Please help about firewire card

Question

hi i have to buy one audiocard firewire for my PowerBook
I need to buy it soon before i go in holidays !
please council to me :
is better the Presonus Firebox , or the Focusrite Saffire ??
I use logic pro 7.1
is much apreciate help !!
grazie !!!

Answer 1

This is a uk leading magazine editor reply to me,
Hi Ken,
I just reviewed the Saffire unit and it seems very good for the price, particularly the mic preamps, which are based on the Focusrite Green series. If you can't afford RME or one of the other big interfaces, then Saffire seems like a good choice and the included plug-ins are pretty good too other than the guitar amp simulator, which is somewhat rudimentary.
And i've just place my order after reading all this review...
Saffire Reviews
Play - UK Magazine - July 2005
"Combining the I/O control in SaffireControl with the kind of pre-amp quality you'd expect from Focusrite, and the awesome tracking and monitoring plugs that require zero CPU from your computer, means it's true - you really can simulate a professional recording session in the comforts of your own bedroom, and all for under £350. For me, that's not just a giant step, that's the moon and back!"
Read the full review
"The package also offers a flexible software application called 'SaffireControl', which enables you to perform a number of nifty functions."
"One thing I liked a lot was Focusrite's obvious desire to make Saffire appeal both to seasoned pros and newbies alike. When using these plug-ins, you can toggle between user-friendly templates for vocals, guitars, pianos and other instruments, or open up the plug-in and get into more specific tweaks with conventional controls."
"Focusrite have even made this simple with a 'float' button that keeps the control surface open at all times."
"It gets better, as monitor reverb can also be set up to aidthe recording process. Again, this is an adjustable control that allows you to set an amount (dry/wet mix), a room size, the diffusion level and a clever tone control, which filters various. The single dial is capable of producing low-pass, hi-pass and band-pass tone, so finding a useful setting shouldn't be a problem."
"Using this system, and the handy labels on the outputs themselves, Saffire is capable of producing surround mixes in both 5.1 and 7.1. In fact, you could make almost any system you wanted, including direct feeds for stereo monitors and a sub bass unit for example."
"There's a lot to like about this box. It sounds great, does what it's supposed to and yet has plenty of tricks up its sleeve. SaffireControl is focusrite's ace in the pack here, and is designed to appeal to both the novice and the experiences user."
"I suspect Saffire will do very well. Despite looking like a departure from their existing range, Focusrite have actually drawn from their strengths here by combining their M-Box experience with years of proud dynamics processing history, and it's a winning combination."
Build - 8/10
Value for Money - 9/10
Ease of Use - 8/10
Versatility - 9/10
Quality of results - 9/10
"Sounds great and will appeal to complete novices and cynical pros alike."
Jono Buchanan, Future Music, September 2005
“Saffire redefines the use of FireWire interfacing, providing a unique DSP input processing system, software mixing and integral VST/Audio Unit effects. Most importantly, however, despite adding considerably more functionality than the Mbox, the Saffire’s retail price still falls under the £350 mark … it’s a lot of interface for a relatively small outlay.”
“Pleasingly, the unit seems to have been put together with an informed understanding of the demands placed on an audio interface during recording:”
“By having eight outputs, the Saffire is clearly equipped for surround applications; however, by having four separate stereo outs, Saffire also enables you to configure separate headphone and monitor mixes (something impossible to achieve with basic, two-output audio interfaces).”
“SaffireControl, however, takes this idea one stage further by using the software to access Saffire’s DSP chip – thereby opening up the potential of processing a signal as it ‘goes to tape’.”
“The plug-ins themselves soun