Presonus Firebox Firewire Power Problem

I just received my new MacBook Pro 15", and my Firewire bus powered Firebox won't power up without the external power adapter (which is sort of a drag). Once it's powered up, I can unplug the adapter and it keeps working.
The PreSonus website does reference this problem for some MacBook Pros, saying it's some sort of a power limiting feature on these computers. When I called PreSonus, they told me they were certian the problem was only for 17" models.
Does anyone else have this problem, or have any ideas about what I can do? Thanks.

Try this goto the manufactures website and update to v 2.01 I think I read somewhere they were having problems running through firewire using older updates. See if that update works.
http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file=readme201&newlang=en

Similar Messages

Presonus Firebox Interface technical problems.

Just got the PreSonus FIREBOX 24 BIT 96K unit. Have the firewire hooked into iMac - Garageband 2009.
Can only get the right channel to work on input source stereo setting 1/2. Very quiet - I'm getting a minimal signal on both mic and instrument inputs - all levels on the interface are cranked. I cannot make any other input sources pick up a signal. Not even getting a headphone signal back when plugged in.
What am I doing wrong?

That's the thing the stereo input source is the ONLY source in which I can get any signal and only very quietly. All the others I get nothing at all including Mono.

Problem with Presonus Firebox and Macbook Pro

I own a Presonus Firebox firewire audio inteface, which seems to have a problem with bus power. If I plug in the the firebox using firewire, it is not seen by the OS, and the blue power light flashes faintly. If I then plug in the mains power cord, it works fine. If I then unplug the power cord, it STILL works fine.
This has me beat...if there isn't enough power from the firewire port, how come it manages to stay on after I unplug the mains?
Any help would be greatly appreciated
17" Macbook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.6)

FINALLY someone else has this problem. I was
beginning to feel like the only person in the world!
Thats why I posted as soon as I saw your comments. I was also glad to see I was not alone. I have contacted presonus via email about it. What is the easiest way to contact apple? By phone support? I want to get this problem recognized as high up the ladder as possible, and not have to go the through their usual protocol of trouble shooting that I know wont fix it (i.e. repair permissions, reset pram, ect...).
Also, another thing we should do is post it on presonus's message boards to flag other users with the problem and get this issue into the spotlight so it gets fixed. I thought I saw that presonus has message boards but I could not find them. Please post their link if you know it. MacFix it is another good place that will draw attention to this problem. We should also post there. In addition I am going to email a Mac podcast I listen to about this. I know the host has a 17" MBP. Does this issue effect using external hard drives without AC adapter as well? That way I could have him test this.
Thanks for the work around but I would not even dare attempt that kind of soldering and such do to lack of experience. I'd consider paying you to make me one if you know what your doing and your sure it wont negatively effect anything:)
Paul

I can't use my Presonus Firebox with my new 10.6 OS, the red button is still red

Hi there,
It's my first post with this community, and Im' french, so my english is not so good.
I have upgraded yesterday my old 10.4 OS for 10.6. I am musician, I use Logic Pro 8, and my Presonus Firebox (firewire plug) doesn't work. The red button is still red, not blue.
My computer recognizes the firebox (I have seen this in "about this mac/ + infos/firewire"), and also in Logic, pref/audio, the presonus is seen by the software. But no sound, no signal from my midi keyboard.
It's known that this kind of harware doesn't need drivers... but I don't know what to do. And I have work to do...
Thank you to everyone for giving me answers, or at least, trails.
Thank You
MyBass

I auto reply. In fact, an update of the firmware was needed...

Is there a way to run a 2005 PreSonus Firebox(with the firewire) to a mid-2011 iMac 0SX 10.7.2? It says its no longer supporting Power PC? Anything I can do without spending more money on new equipment or a new computer? Please help me.

Is there a way to run a 2005 PreSonus Firebox(with the firewire) to a mid-2011 iMac 0SX 10.7.2? It says its no longer supporting Power PC? Anything I can do without spending more money on new equipment or a new computer? Please help me.

Nevermind, I got it working.
I ended up extracting the new vob within MPEG Streamclip, which gave me an m2v and an aiff audio. I multiplexed those two back together in FFMpegX which gave me a complete VIDEO_TS folder with BUP and IFO files I needed.

I'm having an intermittent problem with my midi controllers triggering Mainstage 3. I'm using a PreSonus Firebox audio interface. It's been working fine for months, but now when I first turn on the computer in the morning , I'm not able to trigger Ma

I’m having an intermittent problem with my midi controllers triggering Mainstage 3.
I’m using a PreSonus Firebox audio interface.
It’s been working fine for months, but now when I first turn on the computer in the morning , I’m not able to trigger MainStage from the keyboard. I tried different midi controllers, different keyboards, different midi cords, and check midi preferences. The audio interface is working fine and is recogonized, but the midi doesn’twork. I re-started the computer several times and then finally it miraculously starts working again.
I’ve been having to this every day now. Any help or ideas is very much appreciated.

I Had the same problem with a FireStudio. Try unplugging the FireWire plug and the power plug. Wait for a few seconds, then plug both back in. The light on my FireStudio was flashing blue/red which means "not connecting." I did what I just described, and everything works again. Hope it works for you.

HT4167 why won't my firewire port recognise my PreSonus Firebox

Logic on my old macbook has decided to stop recognising my presonus firebox, even after all the latest drivers etc have been added. It just isn't showing up as an input or output option, yet is still lit up by the firewire cable....help!

The Shuffle doesn't offer audio output through USB. It only has the four conductors needed for either USB (charge and sync) *or* headphone audio+controls, and can't do both functions at the same time. You would need a Nano, Classic or Touch (with a lightning port or dock connector) to get that feature.
Or, if your stereo also offers an AUX audio input, you could connect your Shuffle using an audio cable with e "headphone" plug at both ends. Note that this will not charge the iPod at all,

Clipping using Firewire Interface Presonus Firebox

Hello, I'm new to this forum and recently just getting acquainted with using GB 2 and my new Presonus Firebox interface, which I acctually bought from reading the recommendations on this forum. So thanks for the suggestions!
My issue is I'm recording my electric bass and acoustic electric guitar (one at a time) and both instruments are clipping during playback. I can't even hear or monitor my playing during recording.
I've attempted adjusting the levels on both the bass and acoustic guitar AND on the Firebox, from low-mid and high AND also in the System Preferences input volume control. Whether I record with low or mid volumes I 'm clipping.
I'm using inputs in the front, lines 1 & 2 for mic/instrument. I've even tried using the rear inputs 3 & 4 but I don't even get a reading. I must be doing something wrong.
So I wonder if this has anything to do with the kind of cables I'm using for recording. Or my computer's speed and memory. I'm using an iMac G4 from a few years back.
Previously, I was using my old Powerbook G4 for recording, also from a few years back, and I did NOT get any clipping when I recorded my acoustic electric guitar, but I did have to raise the levels on the guitar AND on the Firebox - almost to the max! - to get a decent volume recorded.
Please help! I'm still getting acquainted with all this techy stuff. Thanks in advance
imac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

I can't even hear or monitor my playing during recording.
You should be able to listen to (monitor) the tracks. Double click on the instrument icon on the track and from the monitor pulldown menu select 'on'. Monitoring is off by default.
As far as levels, don't worry about the main level. It can clip in the recording stage. Worry about the individual track levels. You may not be able to get them into the yellow but at least get them as high in the green as possible.
You have a number of gains to play with. My suggestion is to leave the system gain on its default setting. Play with the gains on your guitars (if you have any) and the Presonus. There is usually a track gain and a main gain. Put the main on about 1/2 and then adjust the track gain. If this creates too much background noise do the opposite. Every interface is different so you may need to play with it.
Note that the harder you strum the more volume goes to your mic so in setting up the levels make sure you are strumming as hard as you would in the loudest part of the piece. This will give you your top level.
If you are clipping slightly and occasionally it might be all right. I have had several recording go slightly into the red with no digital clipping. There may be a little wiggle room in Garageband's meters.
The main meter is a different story. All tracks combine together, some frequencies are identical which may boost that frequency more so you end in the red a lot. Most of us use some sort of compression to control this. You want the signal high but don't want it to clip.
The best plugin for beginners is the C3 Multi Band Compressor 1.2. It comes with a mess of presets. The mastering presets are particularly useful for your master track. You can download it here. Follow the directions to install it.
Here is a goofy thing. Garageband defaults to hiding the Master track. This is plain silliness because you need to mess with the Master track to get your final product done. In Garageband press ⌘ +b to see the master track. Double click on the master track and you will see pulldown menus that you can select various plugins. This is where you would use the C3 plugin mentioned above. Plugins used in the master track pulldown menus apply to all tracks.
This is a great page to learn more about garageband basics:
Apple - Support - GarageBand
Kurt

IMac And Firewire Solo - Power Problem

Hi!
I got an iMac and a M-audio Firewire Solo audio interface. I wanted this interface to be powered by the current adaptor and NOT by the iMac.
M-audio says that if I plug it with a 6pin cable the computer will power the interface (not using the adaptor). So Can I avoid iMac to power the interface? I mean by stopping the firewire power or something..
thanks!!!

The easiest way would probably be to put a pair of 6 pin to 4 pin adaptors (of opposite "genders") into the cable run, or to use a 6 pin to 4 pin cable with a single 4 to 6 pin adaptor on the end of it, vivajam. THis should cut the power supply from the Mac to the device.
http://www.granitedigital.com/catalog/pg20_firewiregenderadapters.htm seem to have the sort of thying you would need.
Cheers
Rod

PreSonus FireBox As Simple Preamp or It's Fired!

I have a PreSonus Firebox question. Quick background: I haven't been to this forum since Dr. Hangtime prescribed a remedy for a simple problem back in summer '05. I had never even seen digital recording before then but since GarageBand2 is so **** easy to master I never needed any advice after that. At the time I was sifting through all the digital interfaces and finally asked, "Can I just use my Tascam 8track Portastudio as a preamp?" Hangtime replied "yes" and I've been in Digital Recording Heaven ever since.
The only reason I got the Firebox was because it takes up about 1/20th of the desk space. No sooner do I hook the Firebox up I'm dealing with all sorts of problems from this thing like latency, dropouts, pops, clicks, etc. A quick search online reveals that this unit comes with a bag of excuses. I spent a day following recommendations and trouble shooting but life is too short. If I wanted to spend time troubleshooting instead of recording I could go back to tape. Since I know my machine (G5 PowerPC dual 2.7GHz OSX 10.4.8) and GarageBand are fine I have a question once again: Can I simply use the Firebox as a stand alone pre amp into GarageBand? All I'm looking to do is get the mic and guitar up to line level anyway, the PreSonus mixer software had no EQ for me to tweak like the Tascam. That way I'll just record and monitor in GB2 like I always do. I'm guessing I can yank the firewire, power the Presonus with the AC adapter, plug my guitar or mic into the Firebox and run cable from the units line outputs (or "main outs"??) to the Macs line in? I'd simply fiddle with all this myself but I'm paranoid about damaging the Macs Audio circuitry. (Full disclosure: I grew up in the era when your band's bass player would "modify" your amp with his soldering iron and the next thing you knew the tubes in your head were doubling as a smoke machine so I've learned to be careful.)
Robert

I own the movies and I want them to stay in my iTunes library basically forever.
But in both cases the file name no longer shows in the movie list, so I don't know how to re-download it from the Cloud.
iTunes prefs > Store > Show iTunes in the Cloud purchases.
This will show all your iTunes purchases in your library with a cloud icon down arrow. Click the icon to redownload or click on Play to stream without downloading.
Also see this , -> Download past purchases
and techncially, you don't "own" the movie, You simply have a license to use it.
Yet the first thing iTunes does when you hit the delete key is tell you that it will remove the movie forever from all devices and the library.
Actually, no it does not tell you that.
FYI: You should keep copies of all yoru iTnue spurahses as the labels/movie studios/copyright owners can pull their product at anytime and it won't be available to redownload.
Suggestions here -> http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Presonus Firebox and LE7

Hi, What are you experiences with using the Presonus Firebox with LE7?
My frequently stops playing audio, and I have to unplug the firewire cable & plug it back in to get it working again. The same goes for midi functions, occasionally it just infinitely holds the note I was last playing until I unplug it. Any similiar experiences? I power mine with the wall adapter since bus power won't work with this device and my Macbook Pro. I'm starting to wonder if I should get a different device...

I also think the Firebox is great. It was unfortunate when I discovered that, contrary to what the ads led me to believe, the firewire connection from my IMac G5 PowerPC alone wouldn't provide the neccesary juice to power up the Firebox... and so I have to use the wall wart. But given that I don't need a portable setup, it's really no problem at all. I've experienced none of the eractic behavior, etc. that some people have posted about. As far as the build and sonic quality of the FB is concerned, I love it.
2.1 GHz PowerPC IMac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.8) Presonus Firebox interface

Presonus Firebox Audio Interface AND LaCie 1T "Big Disk" hard drive

I just bought a G5 primarily to edit video with FCP 5. But of course I also want good audio and want to upgrade my audio interface for recording music. I've read great things about the Presonus Firebox.
I want to connect the LaCie drive to my Firewire 800 port.
The question is: Can the computer handle the Firebox going into a FW400 port AND the LaCie drive going into the FW800 port? I have read murmurs that this is actually a serious problem.
If the G5 and Tiger can't handle both these at the same time, what do you suggest for a solution?
Thanks!
Paul S.
Power Mac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.3)

I just bought a G5 primarily to edit video with FCP 5. But of course I also want good audio and want to upgrade my audio interface for recording music. I've read great things about the Presonus Firebox.
I want to connect the LaCie drive to my Firewire 800 port.
The question is: Can the computer handle the Firebox going into a FW400 port AND the LaCie drive going into the FW800 port? I have read murmurs that this is actually a serious problem.
If the G5 and Tiger can't handle both these at the same time, what do you suggest for a solution?
Thanks!
Paul S.
Power Mac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Using Presonus Firebox with Garageband

I have a Presonus Firebox and I'd like to use it to record in garageband but I can't seem to get my microphone to pick up in garageband. It's hooked to the front on #1, the computer is hooked to the interface via firewire and my keyboard is connected to the interface as well. My keyboard is showing in garageband but I don't know how to get it on a track as well as my microphone. Someone please help! Thank You!

I don't know if you're experiencing the same problem I've been having using both a MOTU 828 firewire interface and Presonus Firebox. Take a look at the thread "GB and MOTU 828".
If it turns out you are having similar problems it would be great for you to give Presonus a call just to let them know you're having the problem. The more calls they can log the better chance that a fix from Apple will be forthcoming. I'm pretty sure it's not just a Presonus issue since my MOTU box had the same problem.
If you discover a fix I'd love to hear what it is. Unfortunately, at the moment I can't offer any help to you. I'm in the same (or similar) boat.

No Levels in Voice Over Meter with Presonus Firebox Preamp

I've searched a bit through this forum and it seems this has been a problem in the past for several people. Has anyone figured out why the Presonus Firebox Preamp (using a condenser mic with phantom power)will register sound in Garage Band...Soundtrack Pro...etc, but not in Final Cut Pro 5.
Final Cut Pro's VO utility identifies the Presonus Firebox, but no sound comes through at all...even if you try to record...say a few lines...and then play it back...still absolutely silent.
Help!!!
Mr. Pants

Check that the sample rate is set the same everywhere:
Presonus dialog
Audio MiIDI setup
Sequence settings
Audio/Video settings- A/V Devices - Playback Output - Options
and finally, Toolbench Voice Over dialog.

Just Bought a Presonus Firebox

I just bought a Presonus Firebox and since comments from a lot of people here helped me to make that decision I thought I would add my experience to help others who might be trying to make up their minds.
First, I chose it because I wanted a low-cost solution for digital audio that included MIDI and SPDIF. I primarily play all instruments myself, at this point one at a time so 6 ins is more than I usually need. I like the small footprint on the desktop too.
I read mostly positive things about sound quality and I have to say I am impressed with it, amazed in fact at the quality for the price. I find it very clean and balanced across the spectrum that I can hear.
The other big factor was that a number of people told me that Presonus has good technical support. I have to say that in my experience they are great. Outstanding. I had a number of issues that weren't covered in the manual and I got very quick and helpful feedback that was always accurate. In case anyone else runs into them, here they are with the solutions:
At first the unit seemed dead. The front light went blue-red-off and stayed off. Plugging in the adapter got it working fine, and afterwards the unit worked without the adapter just fine (i.e. powered via Firewire).
The manual seems to tell you to right-click on the Firebox Control Panel to set the CPU speed but the right-click does nothing. It turns out that this is only for Windows XP, and the manual is unclear about this. No big deal.
SPDIF wouldn't work. Core Audio should have detected it but didn't. Presonus sent me a modified Hardware Control that allowed me to choose SPDIF and now it works just fine.
I was really impressed with the help I got from tech support. I should add that I made it clear that I had read the entire manual and tried everything I could to make it work before I contacted them, so this may have inclined them to be more responsive. In any case, they were great.
I hope this is helpful to someone.
Chet

I am happy with my FireBox as well. But the only problem I have is "somtimes" when I shut my computer down and restart it later in the day or the next day, my iMac G5 does not recognize the Firebox. I usually find that if I put the computer to "sleep" for a few seconds then wake it up it will recognize the Firebox. However, sometimes I have to restart a few times or sleep a few times for everything to work OK. During this time I do freak out a bit but once it's working it seems pretty stable.
I sometimes wonder if the Firewire cable just dose not make a good connection with the firebox. Its always seemed to site pretty loose in the firebox's firewire connection.
Any thoughts?
Morris

Presonus Firebox Firewire Power Problem

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