This would have been a great product if i knew exactly what to do when i got it. It took some fishing on the net to get it to work and i still have some work to do.

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Well, this thing is everything I hoped it would be. I use an Audio Technica condenser in a homemade isolation box for my guitar amp, and let me tell you, the results I have right off the bat with this unit are absolutely usable for extremely high quality sound. It translates perfectly every nuance of warmth, power, clarity, and tonal complexity I'm trying to communicate with my tone. Basically, the FireWire Solo lets my mic do its job. The one weird thing with it, which is a little confusing, is the driver install. The driver is definitely something you must use the manual to install properly, because it does not follow the normal insert CD-ROM and follow prompts protocol, but the manual explains clearly how to install the driver properly, so there's no problem there, once I realized I had to read the manual. Something to keep in mind for those of you using a firewire device for the first time (I'm glad I caught the printed warning first!), you must plug in the firewire device WHILE THE COMPUTER IS OFF. "Hotplugging" the device (plugging it in while both units are on, as you would with a USB device) may damage your firewire port permanently, so make sure to follow the instructions carefully. What's really great about the FireWire Solo is the capability of recording at 24 bits and 96 kHz in a home environment, with a firewire connection. One other small issue some users will have with the unit is latency. I would recommend reading online about low latency solutions, specifically solutions offered by Linux. A Linux driver, called Freebob, does work with the FireWire Solo. Also, as far as weird cons go, there is a warning printed for the device warning the user to wash their hands after handling it due to the presence of lead in it, I assume in the chassis; I use a piece of tissue paper to handle the unit. I am as happy as pie with this thing, and unless I have reason and means to overspend in the future, whatever I use to upgrade from this at some point will be an M-Audio product.

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