Anyone using Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 with PT 11?

[MijacOnAir]

I just bought my Saffire pro 14 and I wanted to buy PT 11. Are both compatible???

Thank you in advance

[Katherine_Focusrite]

Yes, these are fully compatible.

If you are on a Windows PC you will want to check that you have a Texas Instruments or VIA Firewire card.

Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you.

Best regards.

[dave911]

The Focusrite support site has info on what chipset to use but I can't buy a chipset to put in my computer.
What I can buy is a card.

Are there any PCI-E to firewire CARDS that have been tested with the Saffire interfaces?
Onboard Firewire ports and PCI slots on motherboards are both disappearing fast.
I have read reviews of TI chipset cards that do not work well.

Focusrite customers need a list of Tested PCI-E to FW adapter cards they can use.

[Emcha_audio]

I recommend the SIIG cards that have Texas instruments, VIA has been very problematic for many people, on many different card makers. Right now I'm using a NN-E38012-S3 which is a TI chipset. No problem what so ever, do get a good quality firewire 800 to firewire 400 cable, or a good quality adapter if you are not going to use the single 1394a six pin connector.

[dave911]

Thanks Manny.

I'd really like to get Focusrite to drop the chipset BS and give users a list of approved cards.

For instance Focusrite support told me to avoid FW800 cards like the one you have working.

I'm doing a new build and Focusrite support also can't give me a single part number for a PCI-E card I can order that they have tested with the Saffire interfaces.

Seems to me they just don't have enough confidence in their drivers to promise they will work with any card.

[EGS]

Originally Posted by Emcha_audio

I recommend the SIIG cards that have Texas instruments...

+1.

[Emcha_audio]

Originally Posted by dave911

Thanks Manny.

I'd really like to get Focusrite to drop the chipset BS and give users a list of approved cards.

For instance Focusrite support told me to avoid FW800 cards like the one you have working.

I'm doing a new build and Focusrite support also can't give me a single part number for a PCI-E card I can order that they have tested with the Saffire interfaces.

Seems to me they just don't have enough confidence in their drivers to promise they will work with any card.

There's too many card out there for them to test them all, that's why. And I think that in the fact they had given 4 options for cards, but I don't know if it's there still. The reason they might have given you not to go with 800 is because of the adapters that are needed, you need good quality ones and not everyone is willing to pay the price for those to be sure that they get the good ones. So it's more of a general you shouldn't get it to avoid compatibility issues. Mine is working without problem, because I did put the price on a good 800 cable and a good 800 to 400 adapter.

[Katherine_Focusrite]

Unfortunately this is a common compatibility issue for all audio interfaces as it relates to the firewire chip's ability to handing real time audio streaming.

As there are so many firewire chipset manufacturers on the market and so many card companies who buy various chipsets it is impossible to test them all.

We also would not want to limit customers to "only use these approved cards" as there are many customers using cards that we may not recommend on just viewing the specs who have no issues.

I apologize if it was unclear that specifying a chipset means purchasing a new card. There is no way to alter the chipset on the motherboard or card you have. However we do need to specific chipset and not brand of card as many card companies use many different brands of chipset.

Always check the specific model card you are looking to buy before purchase for any audio interface use, Focusrite or other brand.

Please let me know if there is anything else we can do to assist you.

Best regards.

[YYR123]

Originally Posted by dave911

Are there any PCI-E to firewire CARDS that have been tested with the Saffire interfaces?
Onboard Firewire ports and PCI slots on motherboards are both disappearing fast.
I have read reviews of TI chipset cards that do not work well. .

I have onboard via that was working on a Hackintosh but I have a siig Ti card pci-e that I'm currently using - I got a great deal on it and wanted to rule that out if any problems I was having at the time

[dave911]

Originally Posted by Katherine_Focusrite

Unfortunately this is a common compatibility issue for all audio interfaces as it relates to the firewire chip's ability to handing real time audio streaming.

As there are so many firewire chipset manufacturers on the market and so many card companies who buy various chipsets it is impossible to test them all.

We also would not want to limit customers to "only use these approved cards" as there are many customers using cards that we may not recommend on just viewing the specs who have no issues.

I apologize if it was unclear that specifying a chipset means purchasing a new card. There is no way to alter the chipset on the motherboard or card you have. However we do need to specific chipset and not brand of card as many card companies use many different brands of chipset.

Always check the specific model card you are looking to buy before purchase for any audio interface use, Focusrite or other brand.

Please let me know if there is anything else we can do to assist you.

Best regards.

I well aware of the issues.
Your not doing your customers any favor by letting them guess if a card will work.
Understand that Firewire ports are going away on mainstream motherboards and Focusrite customers will be relying on adapter cards.
PCI bus card slots are also disappearing.

Inside a PDF, inside the answer base I find exactly one PCI-E card that has been tested to work with Saffire interface.