Contents
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Getting Started Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Step 1: Sequencer Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Step 2: Driver and Software Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Front panel facilities and controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Rear Panel Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Recording and monitoring a source using Saffire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Soundcard (S/CARD) mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
SaffireControl: Session Management & Advanced Settings
Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Main application window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Input stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Amp Sim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Balancing tracks from the sequencer/recording platform . . . . .12
Processing/mixing of stereo outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Foldback reverb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
AU/VST Reverb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Stereo link button controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Software settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Saffire Signal Flow Diagram - Dual Mono Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Introduction
Saffire is a highly sophisticated Firewire interfacing solution that
represents Focusrite s many years of manufacturing for the recording
industry, enabling a desktop I/O box to transport the project studio
recording engineer one giant step closer to the professional studio
experience. The powerful onboard processing within Saffire, running
SaffireControl and its plug-in suite, can truly provide everything the
modern engineer needs to navigate through a typical recording
session. Quality Focusrite front-end design combines with stylish
software, offering effects processing of the incoming audio and
foldback reverb on any of the separate headphone/monitor outputs,
to ensure that artists are kept happy and audio is tracked to the
highest standard possible.
The essential settings, such as the mic/line/inst select and the gain of
the inputs as well as the level of the two separate headphone mixes
and monitor feed, can all be adjusted from the front of the hardware
itself. Additional buttons are provided to dim and mute the monitors
and select a MIDI Thru action for the MIDI ports. All other settings are
controlled simply and easily within the accompanying software,
SaffireControl.
With Saffire, Focusrite have reached a milestone in audio interfacing,
meaning that the engineer can find all the tools he/she needs in a small
desktop box to track high quality audio from multiple artists, apply EQ
and/or compression as required and independently mix stereo feeds
with reverb to numerous sources. Having such comprehensive
features readily accessible, Saffire makes conducting a modern
recording session easy and fun.
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