Results for Focusrite

Focusrite has announced the Saffire PRO 14, a new firewire audio interface.

The Focusrite Saffire PRO 14 is an 8 in / 6 out FireWire audio interface designed for the modern home studio environment. An unparalleled preamp legacy forms the foundation, with two award-winning Focusrite preamps.

Legendary sonic performance and both digital and analogue I/O combine with Focusrite’s established MixControl software to deliver seamless integration, excellent routing flexibility and rock-solid driver stability.

Saffire PRO 14 key features

• Two high-quality award-winning Focusrite preamps — The best sounding interface in its class. Focusrite’s 25-year legacy forms the foundation of this new interface, with two award-winning preamps.
• High-quality 24-bit/96kHz FireWire interface — Features professional conversion and JetPLL™ jitter elimination technology, guaranteeing pristine audio quality and reliable synchronization.
• Total I/O count of 8 inputs and 6 outputs — A host of I/O options are provided, including a unique Loopback facility for routing audio between software applications via Saffire MixControl.
• Saffire MixControl ultra-low-latency DSP mixer/router — Provides an 18 x 6 DSP mixer with excellent routing flexibility, intuitive one-click configurations, and lower than 1.4ms latency (less than the time it takes sound to travel two feet through air!).
• Focusrite VST/AU Plug-in Suite, for use in the mix — Upgrade your standard sequencer effects and bring a touch of class to your session with Focusrite Compression, Reverb, Gating and EQ VST/AU plug-ins.
• Xcite+ Software Bundle — Featuring a host of royalty-free loops and samples, a full-fledged soft-synth and Ableton Live Lite 8, providing an affordable upgrade path to Ableton Live.

The Saffire PRO 14 is expected to ship in August 2010, priced at $299.99 MSRP ($249.99 street) / £199.99 inc. VAT (suggested street price) / €279.99 inc. Tax MSRP.

More information: Focusrite / Saffire PRO 14

Focusrite has announced the ISA428 MkII, a premium four-channel mic preamp supporting an optional eight-channel A-D converter.

The ISA428 MkII features four of Focusrite’s classic ISA preamps, originally developed for the legendary Forté console. It supports the same professional eight-channel A-D converter option used with the ISA828. The A-D converter accepts four line inputs in addition to the signals passing through the main channels of the ISA428 MkII, creating eight high-quality digital streams with a superb 122dB dynamic range. Thanks to its convenient 25-pin D-Type connector, the A-D converter option integrates seamlessly with most digital workstations, including Pro Tools HD.

Mirroring the feature set of the original, each ISA428 MkII channel has a variable impedance circuit allowing you to perfectly match the preamp with any microphone, or to use different settings creatively to shape the sound of the microphone. Adjustable high-pass filters as well as phantom power and phase reverse controls are easily accessible on the front panel.

When designing the ISA428 MkII, the Focusrite R&D team were determined to maintain the pristine sound quality of its predecessor, but introduce it at a new level of affordability. To that end, the exact same analogue circuit board can be found in both the original and MkII derivations of the ISA428.

ISA428 MkII key features

• Four ISA series transformer-based preamps – ISA series mic preamps have been the producers’ choice on countless hit records over the last two decades.
• Eight-channel optional A-D converter – Four additional A-D converter inputs allow eight channels of high-quality conversion, with a dynamic range of 122dB and jitter performance below 250 picoseconds.
• Selectable impedance – Ideal for mic matching or extended microphone creativity. Settings include the ‘Vintage ISA110’ setting, providing the original Focusrite signature sound.
• Four front panel instrument inputs – Instant access on the front fascia – no separate DI box required.
• Dedicated analogue insert points – Switchable insert points are featured on every channel, allowing routing (between pre-amp and output) through additional external processing.
• Variable high pass Focusrite filter – Provided on every channel, this is the same filter as featured on the original ISA428.
• Accurate LED meters for every channel – Clear metering designed to catch even the fastest and most elusive of transients.

The ISA428 MkII is expected to be available worldwide in late 2010.

More information: Focusrite / ISA428 MkII

Silicon Beats has released Ska Drums V1, a collection of ska drum loops and samples.

Ska Drums V1 offers a superb selection of expertly performed live ska drum loops with tonnes of variations and fills. We’ve got side stick grooves, up tempo rhythms and lots of snare fills.

Ska Drums V1 is our second drum loop pack to feature the spectacular vintage Ludwig Ocean Pearl drum kit with a Supraphonic snare drum. This kit was made in 1963 and offers a richness of tone that can only be found in classic vintage drums.

We fed the kick and snare mic’s through the Focusrite Liquid Channel mic pre-amp and chose our sound proofed mixing room as a live room in order to achieve a dry ‘close-mic ‘d’ sound that emulates classic ska recordings of the 1970′s.

Ska Drums V1 features

• 153 Loops, tempo: 110 to 142 Bpm.
• Tight, dry sound gives you all the space you need to drop a thick plate reverb on those snare fills for that cool ska vibe.
• 31 Kit Samples, the kit includes a 12″ tom, 13″ tom, 14″ supraphonic snare, 16″ floor tom, 22″ Kick, 18″ Vintage Sabian ride, 16″ Zildjian Avedis Medium Thin Crash, 15″ Zildjian Vintage Crash, 14″ Zildjian Vintage New-Beat hats.
• Total Size: 483 MB.

Ska Drums V1 is available to purchase as an instant download for $39.95 USD.

More information: Silicon Beats / Ska Drums V1

Focusrite has released Scarlett, a professional software suite that provides the definitive collection of compression, gating, EQ, and reverb plug-ins for tracking and mixing.

From one of the most prestigious names in pro audio, made famous by the original Red range and the classic ISA console modules, Scarlett provides the perfect upgrade for your Digital Audio Workstation. Not only does it sound great, the Scarlett user interface features a stunning Red anodized aluminium look with intricately modeled, life-like VU meters, setting the standard for drop-dead gorgeous plug-ins.

Each powerful plug-in has a host of fast and easy-to-use presets, providing a great starting point for processing everything from vocals and guitars to synth bass and percussion. In addition, every plug-in parameter can be finely tuned to bring out the best in your sound, exactly the way you want it. So, whether you want to get started quickly, or spend some time refining your sound, Scarlett is destined to become your new ‘go-to’ plug-in.

Scarlett features

• Unmatched Sonic Quality – Brought to you by the team behind the Forté Suite and the famous Focusrite hardware line. Focusrite has provided that final polish and shine to thousands of hit records over the last two decades.
• A Faithful Recreation Of Classic Compressors & Gates – Modeled on original ear-tuned hardware optical compressors, exclusive to Focusrite, Scarlett’s dynamics modules deliver that authentic 1960s Opto sound.
• Multi-modes Enable Creative Gating Techniques – The Gate can operate in stereo mode and, in different dual mono configurations, one signal can be used to trigger the gate of another; ideal for tightening up a bass line, for example.
• Classic Focusrite EQ Curves & Controls – Scarlett uses the same Focusrite six-band EQ approach as the Red 2 and ISA EQs, with filters, parametric mids and shelving, all modeled to offer an authentic response across the entire audible frequency spectrum.
• Professional Reverb With Concise Controls – Based on classic algorithmic studio reverb designs, this reverb delivers a remarkable level of sonic quality for your recording projects. Easy to use controls get you to the ideal reverb sound in seconds.
• Stunning GUI With Life-like Port-hole VU Meters – A Red anodized aluminium feel, extremely detailed metering and other visual elements from Focusrite’s illustrious recording history make Scarlett look as good as it sounds.

Scarlett for PC and Mac (VST/AU/RTAS) is available to purchase at selected dealers in the U.S. at the MAP price of $99 USD.

More information: Focusrite / Scarlett

Focusrite has announced the Saffire 6 USB, the latest in Focusrite’s new generation of audio interfaces, its most affordable to date, and the best-sounding interface in its class.

Twenty-five years of mic-pre excellence form the foundation of this new interface, with two award-winning Focusrite pre-amps. These combine with professional digital conversion to ensure pristine audio quality as your music flows between the analogue and digital domains.

Alongside the two Focusrite pre-amps are two balanced TRS outputs and four RCA phono outputs. Four phono outputs, high-quality digital conversion, a high-level headphone output and flexible monitoring solutions make Saffire 6 USB ideal for digital DJs. The converter performance ensures that the quality of the audio streamed from the computer is sonically superb. An A/B source switch for monitoring either of two stereo output pairs and the high-level headphone output provide all that’s required for Laptop DJ-style cueing in a club environment.

Saffire 6 USB also comes with all the tools needed to start making music straight away. The latest version of the Focusrite Plug-in Suite provides a significant upgrade from your standard sequencer effects, including Compression, Reverb, Gating and EQ VST/AU plug-ins.

Focusrite’s established Xcite+ bundle is also included. The bundle features Ableton Live 7 Lite (for all your production, performance and compositional needs), Novation’s Bass Station soft synth and over 1GB of royalty-free samples from Loopmasters and ‘Mike the Drummer’.

Focusrite’s Saffire 6 USB is designed to just work in the background and sound great. It captures and streams every detail of your sound, flowing seamlessly and effortlessly in and out of the digital domain, leaving you free to enjoy a carefree modern music making experience.

Saffire 6 USB will be available to purchase late in September 2009.

More information: Focusrite

Focusrite has announced it is now shipping the Saffire PRO 24 DSP, a FireWire audio interface with real-time DSP-powered tracking and mixing solutions.

The Saffire PRO 24 DSP is built to the same specifications as the PRO 24, with two Focusrite mic pres heading up the 16 inputs and 8 outputs. PRO 24 DSP has an additional second headphone output to help you take advantage of Saffire PRO 24 DSP’s unique monitoring feature.

The onboard DSP powers latency-free tracking tools such as Focusrite EQ and compression as well as comfort reverb. It also powers a groundbreaking new feature called VRM – or “Virtual Reference Monitoring”. This is the first technology that allows you to mix effectively on headphones. It uses convolutions to simulate different monitors, rooms and listening positions through your headphones. Not everyone has access to expensive studio monitors and acoustically treated control rooms. VRM enables you to audition 10 different pairs of industry standard nearfield and main monitors from six listening positions in a treated room. In addition to this you can A/B your mixes with simulations of consumer stereo speakers, computer or television speakers from different positions in normal, untreated rooms.

Saffire PRO 24 DSP features

• VRM Virtual Reference Monitoring – Hear your mix in different environments, through different speakers and from different positions, just using headphones.
• Two High Quality Award-winning Focusrite Pre-amps – The best sounding interface in its class. Focusrite’s unparalleled pre-amp legacy forms the foundation of this new interface, with two award-winning Focusrite pre-amps.
• Onboard DSP-powered, latency-free tracking and mixing tools – Classic Focusrite EQ and Compression for tracking, as well as ‘comfort’ reverb to place across your monitor mixes.
• High Quality 24-bit/96kHz FireWire Interface – Features high quality A-D / D-A conversion and JetPLL™ jitter elimination technology; pristine audio quality and reliable synchronisation are guaranteed.
• Total I/O Count of 16 Inputs and 8 Outputs – A host of I/O options are provided, including a unique loop-back facility for routing audio between software applications via Saffire Mix Control.
• Saffire Mix Control Zero-latency DSP Mixer/Router – Routing flexibility and intuitive one-click set-up solutions; Saffire Mix Control provides an 16 x 8 DSP mixer with excellent output routing and monitoring capabilities.
• Xcite+ Software Bundle – Featuring a host of royalty-free loops and samples, a full-fledged Novation soft-synth and Ableton Live 7 Lite, providing an affordable upgrade path to Ableton Live.
• Focusrite VST/AU Plug-in Suite, for use in the mix – Upgrade your standard sequencer effects and bring a touch of class to your session with all-new Focusrite Compression, Reverb, Gating and EQ VST/AU plug-ins.
• Front panel 5-LED metering – LED metering for each of the analogue inputs offers accurate viewing of levels direct from the front fascia.
• Two dedicated front-panel headphone busses – Providing two fully customised monitor mixes, with tactile level control available on the front panel.
• Bus-powered for a tidy mobile recording rig – Saffire PRO 24 DSP can be powered via FireWire, or via its own power supply.

Saffire PRO 24 DSP is available for purchase for $399 USD (MAP).

More information: Focusrite