thereby controlling the amount of computer-added effect one hears on the current instrument.
I had previously not understood what this 'Mix' knob did. Anyone else have any experience with this?
I use the firepod (2 actually) in my studio. Works GREAT with cubase SL and is very user friendly. SOMEONE TELL ME HOW TO USE IT WITH GARAGEBAND, PLEASE! And you have plenty of contol of the instrument if you properly use the sofware. Or, if you really want, a good mixer works quite nicely.
Never mind. I got it now. It finally wsorked on the third time.
I love the firepod with GB2. haven't had a single problem.
when i record on GB2, I make sure the faders are all the way to zero. i then check that my levels are not peaking, adjusting the GAIN knobs on the Firepod.
When I record, I keep the MAIN LEVEL knob on the firepod at zero. I keep my MIXER knob pointed at 12 o'clock.
I hit record on GB2. When i play back, i simply turn my firepod volume up, then turn the GB2 faders up. everything runs great!
i don't know if this helps, bluesskybluesguy, but i think you may be confusing "volume" with "gain." I havent run into the issue your discussing. when you lower the gain knob, you definitely lower the input intensity of the instrument into the computer. but that should not affect the volume from any faders or main levels knobs you have.
With that said - i have what may be a stupid question. GB2 shows 10 channels. i know what the first 8 are for - mics/instruments. what do channels 9 and 10 correspond to on the Firepod?
also - does anyone run a MIDI device through the Firepod? if so, how is that working out for you?
thanks.
-G.
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