[LAU] Focusrite Saffire line

[sevol]

Pieter Palmers wrote:
> sevol wrote:
>> Hi People,
>>
>> I'm thinking of getting one of the Saffire audio interfaces from 
>> Focusrite.  Anyone on the list using these units & happy with the 
>> results? This, a little off-topic & subjective: happy with the pres & 
>> conversion?
>>
>> The SaffireLE,
>>
>> http://www.focusrite.com/products/saffire/saffire_le/
>>
>> , is the one I'm eyeing. As far as I can tell it's very similar to the 
>> Saffire,
>>
>>   http://www.focusrite.com/products/saffire/saffire/
>>
>> , only with 6 in/8 out compared to 4 in/10 out, & minus the 
>> hardwar-powered plug-ins. I like having 2 more ins, & wont miss 2 less 
>> outs. & I imagined the plug-ins, ahreware-powered or software woulkd 
>> be useless under Linux. But the recent thread on the M-Audio Profire 
>> 2626 leads me to believe, maybe the times are changing.
> I personally think times are changing, but change is slow...
> 
>>
>> I'm curious whether the DSP plugins might work in linux with FFADO. 
>> Actually, true functionality of any of these models seem to require 
>> software to adjust settings, so, what limitations are people noticing 
>> right now running these in Linux? & will the pending beta release of 
>> FFADO address the Saffire plug-in Suite hardware-powered use & 
>> whatever other issues there are, if there are? Or is this a Wine 
>> solution?
> As things stand now, there are no plans to support the saffire's 
> internal plugins. And if I do support for any (hardware or software) 
> plugins related to these devices, I'll do whatever I can to make them 
> native instead of WINE.

I'm not really disappointed - hadn't given the DSP stuff much chance of 
use atm. If/When the time comes, native has got to be better.

Somehow the plugins thing hijacked my thoughts. In fact, certain other 
issues seem more critical & pressing. Like, the front on the LE has 4 
nice knobs: 2 level controls for frontside inputs 1 & 2; 1 for levels of 
backside Main outs 1 & 2; & 1 for headphone levels. That seems to leave 
a lot of input & output control unaccounted for, except via the Saffire 
Control LE software GUI.

& this would be a no-show in Linux, right? I guess the 2 analogue 
line/instrument-in levels on back can be controllrd by, if existant, 
volume knobs on whatever devices are connecting to them. So, maybe 
that's covered. & sample rates will probably be handled by JACK/JACKCTRL.

Then though, the MIDI Through is activated by a software switch. & the 
High Gain switches for Instrument level sources is software controlled. 
The S/PDIF external sync switch, likewise, & the same situation as the 
nonworking S/PDIF input of the Firepod. A lot of the output & mixing 
capabilities are based in software too. Is there going to be a way to 
manage these? Full details not necessary, but could you reveal the gist 
of what'll be lost?
> 
>>
>> Last, is anyone working on a clone of Pieter Palmers? That'd be pretty 
>> useful...
> I am. Still have about 30years of tweaking ahead though :).

Ahh, then the rumors ARE true... had to ask, but 30yrs wait time  ;)
> 
> Pieter

Thanks for the info,

sevol

p.s.  Just read Andrew's message on the Freebob-devel list & see that 
the S/PDIF capabilities are looking better, at least with FFADO testing 
on the firepod. Hmmm...
> 
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