Focusrite Saffire LE FW Audio Interface

FOCUSRITE SAFFIRELE Details

Six inputs and eight outputs (including stereo digital I/O) with comprehensive monitoring and i/o control options ensure the recording musician has plenty of options for tracking and monitoring high quality audio. Focusrite build and sound quality, intelligent front-end design and a one-click GUI solution combine to guarantee an intuitive and trouble-free professional recording experience.

Although only the original Saffire has onboard DSP, the Saffire LE comes complete with the entire Saffire plug-in suite, offering highly acclaimed Compression, Reverb, Amp modeling and EQ in VST and AU formats. Furthermore, Saffire LE is bundled with a host of other software titles and audio samples, all included on the accompanying resources dvd.

As with the original Saffire, input and output levels and latency-free monitoring solutions can all be controlled via the accompanying SaffireControl LE software. This stylish application floats comfortably over any recording software, and can shrink in size to suit a number of different recording scenarios. Together with expertly designed analogue inputs and unrivalled digital conversion, Saffire LE is the perfect solution for discerning recording musicians on a budget.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

• Ultra-low latency Firewire interface

• Unprecedented audio and conversion performance for the price

• 24-bit, 96kHz integrated A-D/D-A

• Six inputs; Two Focusrite preamps, two balanced Line I/Ps and stereo S/PDIF I/Ps

• Eight Outputs; Six balanced analogue outputs for creating separate headphones/monitor mixes or 5.1 surround monitoring, plus stereo S/PDIF Out

• Suite of Saffire plug-ins ; VST/AU Compression, EQ, Amp modeling and Reverb

• SaffireControl LE – Comprehensive level and monitoring control

• Bundled Software Pack – Including Ableton Live 5 Lite, FXpansion's BFD Ultralite and GURU demo version and 470MB of samples, exclusively compiled for Focusrite by Loopmasters

FOCUSRITE SAFFIRELE Specs

SPECIFICATIONS and CONNECTIONS

Analogue I/O

• 4 Analogue inputs

2 x front panel XLR (mic) or 2 x front panel TRS Jacks (line/inst)
2 x rear panel TRS Jacks (line/inst)

• Mic Gain: +13dB to + 60dB
• Line 1&2 Gain: -10dB to +36dB
• Instrument Gain: +13dB to +60dB
• Line 3&4 Gain: +16dBu or –10dBV for full scale input (software switchable)

• 6 Analogue outputs

6 x rear panel TRS Jacks

• Nominal output level 0dBFS = 16dBu, balanced
• Front Panel Analogue Volume control for outputs 1&2
• Software Digital Volume control for outputs 3-6
• All outputs are useable as monitoring outputs

DIGITAL I/O

• 2 x SPDIF (RCA phono) on rear panel (24-bit, 96kHz) Output transformer isolated
• Clock Source: Internal clock or sync to word clock on SPDIF

MIDI I/O

• 1 in / 1 out on rear panel

FIREWIRE S400

• 2 ports

POWER

• Either via FIREWIRE or external PSU (included)

HEADPHONE MONITORING

• 1 x 1/4” TRS Jack on front panel (mirrors outputs 3-4)
• High power headphone driver

CLASS-LEADING PERFORMANCE

ANALOGUE PERFORMANCE - INPUTS

MIC

• Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz +/- 0.1 dB
• THD+N: 0.001% (measured at 1kHz with a 20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter)
• Noise: EIN > 120dB (measured at 60dB of gain with 150 Ohm termination (20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter)

LINE

• Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz +/- 0.1dB
• THD+N: 0.001% (measured with 0dBFS input and 22Hz/22kHz bandpass filter)
• Noise: -88dBu (22Hz/22kHz bandpass filter)

INSTRUMENT

• Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz +/- 0.1dB
• THD+N: 0.004% (measured with 0dBu input and 20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter)
• Noise: -87dBu (20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter)

ANALOGUE PERFORMANCE - OUTPUTS

• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz +/- 0.2dB
• THD+N <0.0014% (measured with 0dBFS input 22Hz/22kHz bandpass filter)

DIGITAL PERFORMANCE

• A/D Dynamic Range 104dB 'A-weighted' (inputs 1+2)
• A/D Dynamic Range 106dB 'A-weighted' (inputs 3+4)
• D/A Dynamic Range > 105dB ‘A-weighted' (all outputs)
• Clock Jitter < 250 pico seconds
• Sample rate 44.1 to 96kHz

WEIGHT and DIMS

• 1.1kg - 6.5cm x 17cm x 17cm

FOCUSRITE SAFFIRELE Downloads

• Saffire LE Getting Started Guide English
  How to get Saffire installed! This is featured on the Resources DVD which also featuring full movie tutorials, a comprehensive user guide and much much more.
  Size - 457.36 Kb
  [ Download ]
  
  
• Saffire LE User Guide
  The comprehensive userguide for Saffire LE in PDF format
  Size - 1.16 Mb
  [ Download ]

FOCUSRITE SAFFIRELE FAQ

Q: What is Saffire LE?
A: Saffire is a new addition to the Saffire range, a breed of Firewire interfaces that fuses state-of-the-art front end design, unrivalled conversion and integrated software to take audio interfacing one giant step closer to the professional studio experience. Intended for the project studio, home musician, educational/music labs and computer enthusiasts, Saffire will set a new level of price & performance due to its impressive feature set and attractive price point.

Q: Does Saffire LE feature the same onboard DSP plug-ins as Saffire?
A: Saffire LE does not feature on-board DSP, making it a more affordable option compared to the original Saffire. That said, Saffire LE does feature the same plug-in suite as VST and AU formats for use in the mix.

Q: What are the main differences between Saffire LE and the original Saffire?
A: The original Saffire features onboard DSP that powers a suite of Saffire plug-ins, helping to simulate a recording session by allowing EQ, compression and Amp Sim to be applied to the analogue inputs and also foldback reverb in the headphones. The Output count is also larger, featuring 8 analogue outputs rather than the 6 of Saffire LE, and the original Saffire can process up to 192kHz.

Saffire LE has an I/O count or 6 In/8 Out, two inputs and two outputs being digital (S/PDIF), so has two more analogue inputs that the original Saffire, but can only process up to 96kHz. Additionally, Saffire LE only features the Saffire plug-in suite in VST/AU format, for running off the host (as normal plug-ins) as opposed to powering from the hardware's DSP. However, Saffire LE does feature control software of its own, offering a host of monitoring options and preset hardware configurations.

Q: So what's the i/o count for Saffire LE?
A: Saffire LE feature 6 Ins and 8 outs. These break down as follows:
Four analogue inputs (either two mic (XLR) inputs, or two line (TRS balanced Jack) inputs, both on the front fascia, as well as two additional line inputs on the rear) and two digital inputs on S/PDIF via RCA phono
Six analogue line ouputs (TRS balanced Jack) and 2 digital ouputs on S/PDIF via RCA phono.
So Saffire LE features two more inputs than the original, but two less outputs.

Q: So, what plug-ins come with Saffire LE?
A: The full suite of Saffire plug-ins: EQ, Compression, Amp Simulation and Reverb, in VST and AU format.

Q: Quality wise, how do the Saffire plug-ins compare with other Focusrite plug-ins like d2/d3 and Forte Suite?
A: There is no sonic difference between Forte and Saffire; Focusrite's world famous sound quality will come through. However, due to recent technological advancement in the area of software modelling in-house at Focusrite, the Forte Suite and Saffire plug-ins are both sonically more impressive than the d2/d3 and truer to the original Focusrite analogue sound.

Q: And does Saffire LE come with any other software?
A: Yes, a whole host of goodies, including Ableton Live 5 Lite (Focusrite edition), FXpansion's BFD Ultralite and a demo version of GURU. Plus, you also get 470MB of samples, exclusively compiled for Focusrite by Loopmasters!

Q: What are the main features of SaffireControl LE (the free Focusrite software application that comes with the hardware)?
A: The software allows various monitoring options to be configured on two pairs of analogue outputs. On both Outputs 1/2 (the main monitor outputs) and 3/4 (the Headphones), you can set up a unique mix of all 6 inputs and four stereo feeds (playback tracks) from the sequencer. This means that the engineer can set up one latency-free mix on his monitors, whilst an artist being recorded can have a totally different mix on his/her headphones.

There are also various other one-click (quick setup) options for the hardware, most notably the TRACK and S/CARD switches, the latter of which instantly routes audio in the sequencer's Mixer directly to corresponding hardware outputs, e.g. setting a track on the Mixer to Saffire LE Outputs 5/6 routes that audio straight to Outputs 5/6 of the Saffire LE hardware, making the interface behave as a standard soundcard (temporarily bypassing the latency-free mixing options). AC3/DTS Thru support is similarly offered, which allows a digital surround signal to be sent directly from DVD playing software to a home surround speaker setup, via the coaxial output on the hardware.

Q: Is Saffire LE cross-platform?
A: Yes. Windows XP and Mac OSX.

Q: Is Saffire LE a USB device?
A: No, Saffire LE has dual port Firewire 400. USB is considered quite unstable for audio, so Firewire 400 offers better stability. There are two Firewire ports on the Saffire LE so that you can chain/connect additional Firewire devices to your computer, such as hard drives, even though your computer may only have one Firewire port.

Q: What are Saffire LE's system requirements?
A: Mac: OS X Panther (10.3.3 or later), G3/800MHz, G4/700MHz, 256MB RAM
PC: XP, Pentium Celeron, or Pentium compatible processor of 900MHz , 256MB RAM

Q: What sequencer/audio software packages have been “qualified and tested” to perform with Saffire LE?
A: Saffire LE will work with all ASIO and Core Audio compatible software, in other words all software apart from Pro Tools. It's been tested thoroughly with Ableton Live, Cubase, Logic, Sonar, Digital Performer and Reason to name but a few. For more information on specific software apps, check with technical support at Focusrite HQ (the list of tested software is v long!).

Q: Can I run the digital inputs & outputs with the analog inputs & outputs simultaneously?
A: Yes. All analogue inputs and outputs can be used at the same time. The S/PDIF Input registers as Saffire LE Inputs 5/6, with the S/PDIF Output appearing as Outputs 7/8. Additionally, however, the S/PDIF Output can be used to digitally stream a backup of analogue Outputs 1/2.

Q: What is the difference between input mix and playback mix?
A: An Input Mix is a specific balance of all six inputs, whereas a playback mix is a balance of four stereo feeds coming from the sequencer. Creating a mix of each and then blending between the two, using the Input Mix-P/back Mix crossfade, allows exact amounts of the recorded signals and backing tracks to be monitored on both the main monitors and headphones.

Q: How do you select what audio returns to each Saffire LE bus (meaning the S/W tracks within SaffireControl, e.g. the audio that becomes the PLAYBACK MIX) from your software (e.g. Ableton, Logic, Cubase etc.)?
A: When you have chosen the Saffire LE as the audio interface within the audio recording platform (Ableton/Logic/Cubase etc.), the output audio options on the Mixer for each track will relate to the Playback Mix faders within SaffireControl LE. In other words, the audio routes through SaffireControl LE before going to the Saffire LE outputs. This way, you can create latency-free mixes for monitoring. So, if you set one stereo track on the mixer to route to Saffire LE Outputs 3/4, then the signal won't go straight to the Headphones (Outputs 3/4) unless the S/CARD switch is active within SaffireControl LE. Instead, the audio will route to the two corresponding S/W 3/4 Playback Mix faders in SaffireControl LE, where exact levels of that audio can be set on Outputs 1/2 and 3/4.

Q: So I can only send eight tracks from my sequencer to SaffireControl LE to become the Playback Mix for the artist I'm recording? What if my song has 20 tracks?
A: You can assign as many audio tracks to be sent to SaffireControl LE as you like. That way, if tracks 1-8 in your sequencer are all drums, you can group them together by assigning all those tracks to Saffire LE Outputs 1/2, which will become S/W 1/2 within SaffireControl LE, e.g. the level of all the drums in the PLAYBACK MIX in SaffireControl LE will be controlled by the first fader in each of the PLAYBACK MIX sections.

Q: How do I send a signal from my sequencer to the S/PDIF Out of Saffire LE?
A: Easy. Just activate the S/CARD switch in SaffireControl LE and then any audio routed to Saffire LE Outputs 7/8 within your sequencer will go straight to the S/PDIF Out.

Q: What does float actually do?
A: The float feature means that the SaffireControl LE window will sit permanently above all applications rather than disappearing each time the mouse clicks in another application's window. This allows the SaffireControl LE window to be shrunk down to either of its reduced window formats and then positioned in one corner of the screen, where the meters for the inputs can be viewed continuously whilst making edits in your sequencer, without having to cycle through different applications.

Q: What is the soundcard setup all about?
A: SaffireControl LE has two preset buttons to step through two main modes of operation; the first is the standard tracking mode for recording (the default mode when SaffireControl LE opens) and the second is for mixdown (Soundcard mode) when you want analogue outputs 1-6 on the rear of Saffire to match outputs 1-6 within your sequencer. The comprehensive monitoring capabilities of Saffire LE mean that, without preset buttons, numerous settings would need adjusting on SaffireControl to simply route 6 tracks from the sequencer to the relevant outputs on the Saffire LE (Soundcard mode). This is because, simply selecting a stereo drum track to be outputs 3/4 on the mixer in your sequencer will not route that track straight out analogue outputs 3 and 4 of the Saffire LE hardware but instead into S/W tracks 3/4 within SaffireControl LE. This is so that, in tracking mode, those tracks can be mixed with the audio being recorded to make monitor mixes for artists. Focusrite's clever design team have taken all this into account and included a button to route the outputs set as 1-6 within your sequencer straight to Saffire LE's analogue outputs – this is listed on the Getting Started A4 sheet that comes in the box and also explained as being a good way of getting to grips with the workings of SaffireControl LE.

Q: How do you select different sample rates?
A: Simply click on the value within the main SaffireControl LE software window.

Q: Is there a word clock input?
A: No. But in the applications that the Saffire LE would be used for, this is not needed. Synchronisation is only used if timing is crucial (for example when doing 'laybacks' of audio in post production), or if there are several digital sources being recorded at one time, or if converters are rubbish due to having poor quality clocks. With the Saffire LE, the only sources being recorded are the analogue inputs and possibly a S/PDIF signal, therefore the only digital clock sources that may need synchronizing are within the Saffire LE hardware and whatever is connected to the S/PDIF In. This is why the Saffire LE only needs to be able to synchronise to its S/PDIF Input and no word clock option is provided.

Q: What are the Saffire LE's latency figures?
A: With Saffire LE, latency really isn't an issue, because SaffireControl LE, (the remote control software application that comes free with the Saffire LE hardware,) has its own advanced latency-free monitoring facility, (like TwinTrak Pro, VoiceMaster Pro, TrakMaster Pro). This removes all latency problems caused by routing audio into the recording software then back out again before monitoring. In SaffireControl LE, the user can blend any of the four latency-free inputs in varying amounts with any tracks from the sequencer (playback tracks) to create unique headphone mixes for an artist BEFORE SIGNALS ARE SENT TO THE DAW.

However, for someone insisting on obtaining the latency figures of Saffire LE, the figures vary depending on the DAW buffer size set by the user, which depends on the power of the system. (The DAW buffer size needs to match the plug-in usage and CPU speed, e.g. setting a tiny buffer when your computer is old and slow and you're maxing out on plug-ins is going to cause problems.) For your information, in case customers ask, the numbers are as follows:

Buffer size of 64 samples creates: 9ms @ 48k and 7ms @ 96k

Buffer size of 256 samples creates: 16.5ms @ 48k and 11ms @ 96k

Buffer size of 1024 samples creates: 47ms @ 48k and 27ms @ 96k

Q: Can I use Pro Tools with Saffire LE?
A: No. Only Digidesign hardware is compatible with Pro Tools. However, Saffire will work with all other ASIO or Core Audio compatible platforms, i.e. all other platforms.

Q: How can Saffire LE hook up with other FF or Novation gear?
A: The ideal combination for recording four microphone sources would be to have a Focusrite Platinum TwinTrak Pro with optional digital card connected to the S/PDIF input on the Saffire LE, providing a full complement of Focusrite front-end. (Any Platinum with digital card would be fine though.) Novation's X-Station has a S/PDIF Out, which would also be a good combination with the Saffire LE; a backing track could be played on the keyboard and recorded whilst a singer and guitarist are recorded simultaneously. Alternatively, the Focusrite owner with no digital i/o could go directly into the Line inputs to convert to digital and then send to the recording platform; this still leaves the S/PDIF Input spare for recording an additional stereo signal alongside four high quality mic signals.

Q: What if I only have 4-pin firewire?
A: The only difference between the two FW ports is that the 6-pin can supply power and the 4-pin can't. If you only have 4-pin then simply connect up the Mains adapter that's provided to power the Saffire LE.

Q: What is the Dim Switch all about?
A: This is a feature that is common on large consoles in studios, it reduces the output level of the monitors (Outputs 1/2), in this case by 12dB. This gives you more control over a highly sensitive pair of connected speakers. Explained more simply: Imagine the gain dial is turned down really low on the amp/speakers connected to the Saffire LE and the music is still coming out pretty loud and just turning up the dial a little bit makes it significantly louder. The solution to this is to press the DIM button on the Saffire LE, then the volume of the music will go down (by 12dB) and you can turn up that dial and have a much better control over the volume.

Other views of FOCUSRITE SAFFIRELE (Click to enlarge):

Focusrite Saffire LE FW Audio Interface