Presonus Firestudio Firewire Recording System

PRESONUS FIRESTUDIO Details ^top

The PreSonus FireStudio is the next generation in FireWire recording systems from PreSonus. Based on the award-winning Firepod, the FireStudio combines superior analog circuit design with new advanced platform technology to deliver enhanced performance for music recording and creation.

The FireStudio is a 26x26 24-bit/96k professional recording system combining eight XMAX Class A PreSonus microphone preamplifiers, up to sixteen channels of optical ADAT input / output, S/PDIF and MIDI input / output, along with the Control Console - a 36x36x18 zero latency mixer/router. The FireStudio also includes the ProPak Complete, a bundle of over 2GB of award-winning recording and production software, virtual instruments, plug-ins, drum loops and samples to get you started making music immediately.

Superior Analog Circuitry - XMAX Class A Preamplifiers
The FireStudio starts with eight custom-designed high-voltage, discrete, XMAX Class A microphone preamplifiers. Many other companies offering recording interfaces add the cheapest possible microphone preamplifier as an afterthought to the interface. PreSonus knows that the preamplifier is a key component in the sonic quality of a recording. The job of a microphone preamplifier is to boost microphone level signals to line level so that the signal can be converted from analog to digital. This mic to line boost is generally a preamplification of over 400 times the voltage of the original mic level signal. This preamplification stage is one of the most important stages that the signal will go through before converted to digital, and is why a high performance preamplifier is important to achieving great results. A cheap "off the shelf op-amp" type mic preamp that is found in most interfaces translates into thin, noisy and harsh results.

All XMAX preamplifiers are built with the same three elements:

High Voltage - The XMAX preamplifier runs on power rails of 30V. Most off the shelf op amp based designs run on power rails of 10V to 18V. Higher voltage power rails deliver more headroom, deeper lows, smoother highs and an overall fuller sound.

Discrete - No op amps. Only transistors, resistors and capacitors. Op amps add noise, coloration and harshness to a signal. Discrete designs deliver ultra low noise and transparency.

Class A - When a circuit is running in Class A mode the circuit is always in an "on" state operating at its optimal voltage requirements. Class A mode has zero crossover distortion and delivers purer, clearer and more musical sonics than class A/B designs which are found in most op-amp circuits.

The net result of the XMAX preamp design is high headroom, low noise, wide dynamic range and wide frequency range, and most importantly, musicality and transparency - smooth highs, solid deep lows, and everything in between.

New Advanced Platform Technology - DICE II and JetPLL
The FireStudio is loaded with the new ultra powerful DICE II FireWire chipset delivering 26 channels of simultaneous inputs and outputs at professional-quality 24-bit. The strength of the DICE II chip lies with its ability to easilly handle high channel count at high bit-rate while minimizing latency and load on your computer.

The synchronization of the FireStudio is handled by patented JetPLL™ jitter reduction technology. JetPLL™ incorporates noise shaping to virtually remove all audio band jitter. JetPLL™ ensures the highest converter performance possible, resulting in better stereo separation and clearer more transparent audio. JetPLL™ delivers ultra-fast locking to any digital format, through a wide range of frequencies and is extremely robust, and tolerant of wide variations in clock frequencies. JetPLL™ ensures near perfect clock performance when networking audio devices thus creating the most stable and robust synchronization to the computer and all devices synchronization with the FireStudio.

Ins and Outs
The FireStudio is loaded with I/O for an extremely flexible and expandable recording system. The FireStudio starts with eight Class A custom-designed PreSonus microphone preamplifiers. You can add additional preamplifiers or analog inputs via the dual optical light pipe ports on the rear panel. You add up to two DigiMax FS, for a total of twenty-four microphone preamplifiers all in only three rack spaces! Additionally word/clock I/O for ultra tight synchronization, MIDI I/O and SPDIF I/O are on the FireStudio for further expandability.

Control Console - Zero Latency DSP Mixing/Routing
The FIRESTUDIO also includes the Control Console - a 36x36x18 DSP mixer/router for flexible mixing and direct routing any input to any output including the headphone output, with zero latency. The Control Console software application lives between your FireStudio interface and your DAW software enabling the mixing and routing of input streams coming into your FireStudio interface and playback stream coming from your DAW software. The Control Console is capable of creating up to nine stereo mixes and then routing to the outputs of your FireStudio for headphone mixes and various aux sends. This way everyone in the band and the recording engineer can have a custom mix. Also, the FireStudio is loaded with internal flash memory so all Control Console Mixer and Ouput Router settings are saved and recalled in the FireStudio during power off/on. This allows you to configure your FireStudio as a stand-alone device, without being connected to a computer for uses such as a submixer, A/D and D/A-converter, headphone mixer, format converter, instrument or microphone pre-amplifier!

ProPak Complete Software Suite
The PreSonus FireStudio also comes with the new ProPak Complete Software Suite, which includes more than 20 real time plug-ins, a number of virtual instruments and over 2 GB of drum loops and samples including: Steinberg - Cubase LE; Propellerheads Reason Adapted PreSonus Edition; IK Multimedia - Amplitube LE; FXpansion - BFD lite; Drumagog LE; Sonoma Wire Works-Riffworks Jr.; Wave Arts – TrackPlug LE, MasterVerb LE and more!

Optional Monitor Station Remote (MSR)
The optional MSR (monitor station remote) for the FireStudio is a complete surround/stereo speaker manager, input switcher and communication system delivering a more efficient and flexible work flow. The MSR connects to the FireStudio via standard Cat 5 Ethernet cable to keep your work space as clean as possible. There are also two headphone outputs on the FireStudio for even further flexibility and convenience.

Features
- High-speed FireWire (IEEE 1394) audio interface
- 24-bit resolution, up to 96K sampling rate
- 26 simultaneous inputs and outputs
- 8 Class A microphone preamps w/ trim control
- 8 analog line Inputs, 2 Instrument Inputs
- 16 channels of optical ADAT I/O (8 ch. via 96k dual SMUX)
- S/PDIF I/O, MIDI I/O
- DICE II Chipset - ultra efficient data transfer
- JetPLL™ – jitter elimination technology
- Zero latency DSP full-matrix mixer/router
- PreSonus ProPak Complete Audio Software Suite with Cubase LE, Reason Adapted, Amplitube LE, BFD Lite, Drumagog LE and more

Below are the minimum computer system requirements for your FIRESTUDIO.

Windows

- OS: Microsoft Windows XP SP1
- Computer: Windows compatible computer with FireWire port.
- CPU/Clock: Pentium, Celeron with 1.6Ghz or higher
- Memory(RAM): 512 MB (1 GB recommended)

Macintosh

- OS: MacOS X 10.4.x or later
- Computer: Apple Macintosh series with on-board FireWire port.
- CPU/Clock: PowerPC G4/Dual 1 GHZ or faster, all Intel-based Mac models.
- Memory(RAM): 512 MB (1 GB recommended)

Note that the speed of your processor, amount of RAM and size and speed of your hard drive will greatly affect the overall performance of your recording system. Also, a more powerful system (faster processor with more RAM) will allow for lower latency (signal delay) that you might experience while monitoring audio or MIDI signals.
Monitor resolution for both PC and Macintosh should be no lower than 1024x768 pixels.

PRESONUS FIRESTUDIO Specs ^top

FireStudio Specifications

Microphone Preamp (XLR Balanced)

All measurements Microphone Input to Direct Output

Frequency Response (+0,- 0.5dB)

20Hz to 50KHz

Frequency Response (+0/-3.0 dB)

20Hz to 150KHz

Input Impedance

1600 Ohm

THD+N (unwtd, 1KHz @ +4dBu Output, Unity Gain)

< 0.003%

EIN (unwtd, 55dB Gain, 150 Ohm Input, 20Hz to 22KHz)

-126dBu

S/N Ratio (Unity Gain, unwtd, Ref. = +4dBu, 20Hz to 22KHz)

>101dB

Common Mode Rejection Ratio (1KHz, 55dB Gain)

>55dB

Gain Control Range (+/-1dB)

-6dB to 55dB

Maximum Input Level (Unity Gain, 1KHz @ 0.5% THD+N)

+17dBu

Phantom Power (+/- 2VDC)

+48VDC

Instrument Input (1/4” TRS, Preamps 1 & 2)

Input Impedance

1 Mega Ohm

Line Inputs (1/4” TRS, Preamps 3 to 8)

All measurements Line Input to Direct Output

Frequency Response (+0,- 0.5dB)

20Hz to 50KHz

Frequency Response (+0/-3.0 dB)

20Hz to 150KHz

Input Impedance (Balanced)

10 KOhm

THD+N (unwtd, 1KHz @ +4dBu Output, Unity Gain)

< 0.003%

S/N Ratio (Unity Gain, unwtd, Ref. = +4dBu, 20Hz to 22KHz)

>101dB

Gain Control Range (+/-1dB)

-9dB to +12dB

Maximum Input Level (Unity Gain, 1KHz @ 0.5% THD+N)

+23dBu

Insert Jacks (1/4” TRS)

Send Output Impedance (Unbalanced, Ring)

51 Ohm

Return Input Impedance (Unbalanced, Tip)

10KOhm

Direct Outputs/DAC Outputs (1/4” TRS)

Output Impedance (Impedance Balanced)

51Ohm

Signal Level LEDs

Clip (+/- 0.5dBu)

+18dBu

Digital Audio

ADC Dynamic Range (Awtd, 48KHz Sample Rate)

107dB

DAC Dynamic Range (Awtd, 48KHz Sample Rate)

110dB

Bit Depth

24

Reference Level for 0dBFS

+18dBu

Digital Audio Output (2-Toslink™ Connectors, 8 channels)

ADAT/SMUX

Digital Audio Input (2-Toslink™ Connectors, 8 channels)

ADAT/SMUX

Internal Sample Frequency Selections (KHz)

44.1, 48, 88.2, 96

External Sample Frequency Inputs

BNC, ADAT (SMUX),SPDIF

BNC Word Clock Output Level (75 Ohm load)

4.5V

BNC Word Clock Input Level Range

3.0 to 5.5V

Power

Input Voltage Range

18 to 30VDC

Power Requirements (Continuous)

24W

DC Input Connector Type = 5.5mm OD/2.1mm ID Barrel, Center Positive

External Switching Power Supply

90-230VAC/35W

Digital

Jitter

<20ps RMS, 20Hz-20kHz
Jitter Attenuation >60dB, 1ns in=>1ps out

PRESONUS FIRESTUDIO Demos ^top

Firestudio Tour

Watch a video overview of Firestudio

Watch a Video Overview of the FireStudio's Control Console

Watch Jars of Clay live with FireStudio

PRESONUS FIRESTUDIO Downloads ^top

Manual:

firestudio_manual.pdf
FireStudio manual v1.0 in PDF format

Drivers:

firestudio_pc.zip (PC Driver 1.0.98)
Release driver installation for PC users

firestudio_mac.dmg (Mac Driver 1.0.1)
Driver update corrects MIDI issues on some Macs.