macbook pro presonus firebox

nathan m · Post by **nathan m** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:14 am

I got a new macbook pro yesterday and have been busy trying to update software so I just got around to trying to plug my firebox into it today. I get nothing. not even the red light. the firebox works in my powerbook and the firewire port on my mbp was used to transfer files from my powerbook, so I assume that it works too.

I know that this is not ableton related, but thought that i would ask anyway. any thoughts?

thanks

nathan.

CR78 · Post by **CR78** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:57 am

It needs a jump start.

Plug in your Firebox's power cord then start your Mac. Light should turn solid blue.

Then unplug your power cord and the Firebox should still be solid blue; running off of the firewire buss.

If everything is fine try shutting down and restarting your Mac; Firebox light should,again, turn solid blue.

I just got my Firebox; using it on a Macbook Pro CD2 2.33GHZ.

Also works great as a converter for ripping Vinyl using the SPDIF out of my turntable into the Firebox. Amazing quality.

Hope this helps.

nathan m · Post by **nathan m** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 3:30 am

thanks. I don't understand why or how that works but it works.

mechcon · Post by **mechcon** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 4:01 am

apparently it's due to the limitation to voltage on the firewire ports when initially firing up hardware, in particular the firebox, as it requires more perhaps? there's a major discussion on the apple discussion forums..

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jsp ... 8&#4130498 here is one of them.

looks like a well-known fact, especially now with apple, and presonus.

I have one too, and I'm planning to get a macbook pro soon, and I dont care about the problem either, I'll live with it.

DJ VAKIS · Post by **DJ VAKIS** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 4:44 am

No problems here,works OK on my macbookpro coreduo 2Ghz.

jyang · Post by **jyang** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 6:21 am

Yeah I have the same problem. I was pretty annoyed to begin with, because who wouldn't want a working bus powered interface...? Bus power is a pretty sweet feature...

The MBP can't provide enough voltage to the firebox to begin with, due to a safety mechanism in the firewire bus... There are other interfaces that are supposed to be bus powered that have the same problem - I think the RME 400 also had an issue - but RME fixed up something on their side and it works ok now. Presonus never did anything about it though - except to say that it was due to the way Apple designed their firewire bus power... Hopefully the next MBP will work better, or just work like it should.

I have run into noise problems and a static hum sometimes when I have used the firebox after unplugging the power... Weird. I just leave it plugged into the power all the time now, but I can imagine the extra inconvenience when location recording, or being somewhere without power... BUT if you are in a place with no power - and you need a workaround you can jump start the firebox with 8 AA batteries or something equivalent to around 12 Volts...

spiral · Post by **spiral** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 8:43 am

i get a hum on my firebox when i plug in my external HD into firewire chain..something isn't earthed right somewhere i guess

Svetla · Post by **Svetla** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 3:12 pm

i was going to geto ne of these, but now i am worried about the hum, i used to get a hum with my m-audio mobilepre...
how often is the hum, and how is the quality of the pre-amps? same as presonus tube pre?

DJ VAKIS · Post by **DJ VAKIS** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 3:20 pm

I am sorry guys but what problems do you have?Because i have a macbookpro coreduo 2Ghz and a presonus firebox,and it works fine.Even with out the powersupply,only with firewire bus.I do have also an external HD firewire.No problems.

Novel · Post by **Novel** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 3:29 pm

I think the problem is with the Core 2 Duo models, more recent line update..

SubFunk · Post by **SubFunk** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 4:18 pm

Novel wrote:I think the problem is with the Core 2 Duo models, more recent line update..

use the search function, i posted already a complete list in a similar thread of all mac laptop models which have problems starting the firebox via firewire and which not.

lummux · Post by **lummux** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:44 pm

DJ VAKIS wrote:I am sorry guys but what problems do you have?Because i have a macbookpro coreduo 2Ghz and a presonus firebox,and it works fine.Even with out the powersupply,only with firewire bus.I do have also an external HD firewire.No problems.

I'm guessing your machine is the 15" Macbook Pro Core Duo.

I have the 17" version, and also the dubious honour of being the person that discovered this. It happens on the 17" model onwards (inc all Core 2 Duo models).

Presonus have said that they will NOT fix this, though newer versions may include a fix.

Annoys the hell out of me, so much so that I'm going to sell the Firebox and get an Ultralite