The FireStudio Project a complete 24-bit/96K professional recording system combining eight Class A XMAX microphone preamplifiers - 24-bit/96k sample rate conversion - zero-latency matrix router mixer - and the PreSonus ProPak Software Suite featuring Steinberg's Cubase LE 4 48-track recording and production software - over 25 real-time plug-in effects (EQ's - compressors - reverbs) - and more than 2 GB of drum loops and samples.

 

Whether you need to record a live drum set - mic a guitar amp - or a complete band - the FireStudio Project is ready and more than able. With the new FireControl Mixer/Router you can send up to five individual mixes to different musicians during recording so that every band member can have a custom headphone mix.

 

The FireStudio Project can be daisy-chained with one or more FireStudio Projects or FireStudio Tubes to expand your number of recording inputs. Two and three units daisy-chained in any combination has been tested at PreSonus - however - the total number of units that can be daisy-chained depends on your computer's processor speed - amount of RAM and computer configuration

 

The FireStudio Project is the next-generation of the award-winning FP10/FirePod with the following improvements:

 

* Improved analog to digital converters (114dB dynamic range)
* Improved syncronization with JetPLL^TM (jitter elimination technology)
* FireControl Mixer/Router to send up to five separate zero-latency stereo mixes to musicians during recording
* Three-segment LED input metering on all analog channels
* Internal IEC-based power supply
* ProPak v3 software suite with Cubase LE 4 - BFD Lite - Wave Arts Plug-ins - Cubase LE 4 Demysitified Tutorial DVD video and more.

 

8 XMAX Class A Preamplifiers

The FireStudio Project includes eight custom-designed high-voltage - discrete - XMAX Class A microphone preamplifiers for all types of microphones. 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.

Digital Converters and JetPLL Sync

The FireStudio Tube touts A/D/A converters with a dynamic range of over 114dB for unbelievable clarity as well as synchronization using patented JetPLL^TM jitter reduction technology. JetPLL^TM incorporates noise shaping to virtually remove all audio band jitter. JetPLL^TM ensures the highest converter performance possible - resulting in better stereo separation and clearer more transparent audio. JetPLL^TM 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^TM ensures near perfect clock performance when networking audio devices - thus creating the most stable and robust synchronization to the computer.

 

FireControl - Zero Latency DSP Mixing/Routing

The FireStudio Project also includes the FireControl mixer/router a 18x10 DSP mixer/router for flexible mixing and direct routing any input to any output including the headphone output - with zero latency. The FireControl software application lives between your FireStudio Project interface and your DAW software enabling the mixing and routing of input streams coming into your FireStudio Studio Project interface and playback stream coming from your DAW software.

 

The FireControl is capable of creating up to five stereo mixes and then routing to the outputs of your FireStudio Project 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 Project is loaded with internal flash memory so that all FireControl settings are saved and recalled in the FireStudio Project 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!

Free ProPak Software Suite (ver. 3) Included

 

* Cubase LE 4 48-track music recording and production software
* Cubase LE 4 Demystified by PreSonus - DVD tutorial video on how to use Cubase LE 4
* Wave Arts TrackPlug LE - EQ and Compressor plug-in
* Wave Arts Masterverb LE - Reverb plug-in
* PreSonus EyeQ - EQ and spectral analysis plug-in
* Audio Damage- FuzzPlus2 - Filterpod plug-ins
* Pluggo Jr. - Average Injector - Chamberverb - Feedback Network - Filter Taps - Generic Effect - HF Ring Mod - Jet - Limi - Nebula - Resonation - Resosweep - Spectral Filter.
* Camel Crusher - Distortion Compressor plug-in
* BFD Lite - Virtual Studio Drummer
* Discrete Drums Sampler- over 1GB of drum loops and drum samples
* Twiddly bits - 100 MIDI drum loops created by real drummers

Computer System Requirements
Below are the minimum computer system requirements for your FireStudio Project.

Windows

 

* OS: Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and Vista 32
* 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 (10.5 supported with driver update)
* 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.

Known compatible and incompatible hardware

 

Microphone Preamp
Type XLR Female Balanced
Frequency Response (±0.5 dB) 20 Hz to 50 kHz
Frequency Response (±3.0 dB) 20 Hz to 150 kHz
Input Impedance (Balanced) 1600 Ω
THD+N (unwtd - 1kHz @ +4 dBu Output - Unity Gain < 0.0003%
EIN (unwtd - 55dB Gain - 150 Ω Input - 20Hz to 22kHz -126 dBu
S/N Ratio (Unity Gain - unwtd - Ref. = +4 dBu - 20Hz to 22 kHz > 101dB
Common Mode Rejection Ratio (1 kHz - 55 dB Gain) > 55dB
Gain Control Range (± 1dB) -4 dB to 50dB

Maximum Input Level (Unity Gain - 1 kHz @ 0.5% THD+N) +14 dBu
Signal Level LEDS
Red / Clip (±0.5 dB)
Yellow (±0.5 dB)
Green (±0.5 dB)
+10 dBu (o dBFS)
+4 dBu (-6 dBFS)
-30 dBu (-40 dBFS)
Phantom Power (±2 VDC) +48 VDC
Instrument Input (channels 1 & 2 only)
Type XLR Female Balanced
Input Impedance 1 MΩ
Line Inputs
Type XLR Female Balanced
Frequency Response (±0.5 dB) 20 Hz to 50 kHz
Frequency Response (±3.0 dB) 20 Hz to 150 kHz
Input Impedance (Balanced) 10 KΩ
THD+N (unwtd - 1kHz @ +4 dBu Output - Unity Gain < 0.0003%
S/N Ratio (Unity Gain - unwtd - Ref. = +4 dBu - 20Hz to 22 kHz > 101dB
Gain Control Range (±1 dB) -16dB to +16dB
Maximum Input Level (Unity Gain - 1 kHz @ 0.5% THD+N) +10 dBu
Maximum Input Level (Minimum Gain - 1 kHz @ 0.5% THD+N) +22 dBu
Line Ouputs (including Preamp Output - General Purpose Outputs and Main Outputs)

Type ¼" TRS Balanced
Output Impedance 51 Ω
Headphone Output
Type ¼" TRS Active Stereo
Maximum Output 150 mW/CH @ 60 Ω Load
Frequency Response (±1.0 dB) 10 Hz - 70kHz

Digital Audio
FireWire (IEEE 1394) Speed 400mbps
ADC Dynamic Range (Awtd - 48 kHz Sample Rate) 114 dB
DAC Dynamic Range (Awtd - 48 kHz Sample Rate) 114 dB
Bit Depth 24
Reference Level for 0dBFS +10 dBu
Internal Sample Frequency Selections (kHz) 44.1 - 48 - 88.2 - 96
Jitter Specification <20ps RMS - 20Hz-20kHz
Jitter Attenuation >60dB; 1ns in approx.1ps out
Power
Input Connector Type IEC
Input Voltage (factory configured) 90 to 230 VAC
Power Requirements (Continuous) 20W
Physical
Main Chassis
Package Type 1U - steel chassis
Dimensions 19(W) X 1.75(H) X 7(D) inches
Weight 7.0lbs