Anybody ever try a Firepod?

who's_pearljam?

I think I'm about to pull the trigger on one.
The price has really gone down, to $499.00 with some sort of free gift.

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/244468.html

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/PreSonus-FIREPOD-10Channel-FireWire-Interface-with-Cubase-LE?sku=184131

8 inputs and it seems to get good reviews. I'm looking for a relatively portable recording set up and this could go straight to a laptop. I could make a portable carrying case for both of them and stay kind of portable.
Some of what I'll be doing will be recording kids in the hood down the street, and I have to be able to make a quick escape!

Anybody know anything about them? I saw Mboxes and all, but they only have one or two inputs, and cost more!

Nullifidian

Hey Who!

I'm not sure about that particular one but I have had a mess around with a really dirt cheap Behringer one! It seemed to work out great once we got a few bugs sorted out! A friend got it to record some drums, plugged it straight into a laptop and seemed to work out fine getting the glory of 8 mics recording his melodic beats. The quality seemed great too! (probally cause he spent more on drum mics though!)

I think they're good! But whats the free gift? That could make the sale!

ledhed43

i have never tried one but having researched the topic a lot, that is the one i picked out for my future purchase. if/when i get a real job and money to spend on it. i read a lot of good reviews and as long as you have a good computer it should be fine. but i havent ever played with one so i am also interested in hearing what anyone with personal experience has to say.

enharmonic

Yes. They are very nice for the money...probably the best bang for the buck under a grand.

who's_pearljam?

Yup, the price is right for something that has 8 inputs like that. If it works!

The only reservation I have is that it's Cubase, not Pro Tools compatible.

That means when I finally write something incredible, I'll have to follow through on Cubase for my billion selling CD, because a pro studio would laugh at me when I walked in the door!

Well, I guess that'll be THEIR loss!


Thanks!

I'm also looking at the M-box Pro, but then I'll need a bigger computer, and THEN I'll need a bodyguard with me down the street to record when I'm working with the kids!

enharmonic

who's_pearljam? wrote:

The only reservation I have is that it's Cubase, not Pro Tools compatible.

That means when I finally write something incredible, I'll have to follow through on Cubase for my billion selling CD, because a pro studio would laugh at me when I walked in the door!

Well, I guess that'll be THEIR loss!

Incorrect. Just cut all of your tracks as BWAV files, and you can get in and out of any DAW platform that's worth using. I use Cubase SX3, and have no trouble getting my tracks in and out of PTHD.

Any pro studio that laughs at Cubase is not a pro studio.

Nullifidian

enharmonic wrote:

Any pro studio that laughs at Cubase is not a pro studio.

Doesn't mean they still won't laugh at Who's! hehe

So Who are we going to hear your take on the world of gangster rap?

who's_pearljam?

enharmonic wrote:

Incorrect. Just cut all of your tracks as BWAV files, and you can get in and out of any DAW platform that's worth using. I use Cubase SX3, and have no trouble getting my tracks in and out of PTHD.

Any pro studio that laughs at Cubase is not a pro studio.

Thanks for that info, man. I've been playing guitar for maybe 40 years and after all that, I'm JUST getting around to figure out how to get it into a computer!
Cubase looks pretty user friendly to start with, and I figured there must be a way to make it work with Protools

Nullifidian wrote:

Doesn't mean they still won't laugh at Who's! hehe

So Who are we going to hear your take on the world of gangster rap?

That's a given that they laugh when I come in!! A real good friend of mine owns Indre Studio in Philly, but he put together a mobile recording truck and is out on the road now. That's a little high end for what I have in mind! He cracks up when I try to fool around with his studio.

It'll definitely be rap and hip hop from the kids around here!
My plan is to get the kids from the ghetto something different to do other than get recruited to sell dope on the corners. I have a little street cred here now, so I figured, what the hell. Give it a try!


I found this tonight, too. This actually might even be better for recording down there. I can run away faster with this, too!
http://www.fullcompass.com/product/331566.html

I don't think you can beat the price on that, either.

enharmonic

who's_pearljam? wrote:

Thanks for that info, man. I've been playing guitar for maybe 40 years and after all that, I'm JUST getting around to figure out how to get it into a computer!
Cubase looks pretty user friendly to start with, and I figured there must be a way to make it work with Protools

Cubase has its quirks...especially if you are switching over from being a ProTool user (as I was), but there are several things to like about it.

1. BWAV's...they're your friend, and will allow you to work with just about anyone
2. 32-bit floating point audio engine - IMHO superior to PTHD
3. You're not locked into Digidesign hardware, which while good, is certainly not the benchmark. Say you start with the Firepod, and discover that you had hidden engineering talents, or that you wanted to g into business as a studio? You could upgrade your front end and choose the best gear avalable today. Not so with the PT systems...though you can route external pre's and compressors through Digi hardware, there's an ongoing debate about the quality and resolution of Digi converters. For the money they charge at their higher end, there's really no excuse for them to offer anything less than industry standard kit.
4. Cost is a fraction of a comparable PT system
5. Steinberg invented the concept of VST (virtual studio technology..."plug-in's). They have the most transparent integration between recording engine and plug-in that i have seen...and I've logged many hours on a PTHD system. Cubase is crisp.

Having said that, NOTHING beats the PT editing for the money. If you plan on doing deep, surgical edits to your tracks, Cubase will take some learning. It can be done, but nowhere near as easily as it ca be done in PT.

who's_pearljam?

Thanks loads, Enharmonic.

I'm toying with the idea of getting a studio going, and if so, I'll probably take a course in digital. That initial learning curve to get over the computer hump is tough when you grow up in the analog years!

For now I'm just trying to get some things that are quick and easy for me, so when we work with the kids, I don't have to be fiddling around TOO much. All the fiddling around can go on later with the Cubase.

I think the Firepod and my older I-book and some mikes in a beat up looking case might just be the thing! We can get some levels and let'm rap.
Then if they DO get stolen or damaged, it's not thousands of dollars worth of stuff, but there's good quality if some good music DOES show up!

There's some real talent and we're hoping to show these kids that there are other ways to live than selling dope and carrying guns. Haha, I may regret this, but I feel like I should be helping somehow.

rarghrargh-brownstar

Totally dude. Back in '78 thats all I used. Just to warn you however, dont always go with the reviews- they can be misleading. 8 inputs isnt as great as 9.


Anyways, what youre doing FOR the kids is GREAT....Maybe all of us will start doing something similiar by just following your lead (lead guitar heh heh).

(sorry :( I will never write in here again)

Edit: no disrespect to the musicians here....I just get excited. I was just giving my friend a hard time-thats all. I like hearing about all of this stuff...even if i am not exactly sure what it means. Good luck to wp? and everyone.

who's_pearljam?

rarghrargh-brownstar wrote:

Totally dude. Back in '78 thats all I used. Just to warn you however, dont always go with the reviews- they can be misleading. 8 inputs isnt as great as 9.


Anyways, what youre doing FOR the kids is GREAT....Maybe all of us will start doing something similiar by just following your lead (lead guitar heh heh).

(sorry :( I will never write in here again)

Haha,,, Thanks for the advice! I'll look for a 9 input thingamabob.
That was a great album you did in '78, too, considering I do believe that year, you were but a twinkle in a couple of peoples' eyes!

harrisonmerwin

I'd also suggest the M-Audio Firewire 1814. it has 8 inputs as well. It is also compatable with M-Powered Protools which is Exactly the same as Protools 7.x LE with a built in M-Audio patch so you can use about 12 of thier products with it. The whole deal interface and software will run you about 700

who's_pearljam?

harrisonmerwin wrote:

I'd also suggest the M-Audio Firewire 1814. it has 8 inputs as well. It is also compatable with M-Powered Protools which is Exactly the same as Protools 7.x LE with a built in M-Audio patch so you can use about 12 of thier products with it. The whole deal interface and software will run you about 700

Thanks a lot, Harrison! Ha ha I'm getting totally confused but educated looking at these things, but it's about time I get acquainted with digital.
I was looking at them, and that seems like a good option, too.
Check out the freebies, too! A free Oscar Schmidt guitar, but I think they took off the free 120 gig harddrive as well.:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-FireWire-1814-Computer-Recording-Interface?sku=709201

Another option that I found. These apparently have better preamps, but only 4 inputs, which actually could work in my situation:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Mark-of-the-Unicorn-UltraLite-FireWire-Audio-Interface?sku=241880&src=3SOSWXXAT

Just FYI,
I have a friend who deals with BIG stuff, and has a mobile recording truck that makes me drool, although I would never know how to work that stuff!
I talked to him this weekend, and he doesn’t know much about little hme studio hings like these, but he DID say he’s one of these on occasion and are great for a small band on the road. The preamps are great in them, and you can use them as a stand alone mixer. It’s the MOTU Traveller:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Mark-of-the-Unicorn-Traveler-FireWire-Audio-Interface?sku=244780

This looks interesting as well:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Mark-of-the-Unicorn-8-Pre-Audio-Interface-?sku=240408

I'll just roll the dice and go for it!

who's_pearljam?

Well, I got my Firepod!


Ok, I installed all software, and updated all software,,,,, plugged in the Firepod and ,,,,,,,,, ta da,,,,
now I can't find it in my computer! Haha,,,I guess I have a ways to go to get into digital.
You gotta start learning somewhere.

It LOOKS nice though!

I think I'll go hire a 6 year old kid to teach me how to use it!

I got a nice deal from Samedaymusic. I called on the phone and the dude was a good guy, and really knowledgable. He even threw in a Faderport along with the Firepod because he liked the idea that I was going to be working with kids.
Then he took it upon himself to send it next day shipping for free so I didn't have to wait over the weekend. That's the first time I dealt with that company and I'm impressed!