Worth upgrading Focusrite Saffire 6 USB?

O

optimist_music

New member
I was thinking of upgrading my Saffire 6 audio interface.

Will it improve audio quality?

Will it sort out problems I have with volumes panning my speakers and crackling noise when ever I change the volume?

If so, what would be a good upgrade?

Thanks
 
Audio quality can improve, but the interface is only a part of it. Are you recording external sources? If so, are you using the built-in mic pres? And if you're completely in the box (ie. just plugins), the only change will be the digital to analog converters - so only the sound you're listening would change, not the actual files.

And regarding the problems - what does "volumes panning my speakers" mean? Crackling noise with volume change frankly sounds like there's something wrong with the volume pot.

Finally - how much are you willing to spend? What are you lacking?
 
Last edited:
krushing said:
Audio quality can improve, but the interface is only a part of it. Are you recording external sources? If so, are you using the built-in mic pres? And if you're completely in the box (ie. just plugins), the only change will be the digital to analog converters - so only the sound you're listening would change, not the actual files.

And regarding the problems - what does "volumes panning my speakers" mean? Crackling noise with volume change frankly sounds like there's something wrong with the volume pot.

Finally - how much are you willing to spend? What are you lacking?
Click to expand...

Thank you for the reply.

I just use it for connecting my monitors and controlling the volume. I do not use it for external recording.

Volumes panning :
When I change the volume it also pans my monitors. When it is at 0 it comes out one monitor. I tend to leave it at 25% as it seems to be centre and at a good enough volume. It has been like that since I bought it second hand, I just got used to it.

The crackling noise is the worst part though and if upgrading to a different one eliminates this then it will be worth it.

I'm not sure what a good price for a audio interface is but I was thinking up to £400. So just over $600 if you are in the US.

I'm lacking a fully working audio interface. But was also wanting something a bit more modern. I have learnt now that it will most likely not improve audio quality.
 
i have the saffire 6 usb and it works great and very clean preamps. are you sure you using the right knobs? what monitors are you using? if you not using it for external recording i would leave the mixer knob turned all the way to playback and use the monitor knob for volume. if you looking upgrade i say look at the Scarlet series from Focusrite. maybe a Scarlet 2i2 or 2i4? good units and not too expensive.
 
Last edited:
BlackTee said:
if you looking upgrade i say look at the Scarlet series from Focusrite. maybe a Scarlet 2i2 or 2i4? good units and not too expensive.
Click to expand...

There's practically no difference in sound between the Saffire & Scarlett ranges. The former is FireWire, the latter USB, and that's about it.
 
It depends on your needs. I was in the same position coming from the Presonus Audiobox USB. I was surpassing its limitations. It used to drop on normal playback like when you stretch a audio clip for to long and my PC just didn't like the drivers. I always heard positive things about Focursrite stuff. I looked at the prices and I knew I was working on building a rackmount setup. My only two choices were the Saffire Pro 40 and Scarlett 18i20. The Saffire is the better of the two because of the amounts of data that can be sent at once without hiccups via firewire, also the hardware loopback. My thing was using firewire and the precautions of plugging and unplugging at the appropriate times...with my luck, thinking in the future about the lack of firewire ports being put in laptops.

I grabbed the Scarlett and I really don't have problems with it. Running at 1 ms always. The loopback can be made by a spdif cable going from the out to in of the interface. Im taking advantage of all the inputs and outputs. It has word clock so you can use something like a big ben, but still there is room to expand with optical instead of getting another interface in the future and leaving the other dusty. Also you can listen back live.

Forgot to mention check out the Clarett series too, generally the same as the Saffire and Scarlett models but based on thunderbolt.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top