High-quality circuitry, practical versatility, and a generous software package make you more productive and deliver great sound.
The FireStudio Project is a premium computer recording interface combining 8 Class A XMAX mic preamps, 24-bit/96kHz audio resolution, a zero-latency matrix DSP router/mixer, and Studio One Artist software. Great for professional studio recording, live recording, performance, podcasting and more, the PreSonus FireStudio Project is designed for flexibility and ultra-high sonic performance. Speaking of flexibility, the FireStudio Project interface can be daisy-chained to any other member of PreSonus' FireStudio series products (except the FP10).
Note: As of 5/26/09, you can make your FireStudio Project 64-bit compatible via a PreSonus web update.
Based on the award-winning FP10 (formerly the FirePod) the FireStudio Project starts with eight PreSonus Class A XMAX microphone preamplifiers found in the FP10 and adds the following improvements:
•Improved analog to digital converters (114dB dynamic range) for more headroom and cleaner sound
•Improved synchronization with JetPLL (jitter elimination technology) for more accurate sound
•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 for instant audio feedback
•Internal IEC-based power supply for easy portability and compatibility
•Studio One Artist music creation and production software which has the same platform and intuitive interface as Studio One Pro but with an unlimited track count, BFD Lite, Wave Arts Plug-ins, and more
XMAX Class A Preamplifiers
The FireStudio Project starts with eight custom-designed high-voltage, discrete, XMAX Class A microphone preamplifiers. PreSonus knows that your preamps are a key component in the sonic quality of your recordings. 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 preamp found in most interfaces translates into thin, noisy, and harsh results. With the XMAX preamp you get full-sounding, true-to-life sonic performance to serve your music best.
DICE II and JetPLL advanced platform technology
The FireStudio Project is loaded with the ultra-powerful DICE II FireWire chipset delivering 10 channels of professional-quality 24-bit inputs and outputs simultaneously. The strength of the DICE II chip lies with its ability to easily handle high channel count at high bit-rate while minimizing latency and load on your computer.
The synchronization of the FireStudio Project 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 Project.
FireControl—zero-latency DSP mixing and routing
The FireStudio Project also includes the FireControl mixer/router: an 18x10 DSP-based application for flexible mixing and direct routing of 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. It allows you to provide everyone in the band with 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 standalone 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 preamplifier.
Studio One Artist—Plus Gigabytes of Creative Resources
The FireStudio Mobile recording system is bundled with an exceptional software package featuring PreSonus Studio One Artist DAW software for Mac OS X and Windows XP and Vista. It makes producing high-quality projects easier than ever before. As part of the Studio One Artist package, you get 20 new PreSonus Native Effects plug-ins and virtual instruments, and a generous bundle of third-party loops, software, and instrument sounds.
This is a great piece of equipment for the amateur/newbie recording engineer. I've been using this for 2 years now with Steinberg Nuendo and it hasn't given me any serious problems. This thing comes with plenty of inputs to record drums, 48v for your condensers, 8 outputs for separate monitor mixes, MIDI in/out, and supports 96k. I never use the "FireControl" mixer as I find using the software's monitoring to be more efficient, but it's a nice feature to have. Although it does randomly disconnect (which is easily solved by powering it off and on) it's very stable when recording ALL 8 tracks at once. This thing hasn't let me down yet.
Although!
I'm getting to that point where I'm dissatisfied with the preamps. I just can't seem to get any big or warm sounds out of them and there is NO way bypass them. If I wanted to run an expensive preamp through it, it's tone would be diminished by the interface's preamps. Also a big drawback in my opinion is that you cannot expand with this particular unit. The regular FireStudio supports ADAT which you can use to add another 8 inputs with the Digimax allowing you to mic EVERYTHING on that drum kit. I'd love to invest more money into my studio but this unit seems to be a dead end investment. Can't upgrade, can't expand, and can't bypass the mediocre peamps.
Overall it's a great product for what it is. It's a great introductory interface to get your feet wet. If you're planning to do some more professional stuff later, I would HIGHLY suggest saving the extra money for the FireStudio Tube, as it has line inputs to use better quality peamps when you can put out the cheese for them.
And to whom it concerns, I'm using Windows XP Home on a custom built computer with 2.4ghz quad-core pocessor, 2gb ram, and 1tb of disk space. Not sure how this interface would behave on a Mac.
The lesson to take home: Thin sounding preamps with no way around them!
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Professional Quality Excellent Price
Posted by Bobby Blackwell from Raleigh, N.C. on Nov 15, 2009
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Engineering Student
Reviewer's Play Style: Hip Hop / RnB
The Presonus FireStudio Project is built solid with ultra quiet high quality mic pres on board. The warmth and power coming from these mic pres are impeccable. The software interfacing for the FSP is easy to use and understand. I use to use the M Audio MobilePre USB for about three years. I knew I needed an upgrade, and I realized that I needed to reach the next level and not break the bank. The Presouns FireStudio Project brought my project studio experience to the next level. Now my mix downs translate better and more consistently. I also enjoy having the availability i/o when I need them. Now my project studio is not as limited to whether I ‘m by myself or inviting other artist in for a sessions. And the fact that each member can hear their own personal mix, up to five musicians is great. It also comes bundled with Cubase LE 4 professional DAW software to get you up and running right out of the box. I use Cakewalk SONAR 8 on Windows XP Professional SP3 and it works great. Remember with any hardware or software that you are looking to buy, make sure that you check the specifications, to see if they are compatible with your operating system and computer hardware. This product is on the money, do the research.
If I had to do it again I would.
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Amazing
Posted by Agreatgame from St. Catharines, ON on Aug 5, 2009
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Recording Engineer, Active Musician
Reviewer's Play Style: Rock, Metal, Country, Folk, Latin, etc...
To all that people who says it's not worth, or the vocal is only a tiny wave or whatever, My only advice is: learn how to use it!!, it works amazing for me, the preamps are warm and very clean, dont blame your interfaces if you're using the wrong mics or cables, It worked perfect in Leopard, without even a driver update. Overall.. works perfect for me!!
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high shrills
Posted by bigangbo from Tampa Bay FLorida on Jun 13, 2009
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Active Musician and recordist
Reviewer's Play Style: Rock......Pop.....country...Progressive
All I get on vocal recording is high shrills with small tiny waves and very low volume monitor of the vocal in my monitors while recording. Making vocals loud so you can hear yourself sing and it distorts with again still small waves and no where near any indication of clipping on any meters....for over 6 months presonus has had me update drivers, change my firewire card and add another card.....nothing works..nor can I use the mixer while running my DAW ( nuendo 3.2 ), playbacks are great just recording vocals I cannot get clean as they claim I should and I am now trying to exchange out to musicians friend for presonus had me waste all this time trying different fixes the 45 day rule is long gone......too much trouble for a unit at this cost.all the mixer controls mean nothing if you cannot watch and adjust on fly..everytime I am using DAW the mixer disappears and when I open DAW stops working until I minimize the mixer.....UGH !!! Sorry but Presonus needs better support and not to always assume it is a PC problem by the consumer...sometimes things are just not compatible even though all points that they should be....Presonus now wants me at my cost to ship to them to check out...I just believe for what ever the reason it is just not compatable with my nuendo DAW or my system, running XP . Yes no latency which is great but frustrating if I cannot get clean vocals....do not sing loud I guess.......
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THANK YOU PRESONUS!
Posted by HardRKR from Natchez, MS on May 28, 2009
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Active Musician
Reviewer's Play Style: Rock
Just got the Firestudio Project running on my Vista64 system. Thank you Presonus for putting out drivers that work! You have to download them from the presonus website but it only took about 5 minutes and I was done. The preamps are exactly what I expect from Presonus. Very nice headroom and a beefy sound. A+++++++
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