Bus-powered FIREWIRE audio adapter?

[Sesshi]

Is there one? I haven't tried looking very hard but I was wondering.

 

[Peterkro]

If it's a 5.1 output device Firewave, I only know because of another thread today,can't be arsed searching sorry.🙂

 

[orangezorki]

Hi Sesshi,

Is the M-Audio Firewire Audiophile bus powered?

David

 

[ozontheroad]

Is there one? I haven't tried looking very hard but I was wondering.

here's the link to the device mentioned by Peterkro

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/firewave/

is this what you are after ?

 

[Sesshi]

Ah right, didn't know the Firewave was bus-powered. And so can the M-Audio. That makes it easy I guess. Thanks 😀
I'm not convinced the Firewave is much better than the new-gen MB/MBP/MPs built-in sound (apart from the fact it gives analog 5.1) but I'll have to give it a try as wellas the M-Audio. If anyone can think of a higher-end one that'll be great too. Thanks

 

[emotion]

There's quite a few:

Presonus Inspire
Presonus Firebox
Edirol fa66
Echo Audiofire2 or 4 (I'm about to buy a Audiofire2)
MOTU Ultralite


There's more, depends on how much you want to spend.

M-Audio's drivers tend to be a little hit and miss on OSX btw.

 

[Sesshi]

Heh. A couple of those I should have figured out. I thought the FA66 was AC powered. I've even used it a couple of times... but on a Sony of course, which doesn't have a 'proper' Firewire socket.
I know it's hard to know without actually having one but is performance affected at all? Battery drain level on laptop?

 

[emotion]

I know it's hard to know without actually having one but is performance affected at all? Battery drain level on laptop?

All of them will put some drain on battery life and in my experience all external audio devices have some CPU overhead.

 

[Sesshi]

At the risk of sounding disingenuous... well duh 😛

I was wondering what level of extra load it might place.

 

[emotion]

At the risk of sounding disingenuous... well duh 😛

I was wondering what level of extra load it might place.

Go and try them, depends what you're doing. It's the only way you'll find out.

 

[Sesshi]

Yup, I will. Coincidentally earlier today I got an email from a shop I use often telling me they're now open longer on weekends and I need a pair of monitors as well as the bus powered SC. I'm going to pay them a visit. Not the best monitor-checking out environment but it's better than nothing.