FIRESTUDIO LIGHTPIPE 24-bit/96k Recording Interface w/ 32 channels of ADAT i/o User’s Manual Version 1.1 © 2008, PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
PRESONUS LIMITED WARRANTY PreSonus Audio Electronics Inc. warrants this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of original retail purchase. This warranty is enforceable only by the original retail purchaser. To be protected by this warranty, the purchaser must complete and return the enclosed warranty card within 14 days of purchase.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 OVERVIEW 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... Features ................................................................................................................................................ What is in the Box .................................................................................................................................
OVERVIEW 1.1 INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing the PreSonus FireStudio LightPipe. PreSonus Audio Electronics has designed the FireStudio LightPipe utilizing high-grade components to ensure optimum performance that will last a lifetime. The PreSonus FireStudio LightPipe is a 24-bit/96k ADAT lightpipe to FireWire computer recording system for both PC and Macintosh computer systems.
OVERVIEW 1.2 FEATURES The FireStudio LightPipe is a powerful and affordable computer recording system complete with everything needed for real-world recording applications. The FireStudio LightPipe comes complete with 4 ADAT/Dual SMUX, MIDI, and word clock I/O, rock solid drivers, expandability, and a 34X4 mixer matrix application.
OVERVIEW 1.
OVERVIEW 1.4 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Below are the minimum computer system requirements for your FireStudio LightPipe. Macintosh • • • • OS: Mac OS X 10.4.x or later Computer: Apple Macintosh series with FireWire 400 port CPU/Clock: PowerPC G4/1 GHz or higher (Intel/Dual 1 GHz recommended) Memory (RAM): 512 MB (2 GB recommended) Windows • • • • OS: 32-bit Microsoft Windows Vista or XP SP2 Computer: Windows compatible computer with FireWire 400 port.
OPERATION 2.1 QUICK START UP 2.1.1 Installation in Microsoft Windows After inserting the Installation CD into your CD-ROM drive, the FireStudio LightPipe installer will take you through each step of the installation process. Please read each message carefully – ensuring especially that you do not connect your FireStudio LightPipe early. 1) The FireStudio LightPipe Installer was written to be as simple and easy-to-follow as possible.
OPERATION 4) The installer will now display the directory path into which the FireStudio LightPipe Mixer application will be installed. Click “Next”. 5) The installer is now ready to begin. Click “Install” to copy the correct components to your computer. 6) The installer will now prompt you to reboot your computer to complete the installation. Click “Finish” to automatically restart your PC. Once your computer has rebooted, connect the FireStudio LightPipe.
OPERATION 2.1.2 Installation in Mac OS X After inserting the Installation CD into your disc drive, browse the disc and run the FireStudio LightPipe installer, which will take you through each step of the installation process. 1) To install the FireStudio LightPipe driver on your Mac, double click on the PreSonus FireStudio Installer icon. 2) You will be directed to the welcome screen. Click “Continue”. 3) Take a moment to review the license agreement and click “Continue”.
OPERATION 4) Click “Agree” to continue installation. 5) You will be directed to choose the hard drive onto which you want to install the drivers and FireStudio LightPipe Mixer Software. You must choose your system drive. Storage drives and partitions cannot be used as hosts for the driver. 6) The FireStudio Installer contains the installations for the entire FireStudio family of interfaces. Select “PreSonus FireStudio LightPipe” from the list. A “–“ appears in the box to the left.
OPERATION 7) The FireStudio LightPipe installer requires your user password be entered as a security measure. Enter your password and click “OK”. 8) You will be notified that the FireStudio LightPipe installation requires that your Mac be restarted to finish the installation process. Click “Continue Installation”. 9) Click “Restart” to reboot your Mac. After rebooting your computer, connect your FireStudio LightPipe to your computer via the included FireWire cable.
OPERATION 2.2 SAMPLE HOOK UP DIAGRAM With the FireStudio LightPipe, you can simultaneously record and play back up to 32 channels. Because the FireStudio LightPipe can send and receive 32 channels simultaneously via its ADAT optical I/O, it is the perfect solution to connect your 32 channel digital mixer to your computer. It is also ideal to take out of the studio and record live performances. All you need are a few cables, a durable rack, and a road map. 2.2.
OPERATION 2.2.
OPERATION 2.2.
OPERATION 2.3 DIGITAL CONNECTIONS AND SYNCHRONIZATION The FireStudio LightPipe works with any digital device equipped with ADAT lightpipe I/O. This includes digital mixers and standalone A/D devices like the DigiMax series of microphone preamps by PreSonus. 2.3.1 What is ADAT optical? “Alesis Digital Audio Tape” or ADAT was pioneered by Alesis to simultaneously record eight tracks of digital audio at one time.
OPERATION 2.3.4 Master/Slave and Multiple Digital Devices Whether you are using the BNC or ADAT outputs of the FireStudio LightPipe to generate word clock or you are using the BNC word clock output of another device as your word clock generator, it is necessary to denote one device as the “master” word clock device to which all other digital devices are synced or “slaved”.
CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS 3.1 PRESONUS FIRESTUDIO LIGHTPIPE MIXER SOFTWARE The FireStudio LightPipe Mixer is a flexible and easy to use solution for creating zero-latency monitor mixes of your inputs.
CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS 3.1.1 FireStudio LightPipe Mixer Application Icon Once you have successfully installed your FireStudio LightPipe, the FireStudio LightPipe Mixer will be available from the Notification Area of your taskbar (typically at the bottom right corner of your screen near the clock). The FireStudio LightPipe Mixer icon is red when your FireStudio LightPipe is disconnected or not installed and blue when the FireStudio LightPipe is connected and properly installed.
CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS • Clock Source Selector Changes the FireStudio LightPipe Clock Source This option is used to slave the FireStudio LightPipe to an external device via ADAT or BNC Word Clock. If you are using your FireStudio LightPipe as the master clock source, set the Clock Source to “Internal” • Advanced Menu Provides additional options specific to Windows functionality Click on the arrow to the right of “Advanced” to view the pulldown menu.
CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS • Speed (Mac) Changes how the FireStudio drivers’ buffer size is set. Slow. Increases the output buffer size for added Normal Mode. Input and Output buffers are both identical to the Buffer Size. DAW. Decreases the output buffer size for enhanced listening stability. • BNC Terminated Terminates the FireStudio LightPipe’s BNC output. 3.1.
CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS • Channel Faders Changes the channel’s audio level Move the Channel Fader up and down to increase and decrease the channel’s audio level. The dB value of boost or attenuation is displayed below the Channel Fader from –infinity to +6 dB. A virtual LED meter to the right of each fader displays the post fader level of the channel’s audio. The peak value in dBFS of the channel’s audio is displayed directly above each channel’s virtual LED meter.
CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS • DAW Playback Stream assignment Assigns which of the 16 stereo pairs of playback streams is routed to the FireStudio LightPipe Mixer Clicking on the current DAW assigment will bring up the pulldown menu. You can assign a different playback stream to each mix. • Main Output Fader Changes the overall level of the mix Muting this channel silences the mix on that analog output. • Mix Toggle Toggles between the two monitor mixes “Main” is the mix for the Main Analog outputs.
CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS 3.2 Front Panel Layout • LED Meters / Clip Indicator. Indicate the input signal level (in dBFS) of each channel. The green LEDs illuminate when the channel’s input level reaches -40 and -18 dBFS respectively (-30 and -8 dBu) respectively. The yellow LED illuminates when the channel’s input level reaches -6 dBFS (+4 dBu). The red clip indicator LED illuminates when the channel’s input level reaches 0 dBFS (+10 dBu).
CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS 3.3 Back Panel Layout • Power Adaptor Input. Connects the FireStudio LightPipe to a 100-240V AC power source. • FireWire Ports. Connects the FireStudio LightPipe to a computer. There are two standard 6-pin FireWire ports on the back of the FireStudio LightPipe. Either (and only one) should be used to connect your FireStudio LightPipe to a vacant FireWire port on your computer.
CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS • Main Output. Connects the FireStudio LightPipe to studio monitors. These are balanced analog outputs to connect the FireStudio LightPipe to studio monitors or amplifier. • ADAT – S/MUX Input and Output Receives and transmits digital audio via ADAT. When the Sample Rate is set to “44.1 kHz” or “48 kHz”, each ADAT I/O port provides 8 of the 32 total channels consecutively from right to left. When the Sample Rate is set to “88.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION 4.1 Troubleshooting Please note that many technical issues can arise when converting a standard computer into a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). PreSonus will only provide support for issues that directly relate to the FireStudio LightPipe interface. It may be necessary to contact the manufacturer of the computer, operating system and/or software to obtain additional technical support.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION 4.2 SPECIFICATIONS Analog Outputs Type .................................................................................................................................... ¼” TRS Balanced Output Impedance ................................................................................................................................... 51 Ω Headphone Output Type .............................................................................................................................
