Focusrite Saffire Works With Thunderbolt

Since the introduction of the first Focusrite Saffire interface in 2005, FireWire (Apple’s trade name for IEEE 1394) has been a firm favourite among Focusrite interface users with its high speed and reliability. In particular, FireWire and USB represent a great partnership – by having your audio interface on one type of bus and your hard drives on the other, you get the highest possible performance from your computer audio system, and the fewest problems.

Thunderbolt Connectivity

Now, on the latest Apple computers, FireWire 400 and 800 ports have been superseded by Thunderbolt – a new, high-speed serial interface developed by Intel and Apple. Happily, it’s easy to connect your Saffire interface to a Thunderbolt-equipped computer. 

All you need to connect the two is a FireWire 400-800 cable (included with all new Saffire interfaces later this year) and the Thunderbolt to FireWire 800 adapter, available inexpensively from Apple and third parties. Simply plug this into the Thunderbolt port on your computer and connect the FireWire interface – it’s as simple as that. Saffire interfaces are 100% compatible with Thunderbolt using this adaptor.

The adaptor provides up to 7W of DC bus power as well as full signal connectivity: this should be sufficient for most interfaces but Focusrite always recommends using the included power supply with your interface for best results.

Focusrite will continue to fully support the Saffire range for the foreseeable future, and will fully support the use of Thunderbolt/FireWire adaptors. If you upgrade your computer to one with Thunderbolt, you can continue to use your Saffire interface as before, and if you buy a new Saffire interface it will work perfectly with your Thunderbolt-equipped computer, whichever model of Saffire you choose.

Focusrite Saffire interfaces, with their precision digital conversion and acclaimed clean, transparent mic preamps, deliver excellent performance and functionality for all kinds of recording applications in the studio and on the road.

Explore the Saffire range below.

Saffire PRO 14
Saffire PRO 24
Saffire PRO 24 DSP
Saffire PRO 40
Liquid Saffire 56

 

 

 

 

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