Focusrite Announce New Saffire PRO 26 Interface
Focusrite have just announced their latest interface, and boy is it a beauty – see below for the complete press release for the latest in their Saffire PRO range… Press Release: Focusrite announces Saffire PRO 26, the latest addition to their award-winning Saffire PRO range of FireWire/Thunderbolt™ compatible* audio interfaces. Building on four […]
Focusrite have just announced their latest interface, and boy is it a beauty – see below for the complete press release for the latest in their Saffire PRO range…
Press Release:
Focusrite announces Saffire PRO 26, the latest addition to their award-winning Saffire PRO range of FireWire/Thunderbolt™ compatible* audio interfaces. Building on four decades of audio excellence, Focusrite’s Saffire PRO 26 boasts the same high-quality audio design as the hugely popular Saffire range of interfaces in a portable, desktop-sized chassis.
Designed with both studio recording and live musicians in mind, Saffire PRO 26 features a comprehensive selection of professional analogue and digital I/O options. A total of 18 inputs and eight outputs includes four preamps, two instrument inputs, two headphone outputs, six line outputs and ADAT & S/PDIF connectivity. This extensive feature set allows you to expand and augment your recording or live setups, ensuring you get the most out of your interface.
Like all Saffire interfaces, Saffire PRO 26 connects seamlessly to a Thunderbolt port via a FireWire to Thunderbolt adaptor (not included) or directly to a FireWire 800 port with the cable provided. Its dual-protocol compatibility (Firewire and Thunderbolt) means it will work seamlessly for years to come with the next generation of computers.
At the heart of Saffire PRO 26 lies its impeccable sonic integrity. The four award-winning Focusrite preamps allow unparalleled recording flexibility and ensure low noise and distortion with plenty of headroom to capture the full dynamic range of even the loudest drumkit or guitar amp, whilst precision 24-bit/96kHz digital conversion and JetPLL™ jitter-elimination technology maintain pristine audio quality in both analogue and digital domains.
Saffire PRO 26 comes in a sleek yet sturdy chassis that will sit neatly on your desktop or fit easily into a bag for transport. Built to last, Saffire PRO 26 can withstand the harshness of the road, but looks great in your studio too! What’s more, thanks to Saffire Mix Control – a control software application that runs on the host computer – Saffire PRO 26 is just as powerful in live situations as it is in the studio. The ultra-low-latency 26×8 DSP mixer/router features flexible output routing and monitoring for custom monitor mixes, as well as intuitive one-click presets to help you set up your session as quickly as possible, whether you’re tracking, mixing or monitoring.
Why FireWire when the future is Thunderbolt?
Although Thunderbolt provides some advantages, it’s only available on the very latest computers. An audio interface fitted with FireWire can be used on both older computers and Thunderbolt-equipped computers via an inexpensive adaptor. Today, a purely Thunderbolt interface could only be used on a limited number of machines, and thus we believe FireWire offers more flexibility whilst still providing exceptional performance.
Key Features
- Four Award-winning Focusrite Preamps
- Focusrite’s unparalleled preamp heritage lies at the heart of Saffire PRO 26, which includes four award-winning preamps, helping to make it the best-sounding interface in its class.
- Precision 24-bit/96kHz conversion and pristine analogue audio
- Precision A-D / D-A conversion with JetPLL™ jitter reduction technology; pristine digital & analogue audio quality and reliable synchronisation.
- Multiple Connectivity Options – FireWire or Thunderbolt*
- Like all Saffire interfaces, Saffire PRO 26 will connect to multiple ports on your computer including FireWire and Thunderbolt* ports. Saffire PRO 26 connects seamlessly to a Thunderbolt port via a FireWire to Thunderbolt adaptor (not included) or directly to a FireWire 800 port with the provided cable.
- Keep your USB Buses Free
- If you are connecting multiple USB devices to your computer such as external hard drives, mice and keyboards then streaming audio over a separate FireWire or Thunderbolt* port will allow you to keep your USB ports free and reduce the possibility of interference with other devices.
- Comprehensive I/O – 18 inputs and 8 outputs
- A host of I/O options is provided, including four mic/line pres, two of which have high-impedance instrument capability and 8dB pads, plus two additional TRS inputs; two independently-controlled headphone outputs, six TRS line outputs and a ‘loopback’ facility for routing audio between software applications via Saffire MixControl.
- Expand your interface with up to eight extra analogue inputs
- ADAT optical input allows extensive input expansion of your interface – expand Saffire PRO 26 with up to eight additional preamps or line inputs. Pair Saffire PRO 26 with Focusrite’s OctoPre MkII eight-channel preamp and instantly transform your interface into a 12 preamp unit.
- FireWire Bus-powered
- Connect directly to your FireWire port for bus power, extremely useful for live or mobile recording applications.
- Dual headphone outputs – multiple monitor mixes
- Give multiple artists independent, fully customised monitor mixes – two with independent headphone sockets and front-panel level controls.
- 5-Segment LED metering
- Use the six front-panel LED meters to accurately monitor input levels when recording.
- Solid build quality in a portable chassis
- Saffire PRO 26 can sit neatly on your desktop, or will easily fit into a bag for mobile recording or live performance usage.
- Comprehensive Software Bundle
- Included is a free DAW in the form of Ableton Live Lite, Focusrite’s professional Midnight and Scarlett plug-in suites, Novation BassStation virtual synthesiser and 1GB of Loopmasters sample content.
