Phonic Firefly 808 Universal User’s Manual
FIREFLY 808 UNIVERSAL
User's Manual
Manual del Usuario
English Español
FIREFLY 808 UNIVERSAL
FIREWIRE & USB INTERFACE
INTERFASE FIREWIRE & USB
ENGLISH ..................................................I
ESPAÑOL ..................................................II
V1.1 06/15/2012
User’s Manual
CONTENTS
English
INTRODUCTION
FEATURES
INSTANT SETUP
QUICK START
SET UP
FRONT PANEL DESCRIPTION
REAR PANEL DESCRIPTION
FIREWIRE / USB INTERFACE
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
DRIVER INSTALLATION
CHANNEL ASSIGNMENT
CUBASE LE 4
FIREWIRE DEVICE CONTROL PANEL
FIREFLY 808 UNIVERSAL MIXER SOFTWARE
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STAND ALONE MODE
SPECIFICATIONS
APPENDIX
APPLICATION
DIMENSION
BLOCK DIAGRAM
APPENDIX
Phonic preserves the right to improve or alter any information within this
document without prior notice
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1. Read these instructions before operating this
apparatus.
2. Keep these instructions for future reference.
3. Heed all warnings to ensure safe operation.
4. Follow all instructions provided in this document.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water or in locations
where condensation may occur.
6. Clean only with dry cloth. Do not use aerosol or liquid
cleaners. Unplug this apparatus before cleaning.
7. Do not block any of the ventilation openings. Install
in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including
.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades
with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug
has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide
blade or the third prong is provided for your safety. If
the provided plug does not into your outlet, consult
an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or
pinched particularly at plug, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
11. Only use attachments/accessories by the
manufacturer.
12. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or
table by the manufacturer, or sold with
the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution
when moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid injury from tipover.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lighting
storms or when unused for long
periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to service personnel.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has been
damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or
plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects
have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has
been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate
normally, or has been dropped.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)
NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an
equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the
product
’
magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of or electric shock, do
not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.
CAUTION: Use of controls or adjustments or performance
of procedures other than those may result in
hazardous radiation exposure.
The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and that no objects with liquids, such as vases,
shall be placed on the apparatus. The MAINS plug is used as the disconnect device, the disconnect device shall
remain readily operable.
Warning: the user shall not place this apparatus in the area during the operation so that the mains switch
can be easily accessible.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of one of the newest
members of the Firefly series from Phonic, the Firefly 808
Universal. We know how to make the best audio gear for
you and we know your need to create great recordings and
productions. The Firey 808 Universal features a eight mic/line
inputs (with +48V phantom power), digital AES/EBU I/O and
word sync, ADAT I/O, MIDI I/O, S/PDIF I/O, and all of these with
FireWire and USB interfaces for digitally transferring your audio
to your computer in high resolution audio (up to 192kHz) that
meets today modern productions standards.
We know how eager you are to get started – wanting to get
the Firey out and hook it all up is probably your number one
priority right now – but before you do, we strongly urge you to
take a look through this manual. Inside, you will nd important
facts and figures on the set up, use and applications of your
Firey 808 Universal. If you do happen to be one of the many
people who refuse to read user manuals, then we just urge you
to at least glance at the Instant Setup section. After glancing at
or reading through the manual (we applaud you if you do read
the entire manual), please store it in a place that is easy for you
to nd, because chances are there’s something you missed the
rst time around.
FEATURES
FireWire (IEEE 1394) & USB 2.0 audio interface
24-bit resolution, up to 192k Hz sampling rate
18 simultaneous inputs and outputs FireWire audio
interface
8 microphone preamps with trim controls and individual
phantom power switches
8 analog line Inputs including 2 Instrument Inputs
8 channels of optical ADAT I/O (4 ch. via 96k dual SMUX)
S/PDIF I/O, AES/EBU I/O, MIDI I/O and word clock I/O
Headphone output and Main output with volume control for
monitoring purpose
Channel meters on channel 1 to 8 for input or output
Synchronization, sampling rate, digit I/O and MIDI in/out
indicators
Dual FireWire ports for daisy chaining and direct
connection to Mac or PC
Stand-alone mixer functionality for field and studio use
without computer
Instrument input, pad switch, balanced TRS send jacks on
Inputs 1 and 2
Compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac
OSX
Steinberg Cubase LE 4 software included
INSTANT SETUP
Quick Start
1. Install the USB or FireWire driver and mixer software
included with your Firefly onto your computer. More
detailed instructions can be found in the "Driver Installation"
section of this manual. Mac users do not need to install
the drivers, however have their own mixer software that
can ben installed to allow for adjustment of signal levels,
sampling rates and so forth.
2. During the driver installation process, you will be instructed
to connect the Firefly to the computer and turn it on.
Connect the Firey to the computer using the FireWire or
USB cables included along with the unit.
3. Connect the supplied AC power cable into the power inlet
connector at the rear back of the Firey 808. Turn the unit
on using the power switch on the front of the unit.
4. Connect a microphone to the XLR input connector on
the front of the unit. You can take a look at the mic LED
meter and adjust the level control so it sits at a good level
for recording. Do the same with the various mic and line
inputs on the rear of the Firey. It's advisable to keep the
unit off when plugging in or unplugging microphones,
instruments and such.
5. Open the Phonic Control Panel software and check that the
Firey's inputs and outputs are all shown in the appropriate
windows. In this section you are also able to change the
size of the buffer, sampling rate and a few other properties.
6. You can use your headphones with the Phones output to
monitor your input and output audio on the Firey.
7. Now you are ready to start designing high resolution audio
productions and ready to nd out all the advantages of your
brand new Firey.
Setup
1. If you have experience connecting our FireWire products
you’ll nd this setup familiar and easy.
2. Turn on your computer and be sure to have a FireWire or
USB port available.
3. Connect your Firefly to an AC power outlet through the
provided AC power cable.
4. Connect the supplied FireWire or USB cable to a port on
the back of your Firey, and connect the other end to your
computer. You only need to connect a single FireWire cord
to your computer – the second port on the Firey is to allow
you to daisy chain the Firefly with additional Firefly 808
Universals.
5. Turn the unit on using the switch located on the back panel.
6. Your computer will automatically recognize the Firefly
provided you have installed the appropriate drivers (see
the Quick Start section). You should be able to view and
edit your Firey’s channel properties in the Phonic FireWire
Control Panel software.
7. Your next and final step would be to activate the Firefly
in your DAW software. Most programs will make you
open a project before you do so. Then all you need to
do is go to the “devices”, “tools” or “properties” pull-down
menu (depending on your software of choice) - here you
should nd an option that allows you to view and change
your desired inputs and outputs and assign them to your
project's channels. Activate the Firey and you're done!
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Front Panel Description
1. Power Button
Push this button in to turn the Firey 808 Universal on. When
the unit is on, the button will light up.
2. FireWire LED
This LED will light up when a connection to the computer is
established through the FireWire interface.
7. Headphone Output Jack and Gain Control
All the audio signals that are mixed inside the Firefly 808
Universal can be monitored with headphones through this jack.
You can also use the corresponding control to adjust the signal
level.
8. Main Level Control
This control adjusts the nal level of the audio sent through the
main left and right outputs, the signal of which is taken either
1
2
from the FireWire return signal or the various analog and digital
inputs (depending on your software settings).
3. Channel 1 and 2 Inputs
These two combo jacks allow users to connect either balanced
XLR 3-pin connectors, for dynamic or condenser microphones,
or ¼” TRS phone jacks for instruments such as electric or bass
guitars.
NOTE: When plugging line-level signals into the combo jacks, disengage
the PAD button to lower the signal level to an acceptable degree.
4. Input Gain Controls 1 - 8
Turn these knobs clockwise to increase the microphone/line
input gain for the corresponding channels. You have 50dB of
gain to work with, but be sure not to adjust it to a level that will
make the input meter hit the “clip” point. A good region to be
in is about -6dB – this will give you a greater signal level with
enough headroom to avoid clipping.
5. PAD selector
This button controls the input sensitivity for channels 1 and 2.
Pushing this button in will attenuate the input signal by 20dB,
allowing you to connect a microphone or instrument to the
combo input jack.
6. +48V Phantom Power
Pushing one of these buttons will activate the +48V phantom
power for the corresponding channel, allowing you to use
condenser or ribbon microphones (or other devices that require
+48V) to work properly. Activation of phantom power will be
accompanied by an illuminated LED. If you are not sure if your
mic uses phantom power, please refer to the microphone user’s
manual.
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9. LED Level Meter
This stereo 6-segment LED meter displays the signal level of
sum of all 8 analog input channels. User’s are advised to keep
this meter sitting around the -6dB mark to make the best use of
audio possible without causing any unnecessary clipping.
10. Channel LED Level Meters
The input/output signal levels from analog inputs/outputs 1
to 8 are shown in these 4-segment LED meters. Whether
these meters display the input or output level is dependant on
the input/output select button. Users are advised to try and
keep their signal level around the -20, -10 marks, as to avoid
distortion and clipping.
11. Input/Output Select Switch and Indicator
This button determines whether the LED level meter will display
the input or output signal of the Firefly 808’s input/output
channels. This button is an easy way to compare input and
output levels. Depending which setting is currently active, an
LED will light up next to the corresponding setting (“analog
input” or “analog output”).
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12. Synchronization Indicators
Firey 808 Universal can be synchronized with any WCLK sync
device, enabling you to use it for your audio/video recording
studios as well as cinema and video production that requires
high resolution audio. When the Firey 808 is synchronized,
one of these LEDs will light up to indicate which device the
Firey is currently synced with. If you try to sync with a device
not connected to the Firey, the corresponding light will ash
briey and return back to the previous setting.
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Rear Panel Description
17. Line Input Channel 1 and 2
These input jacks allow users to connect line-level devices, the
signal of which is fed through the FireWire interface, and sent
directly out the channel 1 and 2 sends.
18. Channel 1 and 2 Sends
These outputs act as direct sends of the channel 1 and 2 inputs,
allowing the signal to be used in other devices.
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13. Sampling Rate Indicator
When Firefly 808 is synchronized, one of these LEDs will
light up to show the sampling rate of the device the Firey is
synchronized with. The Firey will automatically be set to that
rate.
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14. AES/SPDIF LED Indicator
These input and output LEDs will light up when the AES/EBU or
S/PDIF interface is in use.
15. ADAT LED Indicator
You can use your optical devices in conjunction with the Firey
808. When the ADAT optical connection is in use, the input
and output LEDs will activate to let you know the connection is
successful.
16. MIDI Indicator
When using the MIDI interface, these input and output LEDs will
light up.
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19. Input Channels 3 to 8
Each of these channels features a balanced ¼” TRS Line
Inputs and can be used to connect any line level device like CD
players, DAT recorders. You can even connect an analog mixer
that does not have FireWire interface to allow you to send that
signal to the computer. Also present are 3-pin XLR mic input
connectors for use with condenser or dynamic microphones.
20. Main Outputs
These ¼” TRS outputs will allow users to send the main stereo
mix of the Firey 808’s return signal to external devices. The
signals from analog channels 1, 3, 5 and 7 are sent through the
left output, whereas the 2, 4, 6 and 8 signals are sent through
the right output. When the FireWire or USB interface is in use,
users are able to use the Mixer software's crossfader to select
the degree of the FireWire return signal and the analog input
signal that is sent to these outputs. The Main outputs can be
connected to active speakers, studio monitors, or other mixers,
depending on your needs.
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21. Analog Outputs
These are balanced ¼" TRS line outputs with line (+4dBu) level
signals. Users are able to use these outputs to get a stereo
output channel from each pair of odd and even numbered
outputs, or even a surround mix (5.2 or 6.2). Analog outputs 1
and 2 can be used to send a stereo mix of your analog inputs
or FireWire/USB return signal, which is ideal for use with studio
monitors or subwoofers (if making a surround mix).
26. MIDI In/Out
These inputs will allow you to send 16 MIDI channels through
the FireWire or USB interface to your computer, as well as
receive 16 back. These channels will be present within the
Firefly Control Software, and available for use in most MIDIenabled programs.
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22. AES/EBU In/Out
This is a standard XLR AES/EBU digital interface that lets you
connect your digital AES-enabled devices to your Firey. The
IN or OUT LED on the front of the Firey will light up when the
inputs and outputs are in use.
23. S/PDIF / AES IN Switch
This switch determines which of these digital inputs will be used.
24. S/PDIF In/Out
This is a standard RCA S/PDIF Digital Audio Input/Output that
can be used with digital mixers, DAT recorders, or any external
device that uses the RCA digital interface format. Please use a
75 ohm coaxial cable with RCA plug when using S/PDIF. The
most common problems or glitches incorporated with S/PDIF
transfer are due to use of improper analog cables. Users may
also use these inputs for "High-Speed" S/PDIF devices when
that option is selected in the computer's Firey mixer software.
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S/PD IF
IN
AES IN
27. ADAT In/Out
This is a standard TOSlink ADAT optical interface that you
can use in the same way as you would use your typical ADAT
devices. This input can also be used for SMUX inputs when
this option is selected in the computer's Firey mixer software.
28. WCLK IN/OUT
These are BNC input/output connectors for standard Word
Clock Syncs, as are used in DVTRs and other digital devices.
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29. AC Power Input and Fuse Holder
Connect the supplied AC power cord to this connector. The
other end should be connected to a suitable power supply. The
power supply’s fuse is located just below this connector. If your
fuse blows, remove the fuse holder’s cover and replace the fuse
with another suitable fuse (as indicated on the fuse-holder’s
cover).
25. FireWire / USB Ports and Select Switch
These connections are digital USB and FireWire (aka IEEE
1394) ports that you can use to connect the Firefly 808
Universal to your computer. Doing so will enable you to use
your computer for high quality multi-track recording, as well
as editing, mixing, and so forth, in your favorite Digital Audio
Workstation Software.
The switch that accompanies these ports is used to determine
which of the ports you will be using.
You have two FireWire ports at your disposal; however you
need only connect one to your computer. The second port will
allow you to connect a second Firey 808 Universal, allowing
twice the number of inputs!
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FireWire / USB Interface
System Requirements
The following are the minimum required specications for use with the Firey 808 Universal. If your computer does not meet these
requirements, you will experience lagging of audio and possible freezing of your computer when attempting to operate the device.
Windows
• Microsoft® Windows® XP SP1 and SP2 / Vista®
• Available USB 2.0 or FireWire port (suggested FireWire Interface: ADS Pyro 64 FireWire card with TI chip)
• Intel Pentium® 4 processor or equivalent AMD Athlon processor
• Motherboard with Intel or VIA chipset
• 5400 RPM or faster hard disk drive (7200 RPM or faster with 8 MB cache recommended)
• 512 MB or more of RAM (1 GB or more recommended)
Macintosh
• OS X 10.3.5 or later with native FireWire support
• G4 or newer processor
• 512 MB or more of RAM
Driver Installation
To use the Firey 808 on a PC, it is important to install all the necessary drivers from the included CD (ASIO and WDM drivers). It is
important that users read all instructions carefully before continuing on to the each step of installation, as users will be required to unplug
and plug in their FireWire device. These drivers are not necessary for Mac users, however Mac users may wish to install our Mixer
software from the included CD. It’s important to remember that the driver you install will depend on whether you are using FireWire or
USB, so make sure you install the right one!
Windows XP (with Service Pack 1 or 2) / Vista
1. It is recommended that you quit all applications before starting the installation process.
2. Ensure the Firey is not yet connected to your Computer’s FireWire or USB input.
3. Insert the installation CD included with your Firey into the CD-ROM drive of your computer. If the CD does not automatically start the
installation process within a few moments, then navigate to “My Computer” g your CD-ROM drive g “FireWire Drivers and Control
Panel” or "USB Drivers and Control Panel" g run “setup.exe” to begin the installation manually. The Phonic Control Panel software
and the Firey 808 Universal Mixer software will also be installed at this time.
4. Follow the installation instructions. The following applies to the USB driver installation, however the FireWire installation is almost
identical.
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Make sure no other programs are running on your PC and that the
Firey 808 Universal is not connected to your PC, then click “Next”.
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Read and accept the terms of the License Agreement, and click “Next” to continue.
Select a new destination for the installation, or else click “Install” to accept the default directory.
Connect the Firey to the Computer and turn the power on or, if
the Firey is already connected, turn it off and then on again.
If a message is displayed indicating that the software has not passed Windows Logo test,
click “Continue Anyway.” On Vista, you may receive a similar message regarding Signed Drivers.
After installation is complete, the Phonic Control Panel software will be visible
in the taskbar and you are free to use the device as they wish.
Macintosh OS X (10.3.5 or later)
The Firey 808 Universal works with the primary audio drivers of Macintosh OS X 10.3.5 and later. First verify that you are running
Macintosh OS X 10.3.5 or above, then connect the Firey to a FireWire port to the computer. To ensure your Firey is working, enter the
Utilities folder and double-click the Audio MIDI Setup icon.
Enter the Audio Device’s section. From the “Properties for” pull-down tab, select Firey 808. At the bottom of the window, users can
edit the setup of the Firey 808. Properties such as sampling rate and clock source can be altered and users may also opt to make the
Firey their default input and/or output device.
Mac users are able to use GarageBand, Logic Pro, as well as a host of other programs, in conjunction with the Firey 808 Universal.
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Channel Assignment
When using a Digital Audio Workstation on a PC, and within
the included Phonic FireWire control panel software, the
following names have been attributed to the input channels of
the FireWire device. They can be altered through the Phonic
Control Panel software.
FireWire Input Channel Name Device Channel
Line[1] I L Analog Input 1
Line[1] I R Analog Input 2
Line[2] I L Analog Input 3
Line[2] I R Analog Input 4
Line[3] I L Analog Input 5
Line[3] I R Analog Input 6
Line[4] I L Analog Input 7
Line[4] I R Analog Input 8
SPDIF[1] I L S/PDIF or AES In
SPDIF[1] I R S/PDIF or AES In
TOS[1] I L ADAT or SMUX In
TOS[2] I R ADAT or SMUX In
MIDI I 1 MIDI In
FireWire Output Channel Name Device Channel
Line[1] O L Analog Output 1
Line[1] O R Analog Output 2
Line[2] O L Analog Output 3
Line[2] O R Analog Output 4
Line[3] O L Analog Output 5
Line[3] O R Analog Output 6
Line[4] O L Analog Output 7
Line[4] O R Analog Output 8
SPDIF[1] O L S/PDIF or AES Out
SPDIF[1] O R S/PDIF or AES Out
TOS[1] O L ADAT or SMUX Out
TOS[2] O R ADAT or SMUX Out
MIDI O 1 MIDI Out
To alter an input channel’s name on your computer, open the
Phonic Control Panel software. On the left hand side of the
control panel, users will nd the settings categories. By clicking
“Input Channels”, the main window will display the titles input
channels. You can then highlight the channel names and press
the “Edit Channel Name” button on the bottom of the control
window. A new window will appear that will allow users to enter a
new name for the channel.
If you would like to use the Firey as your default audio output
device on your PC, simply go into the Windows control panel and
select “Sound and Audio Devices.” Click on the Audio tab and
use the pull-down menu to select the Firey 808 Universal from
the list of available devices. The Firey can also be selected as
the default output device for individual programs by editing said
programs’ settings / options.
Cubase LE 4
Cubase LE is a fairly powerful program provided along with the
Firefly interface that allows users to record, mix, edit, delete,
and alter their tracks. Please note that only 8 tracks can be
recorded at once with the version of Cubase included, and
users must upgrade to Cubase SX, or nd other suitable DAW
software, if they choose to record more tracks.
Installation
Insert the Cubase LE 4 installation CD that came with your
Firefly into the CD-ROM drive of your computer. Run the
installer. You must install Steinberg’s registration software to be
able to use the software successfully.
Setup
After successfully completing the installation process, the
following process must be followed to work efciently with the
Friey.
1. Open the Cubase LE 4 program and start a new Project.
Add a track or two to this project.
2. Go to the ‘Devices’ pull-down menu and select ‘Device
Setup’. On the left, select ‘VST Multitrack’.
3. From the ASIO Driver drop-down list select the “Phonic
ASIO Driver.” A pop-up box will ask you if you want to switch
the ASIO driver. Click ‘Switch.’ This completes the basic
installation and setup.
4. Activating audio tracks received from the Firey.
a. Go to the “devices” pull-down menu and select ‘VST
Inputs’. This will display the various inputs (“Phonic
FF808U Ch 1”, “Phonic FF808U Ch 2”, etc.)
b. Activate 8 of these channels by clicking the “Active”
button located next to each channel name. Please note,
only 8 input channels can be activated at any one time
in this version of Cubase. This is a limitation of Cubase
LE 4. If more input channels are needed, we suggest
upgrading to a higher version of Cubase, or use other
DAW software.
5. For further instructions on the operation of Cubase, please
consult the user manual by pressing F1 while the program is
open.
If you wish to reset the Phonic ASIO driver, simply go to the ‘
devices’ pull-down menu and select ‘device setup’. Simply
click “reset” and select the “Phonic ASIO Driver”. Click ‘ok
’ to continue and the Firefly 808 should once again become
functional.
FireWire Device Control Panel
The FireWire control panel can be accessed at any time by
entering choosing the shortcut from your Programs menu.
This program will not only allow users to alter their device and
channel names and properties, but will also let them correct
for latency issues, change sampling rates, and so forth. When
opening the software, a number of options will be available
for users to select from, allowing them to adjust the available
properties.
Devices
In the Devices section, users are able to view and edit the name
of the Phonic FireWire or USB Devices currently connected to
their computer.
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