Presonus Firebox Reviews?, Anyone actually use this yet? Options

[ArchivalAudio]

wondering if anyone has actually used the new PreSonus FireBox? Its been available in Europe for a month now... and just became available here in the US. I am wondering if any has tried this unit out... I am strongly considering gettting one. I would like to hear any reviews of this new interface.

any opinions?
power consumption in the feild? etc.

thanx
-- Ian

[ArchivalAudio]

arvidtp
thanx for you indepth info...always good posts!
as far as the battery thing....
SLA (sealedLead Acid) batteries are the way to go to power field units!
they are heavy= read FULLOF LEAD!
NO Memory!and can be charge at any point in the discharge process...
Precations?
well an inline fuse is always a good idea,
but if youlookat the back of the Firebox its states: "12 to 24 VDC (Volts Direct Current) or115 VAC (Volts Alternating Current) 10watts... the wall wart adaptor supplies 16 voltsAC ? go figure?
but anyway I have a POWERSONIC PS-1230 which is a 12Volt 3.4 Amphour Battery and a PowerSonic 12volt -300MA "float"charger model# PSC-12300A
the float is useful so as to not overcharge the battery, and when full voltage is reached it "floats"the charge there, not adding any extra voltage.
Power Sonic Batteries have a good reputation in the SLA catogory this is the batteries that Eco-Charge uses. Panasonic make good SLA batteries too,(i have a couple of these 6V SLA's leftover from my ol Sont D-7 DAT) but Powersonics chargers are very good too and reasonably priced.
I think I got mine both from Portable Power systems...
for my ol denecke 20bit AD20 and dual Phanton PS-2 a fewyear back....

using the SLA to power the firebox in the field help increase battery life in your laptop,as it is the same as plugging in the wall Wart that came with the unit...it is now NOT being powered via the 6-pin firewire but by the "external" power supply ...
I have not tested the Firebox with this SLA set up for duration, before degradation, but I do know
that using ths battery for the Denecke AD-20and the PS-2 Phantomsupply I caould get over 23 hour of operation Power my RODE NT5's (that appaerntly draw more current than most 48v phantom powwered mics!) before the battery dropped below normal operating voltage, which for the dencke PS-2 was like 8 volts.... I think?
the fire box is sure to be more of a power hog,but this way you can save the battery of you Power/ ibook
..

does that help?

I hope
thanx
-- Ian

This post has been edited by ArchivalAudio: Thu 16 Jun 2005, 07:24