Focusrite Saffire PRO 14 User Manual
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Focusrite Saffire PRO 14 User Manual

Professional multi-channel firewire interface
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Saffire PRO 14
User Guide
FA0415-01
1

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Summary of Contents for Focusrite Saffire PRO 14

  • Page 1 Saffire PRO 14 User Guide FA0415-01...

  • Page 2: Important Safety Instructions

    Important Safety Instructions Read these instructions. Keep these instructions. Heed all warnings. Follow all instructions. Do not use this apparatus near water. Clean only with dry cloth. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

  • Page 3: Important Safety Precautions

    Do not modify this unit! This product, when installed as indicated in the instructions contained in this manual, meets FCC requirements. Modi- fications not expressly approved by Focusrite may void your authority, granted by the FCC, to use this product.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Naming Units ......................24 Master Sync Device ..................... 24 DAW input and output stream order ................25 DAW routing ........................ 28 Zero latency routing ....................28 Dual unit look-up tables ....................31 Saffire PRO 14 Specifications ..................44 Troubleshooting......................45 Copyright ........................45...

  • Page 5: Introduction

    Saffire MixControl software provides mixing and routing to and from the DAW, allowing control over which signals are sent from the sequencer to each output. All inputs on the Saffire PRO 14 are routed directly to your DAW software for recording, but Saffire MixControl also allows you to route these signals to your monitors so that you can listen to the audio signals with zero latency - before they arrive at your DAW.

  • Page 6: Getting Started

    Getting Started The Saffire PRO 14 has a single 6 pin FireWire port on the back. This FireWire connection will work with any of the current FireWire standards and connectors; FireWire 400 (6 pin or 4 pin connection); and FireWire 800.

  • Page 7: Hardware

    Hardware Back Panel The Back Panel provides the majority of input and output connections on the Saffire PRO 14 2 x TRS jack sockets line inputs 3 and 4 * 4 x TRS jack sockets for line outputs 1-4 *...

  • Page 8: Front Panel

    Front Panel The Front Panel includes the input connectors for mic, line and instrument signals, as well as the input gain controls and monitoring controls. 6, 7, 8 Channels 1 and 2 with combo XLR input sockets for mic / line / instrument Channels 1 and 2 gain controls with signal and overload LEDs Channels 1 and 2 instrument LEDs Phantom power switch with LED for mic inputs 1-2...

  • Page 9: System Requirements

    Audio Set-up in your DAW The Saffire PRO 14 is compatible with any DAW that uses ASIO drivers on Windows, and any DAW that uses Core Audio on Mac. Your DAW software may not automatically switch the device it uses to input and output audio.

  • Page 10: Saffire Pro 14 Architecture

    The following diagrams give an overview of the Saffire PRO 14 audio paths at all sample rates. The hardware inputs are routed directly to the DAW inputs.

  • Page 11: Saffire Mixcontrol

    All sample rate selection, digital syncing and buffer size settings (Windows only) are available from Saffire MixControl. To open Saffire MixControl. Windows Start > Programs > Focusrite > Saffire MixControl. Open Finder > Applications > Saffire MixControl. This is how the Saffire MixControl Graphical Interface will appear on your computer. Mixer...

  • Page 12: Preamp Section

    DAW, nor does it affect the audio level of the recorded signal. What you set up in the mixer section of Saffire MixControl only affects what is heard in the outputs of the mix. The recording levels that are sent to the DAW are therefore only affected by the input gain settings on the Saffire PRO 14, not the mixer.

  • Page 13: Input Channel

    Input channel Here is a picture of 2 mixer input channels. Below is a description of every component of a mixer channel. Audio source select When there is no input to a mixer channel, it will display “Off”. Clicking on the “Off” region brings up a list of all available inputs that can be fed to the channel.
  • Page 14 Pan slider A Pan Slider is used to position the audio signal anywhere between the left and right speakers. Moving the horizontal slider from left to right will move the audio signal from left to right within the stereo field, i.e., the signal is faded between two audio outputs such as monitor L and R.

  • Page 15: Track Name

    Stereo Pressing this button combines 2 mono channels into 1 stereo channel. Track name As a default, each track is given a number as a name. Double click to rename the track to something more useful such as ‘Vocal Mic’. Mix Output channel The output channel of the mix is where all the input channels are routed to and mixed together.

  • Page 16: Routing Section

    The routing section allows you to set up which audio sources are to be routed directly to which physical outputs. The routing section displays every physical output on the Saffire PRO 14. An audio stream can be routed to an output using the dropdown menu to the left of the output.

  • Page 17: Routing Presets

    Routing presets Routing presets are provided as a starting point for you to create your own routing and mixer set-ups. These will enable you to quickly set up your routing for recording (monitoring your inputs); mixing (sending signals out to outboard processors or external mixer);...

  • Page 18: Monitor Section

    Monitor section The output levels of the monitor outputs and line outputs are configured in the Monitor Section. You can set up your Saffire PRO 14 so that the audio sent to the line outputs are controlled by the software volume dial; independent of the software volume dial; or muted.
  • Page 19 Monitor Presets drop-down menu These presets allow quick changing of typical monitoring set-ups. For the monitor presets to work, you must have your speakers connected to the line outputs as shown in the picture below. Surround sound monitoring: 2.1 Line out Speaker Left Right...

  • Page 20: Monitor Presets

    Monitor Presets Preset Name Output Off - no monitor control buttons enabled, therefore no sound will come out of any analogue output Mono - outputs only to the centre / mono speaker (Line output 3.) All other channels are muted Output - 3 Stereo - outputs to stereo speakers (monitor 1 and 2 output.) All other channels are muted Outputs - 1, 2...

  • Page 21: Device Status Section

    Unit Name Display This displays the name of the Saffire PRO 14 unit, and allows the re-naming of the Saffire PRO 14 unit. Right- click in the field and enter your text. Press ENTER (RETURN) on your computer keyboard to complete.

  • Page 22: Settings Menu

    FireWire Driver Latency The Saffire PRO 14 latency performance will be dictated by the Core Audio buffer size specified in your DAW (Mac,) or as set in the ASIO buffer size (Windows.) The FireWire Driver Latency affects the performance of the Core Audio or ASIO buffer settings.

  • Page 23: File Menu

    Restore Factory Default - causes the Saffire PRO 14 to revert to the original default state in which it left the factory. Clear All Settings - causes the Saffire PRO 14 to reset all mixer and routing settings. This can be used to globally reset all mixer, routing, and monitor settings, allowing creation of a new set-up from scratch.

  • Page 24: Dual Unit Support

    Connect the second Saffire to the spare FireWire port on the first Saffire. Note that the Saffire PRO 24, Saffire PRO 24 DSP and Saffire PRO 14 have a single FireWire port, so will need to be connected to a Saffire PRO 40 or Liquid Saffire 56 and will require the external PSU when connected in this way.

  • Page 25: Master Sync Device

    Master Sync Device When dual Saffire devices are connected to one computer via FireWire, the two devices will automatically sync together with no need for any additional cable connections. However one device will be set as the Master Sync Device. Click on the settings menu to select which unit is the Sync Master.

  • Page 26: Daw Routing

    The look-up tables at the end of this guide show how the DAW inputs and outputs are routed to the inputs and outputs of Saffire MixControl. DAW routing Audio can be routed from Saffire to Saffire using your DAWs own routing capabilities. This allows audio processing from the DAW, but will result in audio latency due to the DAWs audio buffer.
  • Page 27 Unit 1 Setup Cue Mix (unit 1) Open Saffire MixControl. Click on the first mixer tab. Ensure that the mixer output is stereo by clicking on the stereo button (below the meters of the output channel). Add the analogue inputs to the mixer, and set the required levels and panning. Add the S/PDIF input to the mixer (this is the feed from unit 2).
  • Page 28 S/PDIF Output Mix (unit 1) Click on the second mixer tab. Ensure that the mixer output is stereo by clicking on the stereo button (below the meters of the output channel). The input configuration will be the same as in the first mixer, set the levels and panning as required. The S/PDIF input to the mixer should be MUTED (this prevents feedback).
  • Page 29 Unit 2 Setup Monitor Output Mix (unit 2) Switch Saffire Mix Control to the unit 2. Click on the first mixer tab. Ensure that the mixer output is stereo by clicking on the stereo button (below the meters of the output channel). Add the analogue inputs to the mixer, and set the required levels and panning.
  • Page 30 S/PDIF Output Mix (unit 2) Click on the second mixer tab. Ensure that the mixer output is stereo by clicking on the stereo button (below the meters of the output channel). The input configuration will be the same as in the first mixer, set the levels and panning as required. The S/PDIF input to the mixer should be MUTED (this prevents feedback).

  • Page 31: Dual Unit Look-Up Tables

    Dual unit look-up tables The following tables show how the inputs and outputs of dual Saffires will appear in your DAW’s I/O list. The order in which the units appear in a DAW is as follows: Pro40; LS56; Pro24; Pro24DSP, this is always the case when using different type of unit.
  • Page 32 Unit: Input: DAW Input: Saffire Mix Output: DAW Output: Saffire PRO 24 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 (Lower ID) Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3 Anlg in 4 DAW 4 SPDIF 1 DAW 5 SPDIF 2 DAW 6 ADAT in 1 DAW 7...
  • Page 33 Unit: Input: DAW Input: Saffire Mix Output: DAW Output: Saffire PRO 24 DSP Anlg in 1 DAW 1 (Lower ID) Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3 Anlg in 4 DAW 4 SPDIF 1 DAW 5 SPDIF 2 DAW 6 ADAT in 1 DAW 7...
  • Page 34 Unit: Unit Input: DAW Input: Saffire Mix Output: DAW Output: Saffire PRO 40 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3 Anlg in 4 DAW 4 Anlg in 5 DAW 5 Anlg in 6 DAW 6 Anlg in 7 DAW 7...
  • Page 35 Unit: Unit Input: DAW Input: Saffire Mix Output: DAW Output: Saffire PRO 40 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3 Anlg in 4 DAW 4 Anlg in 5 DAW 5 Anlg in 6 DAW 6 Anlg in 7 DAW 7...
  • Page 36 Unit: Unit Input: DAW Input: Saffire Mix Output: DAW Output: Saffire PRO 40 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 (Lower ID) Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3 Anlg in 4 DAW 4 Anlg in 5 DAW 5 Anlg in 6 DAW 6 Anlg in 7...
  • Page 37 Unit: Unit Input: DAW Input: Saffire Mix Output: DAW Output: Liquid Saffire 56 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3 Anlg in 4 DAW 4 Anlg in 5 DAW 5 Anlg in 6 DAW 6 Anlg in 7 DAW 7...
  • Page 38 Unit: Unit Input: DAW Input: Saffire Mix Output: DAW Output: Liquid Saffire 56 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3 Anlg in 4 DAW 4 Anlg in 5 DAW 5 Anlg in 6 DAW 6 Anlg in 7 DAW 7...
  • Page 39 ADAT in 4 ADAT in 5 ADAT in 6 ADAT in 7 ADAT in 8 Loop back 1 Loop back 2 Saffire PRO 14 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 (Higher ID) Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3...
  • Page 40 ADAT in 7 DAW 17 ADAT in 8 DAW 18 Loop back 1 DAW 19 Loop back 2 DAW 20 Saffire PRO 14 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 (Higher ID) Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3...
  • Page 41 ADAT in 4 ADAT in 5 ADAT in 6 ADAT in 7 ADAT in 8 Loop back 1 Loop back 2 Saffire PRO 14 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 (Higher ID) Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3...
  • Page 42 ADAT 2 in 7 DAW 25 ADAT 2 in 8 DAW 26 Loop back 1 DAW 27 Loop back 2 DAW 28 Saffire PRO 14 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 (Higher ID) Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3...
  • Page 43 Unit: Input: DAW Input: Saffire Mix Output: DAW Output: Saffire PRO 14 Anlg in 1 DAW 1 (Lower ID) Anlg in 2 DAW 2 Anlg in 3 DAW 3 Anlg in 4 DAW 4 SPDIF 1 DAW 5 SPDIF 2...

  • Page 44: Saffire Pro 14 Specifications

    Performance Specifications Microphone inputs 1-2 • Frequency response: 20Hz - 20kHz +/- 0.2 dB • Gain range: +13dB to +60dB • Maximum headroom +8dBu • THD+N: 0.001% (measured at 1kHz with a 20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter) • Noise EIN: 124dB analogue to digital (measured at 60dB of gain with 150 Ohm termination (20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter) •...

  • Page 45: Troubleshooting

    For all troubleshooting queries, please visit the Focusrite Answerbase where there are articles covering numerous troubleshooting examples. www.focusrite.com/answerbase. Copyright Focusrite and Saffire are registered trade marks of Focusrite Audio Engineering Limited. 2010 © Focusrite Audio Engineering Limited. All rights reserved...

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