Firestudio Project and New Iamc's

[ModernMan]

I have tried to get a response to this question from Presonus but I have not had any luck in getting an answer so maybe someone else out there can help out. I am on my second iMac 2.8 ( first one bit the dust) which is to arrive today and I need to know if the Firestudio Project will work with the new post Oct.07 Imac's. Any thoughts, comments and advice are welcome. Thanks to all.

[samuel1]

I have heard about some problems......... anyone want to jump in on this one?

[ModernMan]

Yesterday I recieved a my new iMac 2.8g. I can confirm that the Firestudio project does not work with the new iMac's. The dreaded snap, crackle and pops starts about 20seconds into a project.

I have contacted Presonus, mailed Wesley DeVore (by private message) and posted this queary in this forum without any response except from samuel1. Thanks samuel1 for trying to get some feedback. I have to say that I am very disappointed with Presonus. I purchased my Firestudio Project from the Guitar Center and when I purchased it the informed me that I would be unable to return the unit as they had informed me that the unit may have problems. I quickly responded that Presonus has stated on their website that the Firestudio Project does in fact work with Leopard. Big mistake on my part (to believe in Presonus). If anyone is interested in puchasing a new Firestudio Project, let me know.

[jabulani-jonny]

Ummm...shouldn't you have checked on drivers first? It's been well documented that the Firestudio doesn't work with Leopard yet. There are many of us in the same boat, but we had our Firestudio's before we bought new computers, atleast I did. I've just been hoping that the Leopard drivers aren't too far down the road. I have to say that I've been eyeing that Saffire Pro though, since it's already Leopard compatible.

[ModernMan]

Hmmm, By the way, I did check on the drivers for "Firestudio Project". On the Presonus site it states and it is well documented that the "Firestudio Project" is Leopard compatible. I believe you are talking about the "Firestudio".

I would give Sweetwater a call before I buy anything. They have a farily good knowledge base. The word is that Motu has the only problem free firewire interface that is truely compatible with Leopard.

[jabulani-jonny]

And unfortunately for me and Presonus, I've been looking hard at going back to a couple MOTU 696's with maybe one or two 8Pre's in sync. Luckily I haven't had a project that has required that many tracks to push me that direction yet. I gotta say that MOTU's driver support is looking awful tempting.

[samuel1]

I'd like to point out something pretty important here! ModernMan I think you should know that it is the fault of APPLE that your having problems! Apple Apple Apple... for TWO reasons.

1) Your problem is a firewire chipset problem! Apple decided to put cheaper Agere chipsets in built in firewire sets on new iMacs & Macbooks... these chipsets have cause problems for more than one audio company, mainly because they blow. Maudio... presonus.. who knows about your motu stuff. So in this sense, apple just screwed presonus by installing a known ****ty incompatible card.

2) the drivers are built by apple! Apple says give me your specs, WE will do it. The messed them up for the Firestudio 26/26, thats why presonus is having to go back and fix it. But in any-case, these drivers do work for other people with leopard, with mac pro's or older machines.

I just wanted to clear that up, I think its pretty important that people here understand it!

[alo]

2) the drivers are built by apple! Apple says give me your specs, WE will do it. The messed them up for the Firestudio 26/26, thats why presonus is having to go back and fix it. But in any-case, these drivers do work for other people with leopard, with mac pro's or older machines.

I just wanted to clear that up, I think its pretty important that people here understand it!

Hi,
well I have an old Powerbook and the drivers do not work with Leopard, which driver are you talking about? any beta? please clear that up.:confused:

[samuel1]

I'm talking about the firestudio project, I should have been more specific with these two similar names floating around. I know people who have had it work with leopard, and it is listed as compatible.

[alo]

Hey, thanks for clearing it up!

[ModernMan]

I thought I would give everyone an update. This past Saturday I had a Motu 8Pre delivered and have been using it without any problems. This unit has performed flawlessly. I am only posting this, not to dog Presonus, but to help fellow musicians with new iMac's get down to the business of laying down some tracks instead of troubleshooting. If anyone needs a brand new Presonus Firestudio Project let me know.
_____________________________________
iMac 2.8+Motu 8Pre+Logic Pro 8

[samuel1]

I have to say..... apple.. wtf? use not-crap chipsets!

[thrasher32]

If you're giving it away, I'll take it! ;~)

[keyz]

I have tried to get a response to this question from Presonus but I have not had any luck in getting an answer so maybe someone else out there can help out. I am on my second iMac 2.8 ( first one bit the dust) which is to arrive today and I need to know if the Firestudio Project will work with the new post Oct.07 Imac's. Any thoughts, comments and advice are welcome. Thanks to all.

I have a MBP and couldn't get my Firestudio Project to work. So I tried it on my brother's iMac which he got in September and couldn't get the FSP to work. Good luck.

[samuel1]

It's to bad.. one of the things I love about the firepod, is that I could plug it into almost any mac and it would work instantly... the firestudio project SHOULD have that same appeal.

[svannte]

I'd like to point out something pretty important here! ModernMan I think you should know that it is the fault of APPLE that your having problems! Apple Apple Apple... for TWO reasons.

1) Your problem is a firewire chipset problem! Apple decided to put cheaper Agere chipsets in built in firewire sets on new iMacs & Macbooks... these chipsets have cause problems for more than one audio company, mainly because they blow. Maudio... presonus.. who knows about your motu stuff. So in this sense, apple just screwed presonus by installing a known ****ty incompatible card.

2) the drivers are built by apple! Apple says give me your specs, WE will do it. The messed them up for the Firestudio 26/26, thats why presonus is having to go back and fix it. But in any-case, these drivers do work for other people with leopard, with mac pro's or older machines.

I just wanted to clear that up, I think its pretty important that people here understand it!

How come that I can use the Inspire card and not Firestudio. I mean, if the chipset is so bad, why does it work with this cheaper card?

/svannte

[Dr. Grumble]

so the fsp is never going to work with the intel imacs??

ive got a new imac 2.4 20" and a fsp
but it is from before lepoard.

and i get the crackley sound too.

[Wesley DeVore]

As far as I know every firewire audio interface has some level of trouble with the new Agere chipset Mac has chosen for their MacBook Pro's and iMacs.

It's a bummer. We're all working on it.

alo: I'd be curious to know what the CPU speed of your "old powerbook" is. Leopard is extremely taxing on non-intel macs....

[svannte]

As far as I know every firewire audio interface has some level of trouble with the new Agere chipset Mac has chosen for their MacBook Pro's and iMacs.

It's a bummer. We're all working on it.

alo: I'd be curious to know what the CPU speed of your "old powerbook" is. Leopard is extremely taxing on non-intel macs....

While I waiting at the Leopard/Firestudio upgrade I bought the Inspire 1394, and it works great. I really like the product, and the software works great. And the price is so low!
I would like to know why this product work so good, and not the Firestudio. Is the firewire port different in Inspire interface compared to Firestudio?

/svannte

[svannte]

I have to say..... apple.. wtf? use not-crap chipsets!

I'm sorry, but your where right about the chipset. A swedish Motu-user also wrote about this issue on a swedish forum. I also found a tip from RME-forum:
"After some experimentation I have managed to get my Fireface 800 working perfectly. It seems there is a problem with the iMac connecting directly to certain Firewire devices (apparently Apple know that this is a problem and are presumably working on a fix). It is easy to get round the problem by using an external harddrive to act as a hub (I use a Lacie Firewire Drive). Providing your harddrive has two firewire ports on the back you can get the harddrive to mount and then plug the Fireface 800 into the back on the other port. Bizarrely -- but more importantly if you are a musician -- the fireface cranks up and everything now works fine. I have tested playing all sorts of sounds out of the iMac - Music/DVD/Logic and it all works perfectly. I presume there is a fault in the driver or something on the iMac - but for now at least we can get on writing music until a fix is released..."

/svannte

[thrasher32]

I'm sorry, but your where right about the chipset. A swedish Motu-user also wrote about this issue on a swedish forum. I also found a tip from RME-forum:
"After some experimentation I have managed to get my Fireface 800 working perfectly. It seems there is a problem with the iMac connecting directly to certain Firewire devices (apparently Apple know that this is a problem and are presumably working on a fix). It is easy to get round the problem by using an external harddrive to act as a hub (I use a Lacie Firewire Drive). Providing your harddrive has two firewire ports on the back you can get the harddrive to mount and then plug the Fireface 800 into the back on the other port. Bizarrely -- but more importantly if you are a musician -- the fireface cranks up and everything now works fine. I have tested playing all sorts of sounds out of the iMac - Music/DVD/Logic and it all works perfectly. I presume there is a fault in the driver or something on the iMac - but for now at least we can get on writing music until a fix is released..."

/svannte

That is just bizarre...

[markdstt]

I have a new imac and fsp...crackle.. pop trash. There are two firewire ports on my imac
If I get the lacie hard drive and use it as a hub will this fix the problem?
Thank you.
Mark

[svannte]

I have a new imac and fsp...crackle.. pop trash. There are two firewire ports on my imac
If I get the lacie hard drive and use it as a hub will this fix the problem?
Thank you.
Mark

I don't know if it works with FSP. I'm using the Inspire 1394 as an usb-hub, and the Inspire works as an "output-interface and Firestudio as an "input-interfase". Unfortunly I don't get any sound from main output from Firestudio. But this is a software problem.

/svannte