Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP Reviews

4.8/5.0 based on 9 customer reviews

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Customer Reviews

Mike
from central Ohio
October 3, 2012

VRM is very Good

I recently downgraded to a smaller system. I had previously owned a Focusrite Octo Pre so the familliar preamps on this were a plus. This does alot in a small package! My main reason for purchasing was because the preamps and the VRM. The VRM is a very nice tool to have. I did notice however that with different sets of headphones it sounds different. Better quality phones will produce much better results. A cheap set of ATM 50's got blown away by a nice set of Shure SHR440's. This one is definitely worth the extra $$$ for the added VRM and FX. If your on the fence about getting this one or another interface with more mic preamps, do yourself a favor. Get this first and then add an adat equipped pre later.

Steve Kelly
from Sugar Land, TX
August 9, 2012Music Background:
Recording engineer, voice talent, producer

Excellent processor

This small portable unit is everything you could want and more. The software package allows incredible molding of your audio prior to being recorded into your DAW. The smooth eq and mic pre's from Focusrite make it the perfect traveling companion.

arnold d
from Portsmoutn, VA, USA
October 29, 2011

Even better than I expected!

When I ordered this interface I had extremely high expectations but once I got it hooked up and started playing with it a bit I can't believe how good the mic pres sound and how much control the mixer gives. If you are looking for an interface in the $500 range with a small footprint and a lot of expandability then don't waste your money on anything else! Thanks goes out to Andy Miller who got it out to me in 3 days, regular shipping!

Ian Patrick Marshall
from Los Angeles, California
October 6, 2011Music Background:
Professional Recording Engineer, Producer, Musician

This this is awesome, and sounds amazing

I'm blown away by this interface. Incredible value and sound! I already owned an Apogee Ensemble but needed a portable interface to bring with me during my travels. After much research I decided on this unit. There is a lot to be said about the I/O possibilities of this thing.

I've been using it during recording sessions in my Hollywood studio, and as the centerpiece to my electronic production rig.

For tracking bands I use it in conjunction with my Ensemble which i connect through the ADAT input. The 2 mic pres on are fantastic, they see just as much use as my API and Ensemble pres and the front metering is great. We have a DBX channel strip that we connect to the SPDIF input, and that still leaves 2 line level analog inputs on the back open for more mic pres.

My production rig currently consists of Ableton live, Korg R3, and EMu XL7 synthesizers, as well as a turntable for sampling vinyl. Plugging the R3 synth into inputs 3 and 4 and setting those inputs to INSTRUMENT in the saffire mix control gives the synth just the right amount of gain and an incredibly neutral sound. I plug the XL7 synth digitally into the SPDIF input, and use the front panel mic/line inputs for sampling vinyl, or recording vocals. With that all my bases are covered without even needing an external mixer.

It took me a few sessions to get my head around the power of the Mix Control software, but once I did it has been indispensable for digitally routing audio all over the place, as well as providing flexible control over headphone mixes.

I've barely gotten a chance to use the VRM monitoring but that alone is a $100 value.

Tons of inputs, 2 headphone amplifiers, VRM, mix control, 2 mic pres with eq and compression, selectable line/instrument analog ins (more valuable then u know), and front metering for the analog ins, WOW!!

This thing is pro!, and did i mention the build quality is outstanding...

oneday2one
from asheville, nc
July 28, 2010Music Background:
hobbyist for several years.

pro 24 dsp

so far works flawlessly, ... software definitely a plus, including the focusrite effects plugins.
VRM extremely interesting, ... doesn't sound 'nice', but on certain settings definitely reveals flaws that any headphones would never be able to reveal, ... not to mention effortless cross referencing.

Cami
from Brooklyn, NY
March 14, 2010

Virtual Reference Monitoring !!

Focusrite pre-amps sound quality is incredible, but the VRM (virtual reference monitoring) was the main buying reason.

For 3 years I used the Saffire LE but mixing was always trouble because most of the time I have to work with headphones (small apartment in Brooklyn) and the acoustics of my home studio are not optimal when working with speakers.

VRM allows me to continue to work with headphones (AKG 701) but I can "hear" like if I was working with speakers at a professional studio. It's really amazing !!

beside

The Big Bully Organization
from Phoenix, AZ
November 4, 2010Music Background:
Jack of All Trades

Perfect for those on a budget

The Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP is an awesome interface!!! The only reason I gave it a 4.5 is because of the large list of incompatible firewire cards. This is my first piece of firewire gear though, so maybe Im being a little to critical. I did purchase a Lacie Card for under $20. This interface blows away my previous out dated Tascam US-144LE. I like the 2 headphone outs on the front and both take advantage of the VRM feature. Also I know its little, but I like the fact that the monitor and the headphone volume knobs function independently, so no more up and down to turn my speakers on and off during recording sessions. The Vol Meter could have been a little larger, but who needs that when you use Saffire Mix Control? This thing has the most flexible routing options I have ever dealt with in an interface. And you can save upto 8 differant mix settings. I could go on and on for hrs about this interface but I think you should stop wasting time and go pick one up, trust me, you wont regret this one.

Bear
from Coudersport, Pa USA
August 27, 2010Music Background:
Worship leader, recording, live sound, approx. 10 years

A great interface for the rest of us.

I would love to have a nice studio with great reference monitors and great rooms for recording and monitoring. What I have is a small square room with no door and 3 & 4 yr old grand kids running around and a busy wife. I have to wait until after every one goes to bed to record in my "studio". Occasionally I take my setup out to record singer/sonwriters and acoustic duets. Thanks to VRM and my Audio-Technica ATH=M50s I can monitor, mix, and edit any time. I can't comment on how accurate VRM models their list of monitors having never used any of them, but I can say VRM makes a big difference. I prefer the American Yellow Cone pro (KRK) setting. VRM is now available on both headphones.

The pres are great. I think you would have to spend a LOT more to top them. A while back I had the chance to compare them side by side with Onyx pres on a 400F. I owned them both and was not rushed. I really like the onyx pres. Nice and warm, but in the end the Saffire's detail just barely edged out the Onyx. Both are quiet and have good headroom.

I like that I can use this live for solo gigs. I can send a mono feed to the mains with or without reverb, yet record clean via firewire, and monitor clean or reverb'd in ear with my Shure E3s.

I would like to see a variation of this unit that swaps the ADAT and MIDI for two more combos with pres and DI. I understand that the majority probably want all the capabilities of ADAT and MIDI, but many of us are primarily concerned with acoustic or acoustic/electric instruments and vocals. My 2nd choice would be if they just allowed the line ins to be switched to DI. You can use the high gain setting on the line ins and plug a guitar into them, at least with my guitar (Martin with LR Baggs M1 active) the sound is much more harsh. But that's what I have to do when my wife joins me. It works, but could be better. The loop back etc is great when there are singers singing with pre-recorded tracks (very common in churches). The only other thing I'd like to see is some sort of mic stand adapter so I can place it where I need it on those solo gigs.

Sebastian
from Bs As, Argentina
June 13, 2011Music Background:
Musician, Amateur recording engeneer.

Exellent product

I don't want to repeat what's already in other reviews. I agree with almost every other user, this is a great product and on OSX has rock solid drivers.
If it helps:
The thing you can hear most doubts or complaints about is preamp volume and noise, you can read a lot about it in forums. But as one should know this posts are usually written by people that spend too much time posting and not much actually recording.
In my opinion, in the real world with proper recording techniques you won't find it problem at all. Unless you are expecting it to perform like a top of the line interface, which obviously you wont get unless you are willing to spend another kind of money. I mean, for the price I don't think it gets better than this.