ECHO Audiofire 12: Opinions?

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LSRR
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ECHO Audiofire 12: Opinions?

Post by LSRR » Wed Oct 08, 2014 7:55 am

Planning on getting one of these soon, not going to have a *real* console for a while, planning on using Echo's virtual "Console" software for routing headphone monitoring. Running Logic 8, Mac 10.6.8. Have a bunch of good mic pre's.

Any downsides, particularly with regards to headphone monitoring?

http://echoaudio.com/products/audiofire-12
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curtiswyant
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Post by curtiswyant » Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:24 am

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=83628

Yes. I just sold mine for a Focusrite Saffire box.

The routing is not good. I ended up using an external line mixer to sum zero-latency inputs and DAW playback (two pairs of outputs on the Audiofire) into a single headphone out. Really annoying and inflexible.

You might be able to monitor through your DAW but this will introduce latency. I'm much happier with the Focusrite stuff.

Btw, if you check Echo's website, they are restructuring to focus on AVB. Not sure if this will impact compatibility with new hardware/software going forward, but I could imagine there being less support and no updated drivers sometime in the future.

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Post by LSRR » Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:41 am

That's my thinking: A line/mic mixer in control room, where the inputs vs. playback monitoring mix would take place (those two feeds routed via the Echo Console software), plus talkback, etc... ... any wisdom in that idea, or bad idea?

And, yeah, this could be a legacy item soon. But it fits in with everything I'm running, as far as I can see. Still Firewired here, and these boxes are running at a fairly reasonable price.

MUCHO THX
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curtiswyant
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Post by curtiswyant » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:24 am

Yeah, that's how I had mine setup. In the console, I set inputs 1-6 to hardware output 3, 7-12 to hardware output 4, etc., then you can mix them with a line mixer for headphone monitoring. So effectively you could create any combination of inputs to monitor through a hardware output.

I used a Roland M120 line mixer...12 channels, stereo, with 2 aux sends and pan on each channel, in 1 rack space.

Good luck. You can chain together multiple Audiofires, too. Heard that works pretty well!

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Post by LSRR » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:34 am

Yes, courtesy of the word clock BNC's.

Thanks!!!
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Post by getreel » Tue Jan 27, 2015 8:01 am

I have 2 Audiofire 12s daisy chained with firewire and wordclock. The routing isn't an issue for me as I always used analog consoles with them. They sound very good too and drivers were fine......BUT....after 4 years they wouldn't turn on consistently and started having firewire glitches. Now they need repair which to me is not good for a 5 year old piece of gear with no moving parts.

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Post by vivalastblues » Tue Jan 27, 2015 6:28 pm

I've had one for about a year and no real problems. There were a couple of times where the software was doing weird stuff and I had to reinstall a different version of it. It also occasionally causes my imac to restart when I turn it on. Y'know, the usual digital shit.

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