Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 20-in, 20 out Firewire Interface

Designed with the sophisticated project studio owner or smaller commercial facility in mind, Saffire PRO 40 features a versatile 20 inputs and 20 outputs, including a complement of eight Focusrite mic preamps guaranteed to get the best out of any microphone, with minimal noise and distortion even at high gain. Two mic/line/instrument inputs are accessed via the front panel, which also provides two independent headphone monitor outputs.

All eight main inputs feature combo XLR/TRS connectors and sense which is in use automatically. Inputs 1 and 2 appear on the front panel and support mic, line and instrument operation, while the remaining six are on the rear panel and offer mic and line input functionality. In addition to the comprehensive monitoring options described below, there are eight TRS line outputs. In addition, ADAT I/O, stereo S/PDIF I/O and two virtual "loopback" inputs for routing digital audio between software applications are provided. Every mic pre features phantom power, with the first two channels also featuring -9dB pads for additional headroom. Front panel five-step LED metering for each analogue input offers accurate viewing of levels.

Saffire MixControl, the ultra-low-latency 18 x 16 DSP Mixer/Router software provided with Saffire PRO 40, sets a new standard at this price point for audio interface control. It features unparalleled output routing and monitoring, as well as intuitive one-click options, a clear and concise mixing layout and large on-screen metering for inputs, outputs and submixes.

Two independent headphone buses are provided, each with their own level controls available on the front panel. A dedicated stereo monitor mix TRS output features pads for improved sound quality when connected to active monitor speakers, while an 'anti-thump' circuit protects your monitor speakers from spikes when booting up or shutting down. Front panel controls include a main monitor dial with dim and mute switches, all of which fully integrate with customizable software to cover every possible monitoring need, providing a set of controls for any set-up from basic stereo to full 7.1 surround.

To learn about the technical specifications, download the RTAS MixControl user manual here.