Topic: Echo AudioFire 4 good for standalone use?!

[sunjan]

I've seen AudioFire 4 mentioned for lappy taping, but I just got confirmed from Echo tech support that it's also good for standalone use (using a 12V external battery).

Did anyone here try this?

How does the AF4 stand up against other similar devices like the UA-5? Does it have any advantages: smaller, more versatile, better sound?
From reading the specs it seems that you can get a proper 4 channel matrix pull - provided you have the right bit bucket to dump the signal to...

http://www.echoaudio.com/products/FireWire/AudioFire4/index.php

I see it retailing for $249, so I figured it could be a decent entry alternative to the UA-5:
http://www.fotoconnection.com/p59125-echo-audiofire-4-6-6-out-portable-firewire-audio-interface.html

[illconditioned]

I read the SOS review.  It seems phantom power requires software to enable/disable.  Maybe it is on by default, if you're lucky.  Or maybe the box remembers your settings on power down.

My opinion is that if you're going to carry an extra box around, it probably makes sense to get the best, either V3 or Apogee MiniME.  But that is just me...

  Richard

[sunjan]

I read the SOS review.  It seems phantom power requires software to enable/disable. 

You're right, that's a major design flaw! Didn't think of it...

My opinion is that if you're going to carry an extra box around, it probably makes sense to get the best, either V3 or Apogee MiniME.  But that is just me...

Agreed, but neither of those boxes are entry level gear, the retail price is 4-6 times higher. I'm trying to convince some friends to get into taping, and there's no way they'll fork out +$1K on their first rig.

[illconditioned]

I read the SOS review.  It seems phantom power requires software to enable/disable. 

You're right, that's a major design flaw! Didn't think of it...

My opinion is that if you're going to carry an extra box around, it probably makes sense to get the best, either V3 or Apogee MiniME.  But that is just me...

Agreed, but neither of those boxes are entry level gear, the retail price is 4-6 times higher. I'm trying to convince some friends to get into taping, and there's no way they'll fork out +$1K on their first rig.

I think the Sony PCM-D50 is great.  Just get an external phantom box and go into that.  Use the Sony with builtin mics, plugin (stealth) mics, or condensors.  One box solution!  I just don't expect any better sound unless you step up to "professional" gear...

  Richard

[TNJazz]

Another entry level option might be the Mackie Onyx Satellite.  You can find them for right around $100 used.  Amazing preamps for the price.  Only drawback is it's analog and firewire only (no digital).  Still, it's going to have better preamps stock than anything else out there in the sub-$300 price range (miles better than the UA5)...

[sunjan]

I read the SOS review.  It seems phantom power requires software to enable/disable.  Maybe it is on by default, if you're lucky.  Or maybe the box remembers your settings on power down.

Hey Richard,

I wrote back to Echo tech support, and this is what they say:

From "Echo Digital Audio" <sales@echoaudio.com> :
   You connect the AF4 to the computer and turn the Phantom Power on in the Echo Console. This also goes for any other settings. When you close the console, this is saved to flash memory in the AF4. These settings are ready to go then without the computer.

Ken

Interesting - this means that the AF4 is a viable alternative to the UA-5 or Fast Track Pro.
I wonder how the sound quality stands up against either of them?

I could pair it up with an MTII and possibly mix the four channels into a 2-channel matrix. Or run it in front of a laptop and record four channel proper.

TNJazz  - thanks for the tip about the Mackie Onyx Satellite. There's been very little said about it here, i think it warrants a thread of its own:
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,115258.0.html