ESI DuaFire User Manual

2-in/4-out FireWire Recording Interface

User’s Guide

Revision 1, November 2007

www.esi-audio.com

DuaFire ESI

INDEX

1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................4

1.1 Key Features ........................................................................................................................................................4

2. Description of DuaFire................................................................................................................5

2.1 Front Panel........................................................................................................................................................... 5

2.2 Rear Panel............................................................................................................................................................5

2.3 Minimum System Requirements..........................................................................................................................6

3. Installation.................................................................................................................................... 7

3.1 Windows XP........................................................................................................................................................7

3.2 Windows Vista.....................................................................................................................................................9

3.3 Mac OS X..........................................................................................................................................................10

4. DuaFire Control Panel ..............................................................................................................11

4.1 Input Monitor controls.......................................................................................................................................11

4.2 Output controls...................................................................................................................................................12

4.3 Master controls...................................................................................................................................................12

4.4 Config controls...................................................................................................................................................13

4.5 DirectWIRE....................................................................................................................................................... 13

5. Audio Applications.....................................................................................................................16

5.1 Windows Multimedia setup...............................................................................................................................16

5.2 Latency setting and ASIO applications under Windows....................................................................................16

5.3 Mac OS X Audio MIDI Setup...........................................................................................................................16

5.4 Cubase LE 4.......................................................................................................................................................17

6. General Information..................................................................................................................19

DuaFire ESI

1. Introduction

Thank you for choosing the ESI DuaFire. DuaFire is an ideal mobile recording interface for both laptops and desktop computers. It offers 2

input and 4 output channels. DuaFire is also the world’s first FireWire audio interface that perfectly supports the EWDM technology from ESI.

ESI has finally adopted the famous EWDM technology to a FireWire Audio interface. Now you can use driver interfaces like ASIO 2.0, GSIF 2.0, MME and WDM simultaneously with the same features that made ESI's PCI audio interfaces famous. Of course, EWDM for FireWire also provides the DirectWIRE technology the virtual digital patchbay and support for very low latency values (as low as 1.5ms or even less). This ensures best compatibility with all major audio applications. To get started right away, the full featured Cubase LE 4 recording software from Steinberg is bundled.

The flexible inputs allow you to record from a variety of different sources. You can directly connect devices with line level, turntables via the built-in phono preamp, microphones (+48V phantom power support) and Hi-Z signals (e.g. a guitar).

1.1 Key Features

- 2-in 4-out multi purpose FireWire audio interface

- 2 line level inputs, switchable to 2 phono level inputs (mono)

- microphone input with gain control

- +48V phantom power for condenser microphone

- direct instrument input for electric guitars (Hi-Z) with gain control

- 4 line level analog outputs

- headphone out with level control

- bus powered, i.e. can be used without external power supply (*)

- 2 channel recording and 4 channel playback at the same time – Full Duplex

- WDM, MME, ASIO 2.0, GSIF 2.0, CoreAudio and DirectSound support

- bundled with Cubase LE 4 DVD-ROM

- compatible with Windows and Mac OS X *) this is only possible with a 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire connection and a FireWire port that provides

enough voltage for DuaFire. Devices with 4-pin FireWire port do not provide any voltage for bus powered operation.

DuaFire ESI

2. Description of DuaFire

2.1 Front Panel

The front panel has the following connectors and controls from left to right: Input 1: the first input channel is provided as balanced XLR input (MIC IN) for microphones and

1/4"-input (LINE IN) for line level signals. You can only use one of the two input connectors at a time. The input level is controlled by the GAIN knob with peak LED next to it. Above the gain knob is the +48V phantom power switch with LED that needs to be enabled if you are using a condenser microphone. For a dynamic microphone, phantom power does not have to be enabled.

Input 2: the second input channel is provided with a 1/4" connector (LINE / HI-Z IN) that can be used for line level signals or high impedance instrument signals (like a guitar). Next to it is the GAIN knob to control the input level. With the HI-Z switch, you can switch between line level and instrument / guitar signals.

Headphone Out: the HEADPHONE output with 1/4" connector and gain control is located on the right side (directly under the POWER LED).

2.2 Rear Panel

The rear panel has the following connectors and controls from left to right: Power Connector: even though DuaFire is bus-powered, it might be needed to connect an external

power supply (e.g. when DuaFire is connected to a PC with a 4-pin FireWire port). The power supply gets connected to the DC IN port.

FireWire port: the FIREWIRE connector is used to connect DuaFire to the computer.

DuaFire ESI

Power Switch: the power switch has three positions. If the switch is in the middle position (OFF),

DuaFire is turned off. If the switch is set to BUS., DuaFire will take its power from the computer (bus powered operation). This requires a 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire cable. If the switch is set to EXT., DuaFire gets powered by an external power supply connected to the DC IN port.

Output 1 / 2: the first output pair is provided with 1/4" TRS connectors. Use these line outputs to connect DuaFire to your mixing desk, monitoring speakers or other studio equipment.

Output 3 / 4: the second output pair is provided with RCA connectors. Use these unbalanced line outputs to connect DuaFire to other studio or HiFi equipment.

Line / Phono Switch: the LINE / PHONO switch allows you to switch between line level and phono level inputs.

Inputs 1 / 2: In addition to the XLR and 1/4" connectors on the front panel, DuaFire also provides RCA inputs for phono signals on the back panel. Please note that these inputs cannot be used simultaneously as the inputs on the front panel. To use the phono inputs, the LINE / PHONO switch must be set to phono.

Ground Connector: if you are using the phono inputs and have them directly connected to a turn table, please connect this ground connector to ground to avoid humming.

2.3 Minimum System Requirements

- Intel Pentium III 600MHz CPU or equivalent AMD CPU

- one available FireWire 400 port

- at least 512 MB RAM

- at least 1 GB available space on HDD

- DVD-ROM drive (for Cubase LE 4 installation)

- internet connection (for Cubase LE 4 activation)

- Windows XP (with Service Pack 2) 32-bit or Windows Vista 32-bit

Mac

- Power Macintosh G4 or higher

- one available FireWire 400 port

- at least 512 MB RAM

- at least 1 GB available space on HDD

- DVD-ROM drive (for Cubase LE 4 installation)

- internet connection (for Cubase LE 4 activation)

- Mac OS X 10.3 or higher

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