Edirol FA101 Firewire Audio Interface (Windows and Macintosh)

No longer available at zZounds
10x10 24-bit/96kHz audio performance. Direct monitoring. FireWire bus-powered.

The FA-101 is a feature-packed 10x10 audio interface that can handle a full 10 channels of input/output at 24-bit/96kHz. Record and monitor all 10 channels simultaneously in full duplex. Phenomenal audio power for the studio musician! In addition, the FA-101 offers 6-channel recording and playback at 24-bit/192kHz for performance at DVD-A quality.

The portable musician will love the FA-101, which draws its power completely from the Firewire bus — there's no need for an electrical hookup. At an event, all of the band's hardware can be routed through the FA-101 to output to monitors and, at the same time, the show can be recorded. During the break, CDs can be burned to sell on the spot. The Performance DJ will rely on the FA-101’s rugged metal chassis for reliable, club-tough operation. Back at home, the FA-101 will return as the centerpiece to the home studio.

Because of the FA-101’s ability to supply ample simultaneous inputs, the interface is perfect for practically any portable audio application. Portability with no limitation means you'll be able to take the FA-101 to any kind of performance.

The two phantom-powered XLR/TRS combo jacks offer premium mic preamps for high-quality recording. The back of the FA-101 hosts a number of 1/4" TRS balanced inputs & outputs: six inputs and eight outputs in all. The front-mounted S/PDIF optical I/Os transfer audio to and from other digital devices. The built-in MIDI interface allows a synthesizer or controller keyboard to be read more connected to the FA-101 for sequencing directly into a software program.

If you’re looking for an audio interface capable of simultaneous multi-channel recording on your computer at the highest quality, put the Edirol FA-101 at the top of your list.

Features
10x10 24-bit/96kHz audio performance

6x6 24-bit/192kHz audio performance

Firewire bus-powered

Direct monitoring

Low-latency driver support

Native Support in Mac OS X (10.3.4 or later)

2x phantom-powered mic preamps

8x8 balanced analog I/O

S/PDIF optical I/O

MIDI I/O
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System Requirements
Mac OS X (10.3.7 or later)

Windows XP/Vista

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 800-380-2580

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. (48 ratings)
Submitted September 3, 2005 by a customer from mailcan.com

"Nice and solid. Good Drivers."

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
The very one thing I was worried before purchasing an audio interface is to have to mess with my computer and IRQ's just to get the thing to work. This unit has been problem-less and easy to setup. Good and solid. I record it with SONAR on a PC laptop and it's been fine.

Sound
The included pre-amps work nicely. Low noise and enough gain for my purpose (recording pop vocals). I've only used it with my Studio Projects B1 and it's been serving me well.

Features
For this price, I think this unit is a pretty nice bang for the buck. 2 pre-amps, 8 analog in's, 2 S/PDIF in's, etc. The good thing is that it works as advertised. No problems.

Quality
Seems pretty solid. Nicely built, good mobility because of its weight. I've put it in a laptop bag and flew on the plane with it. Works fine. The transformer included with mine works in all regions. I've used it in both Japan and Hong Kong without problems despite the different voltages in the 2 countries.

Value
I considered the M-audio FW410 before purchasing this. But I've seen reviews where users were having problems with the drivers and such. So I looked into this unit. The price is reduced now and I think it's pretty good for an entry-level product. The firepod was not released yet when I made my purchase and that unit seems to be nice because of including 8 preamps (man!). So, if you have another 100 to spend, getting read more that might be even more bang for the buck.

Manufacturer Support
Replied my email about a sample rate question within a week.

The Wow Factor
Nice red, shiny color that pics on the net don't do justice to. ;)

Musical Background:
Home Studio User

Musical Style:
Rock, Pop, Metal, etc.
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12 of 13 people (92%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
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