Small USB2 equivalent of Echo AudioFire2

robin · Post by **robin** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:31 pm

Suggestions?

I need two stereo outs (one a headphone out), MIDI, One stereo input.

Apple are a proper bunch of divs and have no firewire on the new Macbooks and no small MBP either.

e.maynard · Post by **e.maynard** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:49 pm

That's a drag.

If it were me, I'd get a Expresscard Firewire card.
This would actually have the added benefit of being on a different bus that you HD and and external USB2 HD. About $40.00 (US)

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/usb/add- ... mcia-cards

robin · Post by **robin** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:52 pm

No ExpressCard on Macbook either.

Apple have dropped the ball this time.

...I'm not cheap btw, I'd happily buy a small MBP.

robleighton22 · Post by **robleighton22** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:19 pm

robin wrote:No ExpressCard on Macbook either.

Apple have dropped the ball this time.

...I'm not cheap btw, I'd happily buy a small MBP.

motu 828 mkII or mkIII usb. fantastic sounding beasts of a soundcard. i got my mkII for £300, which isnt too bad. u might be able to get it even cheaper than that now the mkIII is out. i use mine wiv vista, but motu is made for macs. plus its got loads of outputs and inputs (9 stereo, if i remember correctly). could b too big tho. def worth the price.

robin · Post by **robin** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:23 pm

Thanks but it has to be Audiofire2 sized. It need to be small to fit in my custom enclosure that also has my Faderfoxes.

The NIO is even too big. I suspect there isn't an option here.

e.maynard · Post by **e.maynard** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:24 pm

I just looked at the new "lineup" of macbooks.
Pretty lame. Only 2 options?

I'd hold off or buy a earlier model on the cheap.
What giant improvement have they made on the new books?

robin · Post by **robin** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:37 pm

I've promised this Blackbook to my wife.

I just wish there was a small MBP or bleeding firewire on the macbook.

Kodama · Post by **Kodama** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:39 pm

How about the presonus or edirol USB 2 boxes?

robin · Post by **robin** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:43 pm

The audiobox usb looks ok but it's massive compared with the Audiofire2.

stutter · Post by **stutter** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:07 pm

that thing's tiny ... good luck.

...unhelpful: another way of saying - I can't think of anything, I don't think there is anything. NIO would have been my suggestion, which you've already discounted. Presonus Audiobox, NI Audio Kontrol 1, E-MU 02 are the ones I can think of. Numark do one to, but i'm not sure I'd trust it. All are bigger than that... roughly similar dimensions I would guess. Time to get DIY on your enclosure perhaps.

beats me · Post by **beats me** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:10 pm

NI Audio Kontrol. That will do it.

robin · Post by **robin** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:10 pm

Yep. Well, more DIY

I dunno the other option is not buy Apple. Unthinkable I know

robin · Post by **robin** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:13 pm

beats me wrote:NI Audio Kontrol. That will do it.

I supect that's the closest I'll get. It's pretty big but it might be the compromise I have to take.

sroom3000 · Post by **sroom3000** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:56 pm

haa! I just hit the web with the EXACT same problem. Have an Audiofire2, want a new macbook, no firewire. It's pretty lame that they have dropped the firewire port from the macbook line. I bet we'll see a whole new crop of USB 2.0 interfaces now.

e.maynard · Post by **e.maynard** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:30 pm

sroom3000 wrote:haa! I just hit the web with the EXACT same problem. Have an Audiofire2, want a new macbook, no firewire. It's pretty lame that they have dropped the firewire port from the macbook line. I bet we'll see a whole new crop of USB 2.0 interfaces now.

I bet Apple will put Firewire ports back on in rev. B.
Target Disk mode, Video cameras, tens of thousands of FW external drives etc.

Everyone is pissed. They'll put the ports back.