PreSonus FireStudio Tube Reviews

[brandondrury]

PreSonus FireStudio Tube @ Musiciansfriend



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PreSonus FireStudio Tube Description
The FireStudio Tube is a complete 24-bit/96k professional FireWire recording system loaded with a comprehensive combination of inputs and outputs for bands, producers, musicians, and engineers to produce commercial-quality recordings.

Two SuperChannels - Tube Preamplifiers with Limiter
The front panel of the FireStudio Tube is loaded with two SuperChannels" featuring Class-A vacuum tube microphone and instrument preamplifiers, along with full-featured analog limiters.

The tube preamplifiers use a high gain, military grade 12AX7 tube for maximum gain, low noise, and high headroom. Neutrik combo connectors allow both XLR microphone input and hi-Z instrument input. Preamp controls include preamp gain and tube drive to achieve a wide range of sounds from smooth, clean and clear, to **** tube saturation. An 80Hz high pass filter is also located on the front panel to remove room rumble and unwanted lows.

The FireStudio Tube s Limiter features a VCA-based, ultra-fast RMS and peak detection circuit used in the award-winning DigiMax 96K, delivering the most musical limiter available; able to catch the fastest transients eliminating the possibility of clipping during recording while maintaining musicality. Controls for the Limiter include Threshold and Gain make-up as well as an in/out button.

Fast-acting LED metering on the front panel displays preamp input and limiter gain reduction for the two tube SuperChannels.

Perfect I/O for Music Production
The FireStudio Tube delivers all the analog I/O needed for professional recording sessions, featuring 16 analog inputs including two tube SuperChannels on the front panel, as well as eight Class-A XMAX microphone preamplifiers and six balanced TRS line inputs on the rear panel. Outputs include eight balanced TRS outputs and PreSonus signature ultra loud and clear headphone output. MIDI I/O is also included on the rear panel for MIDI instruments, keyboards, and controllers. The FireStudio Tube s combination of microphone, instrument, and line inputs is perfect for a band to simultaneously record drums, bass, guitar, vocals, and keyboards without any additional preamplifiers.

DSP Mixer/Router
The FireStudio Tube includes PreSonus 16x10 FireControl mixer/router delivering up to five zero-latency custom monitor mixes easily and quickly.

Digital Converters and JetPLL Sync
The FireStudio Tube touts A/D/A converters with a dynamic range of over 114dB for unbelievable clarity as well as synchronization using patented JetPLL jitter reduction technology. JetPLL incorporates noise shaping to virtually remove all audio band jitter, ensuring the highest converter performance possible, resulting in better stereo separation and clearer more transparent audio. It delivers ultra-fast locking to any digital format through a wide range of frequencies, and is extremely robust and tolerant of wide variations in clock frequencies. JetPLL ensures near perfect clock performance when networking audio devices, thus creating the most stable and robust synchronization to the computer.

ProPak Software Suite
As with all PreSonus recording systems, the FireStudio Tube includes a complete suite of software featuring Steinberg s Cubase LE 4 48-track recording and production software along with a number of third-party plug-ins, loops, samples, and virtual instruments delivering a complete music production solution.

[othello]

Quality: 0
no. sounds ok on drums, but what doesn't. hard to differentiate tube and no tube levels. looks nice,

Reliability: 0
returning unit. static while set to 44k but not upwards

Overall Rating: 0
its cheap compared to buying separate units, but still only get 2 more preamps and not expandible b/c. the line levels are +20 db and mic preamps are +4db so the recording level is to low to use. Might as well not have line level plugins.

[String7th]

Just to comment on the last part of this review, Line level inputs are not powerfullenough to plug a mic in. This is intended for external preamps, such as from a mixing board or a multi-channel preamp or a single channel preamp

[millett513]

Quality: 9
Nice, solid build.. great sound.. Limiters work well.. tube channels sound amazing for vocals

Reliability: 8
Easy to use and everything has worked perfectly since I have had it (about a month), except the MIDI. The only problem with the MIDI was that it came with a faulty midi breakout cable. I called Presonus and I have never had better customer service over the phone before. There was no machine and I talked to the same person from the minute the phone was picked up. He trusted that I knew what I was talking about when I said I had it all set up properly and there was no MIDI signal. They sent a new breakout cable and it arrived 4 or 5 days later. MIDI works perfect now.

Overall Rating: 9
The only reason I don't give a 10 is because the line level input are too low. The are designed to have a high ceiling so you can use a large variety of keyboards and preamps with it (adjusting the volume on the keyboard/preamp), but they went overboard with it. I have two korg keyboards and with the volume all the way up it is still too low. It should be fine with preamps though. I plugged my keyboards up to a $50 mixer and turned the volume up on the mixer and now the signal is definitely hot enough. Also, if you want line inputs with a hotter signal and don't need to use all 10 mic inputs, you can convert the mic inputs on the back to line with 1/4 inch to XLR converters (about 5.99 for one)

Overall, I am very satisfied and have noticed a HUGE difference in my recording quality switching from a tascam US-224 to this!

You can save lots of money on one if you go to ebay, do buy it now, and get a discount through live.com. Got mine brand new for $500