The FIREstation is designed to be the heart of your digital recording studio. You can plug in microphones, instruments and external preamps into the analog inputs while monitoring them in real time without latency. Any mLAN compatible keyboard such as the Yamaha Motif or Korg Triton Studio can be seamlessly patched into the FireWire ports of the FIREstation to send audio and MIDI information to your computer.

Extended information

FireWire is quickly becoming the new standard in computer recording. The Presonus FIREstation solves many of the problems associated with recording into a computer while delivering uncompromising audio quality and world class features that put it ahead of any interface in it's class. In the FIREstation, the major problems associated with computer recording are solved:
Easy interface into the computer without having to install additional PCI cards
Bidirectional audio, MIDI and word sync information – together on a single FireWire bus
Zero-latency monitoring of recording sources while overdubbing
Accepts multiple formats of analog and digital inputs and outputs: balanced/unbalanced analog, ADAT, and S/PDIF
May be used as a stand-alone A/D and D/A converter as well as an 8x2 analog line mixer
Dual-Path preamps provide a tube or solid state audio path to give maximum tonal flexibility
Built in 1x1 MIDI port to interface keyboards or other MIDI devices
Compatible with Yamaha mLAN
Mac and PC compatible; ships with ASIO drivers for use with today's hottest audio software

The FIREstation is a computer recording interface that provides connection to the recording software environment via a high-speed FireWire™ connection. FireWire™, the ultimate data transfer protocol, solves the problem of having to use an internal recording interface sound card or large cables connecting to a recording interface. The benefits of FireWire™ and the IEEE1394 standard are many, including: hundreds of channels of digital audio and MIDI on one network, easy connection of additional interfaces between products, master clock control bus that precludes the need for Word Clock distribution.

Stand Alone Mode
The FIREstation can also be used without a computer in 'Stand Alone Mode' where all eight channels of analog inputs are directly routed to the ADAT Lightpipe outputs and vice versa. In this mode, you can use the FIREstation simply as an eight channel A/D and D/A converter. This is a great way to add I/O to many of today's popular digital recorders and interfaces such as Digi001, MOTU 2408, and many others. In addition, all eight channels of analog inputs are simultaneously routed to the FIREstation's line mixer. The mixed signal is sent out of the MAIN Outputs as well as the Headphone Outputs. This allows the FIREstation to be used as a stand alone 8x2 analog line mixer. Since the Dual-Path preamps have balanced direct outputs in addition to the mixed Main Outputs, the FIREstation offers even more flexibility by allowing you to use it as an independent stereo mic preamp.

FireWire
FireWire, the ultimate recording media network, solves the problem of having to use an internal recording interface sound card or large cable connecting to a recording interface. The benefits of FireWire and the IEEE-1394 standard are many, including: hundreds of channels of digital audio and midi on one network, easy connection of additional interfaces between products, master clock control bus that precludes the need for word clock distribution.

Why mLAN?
The FIREstation uses Yamaha's protocol for FireWire recording called mLAN. The difference between mLAN and other FireWire recording systems is that mLAN is an 'open' platform allowing compatibility with other manufacturer's hardware including Apogee™, Korg™ and Yamaha™ with many more to come. mLAN stands for 'Music Local Area Network' and works just like a computer network. Multiple mLAN devices can be chained together so that digital audio, MIDI and Word Clock information can be sent to and from each device. Now, audio interfaces, digital mixers and keyboards can all communicate using mLAN.

Technical specifications

Preamp Bandwidth
10Hz to 50kHz

Preamp Input Impedance
1.3k Ohms

Instrument Input Impedance
2M Ohms

Preamp THD
0.002%

Residual Noise Floor
-96dBu

Preamp Gain
70dB

TRS Input Impedance
10k Ohms

TRS Input Nominal Level
+4dBu

TRS Output Impedance
51Ohms

TRS Output Nominal Level
+4dBu

TRS Main Outputs Impedance
51 Ohms

TRS Main Outputs Nominal Level
+4dBu

Headphone Output
100mW 20-20k

Preamp Pad
20dB

Phantom Power
48V +/- 2V

Meter
-20dBu, -10dBu, Clip at +18dbu

Internal Supply
Linear

Analog to Digital Converters
24-bit / 44.1K or 48K

ADC Dynamic Range
107db

DAC
24-bit / 44.1K or 48k

DAC Dynamic Range
107db

DAC Noise Floor
-96dB

Internal Word Clock Jitter
Ultra-Low

mLan™ Speed
200mbps