转载自2006年五月的EQ杂志网络版
第一次尝试翻译,而且本人语文水平最多和阿扁相当

,各位请多指教
M-Audio Firewire 410 + Focusrite Saffire
作者:Scott Colburn | 2006年5月
By Scott Colburn | May 2006
要做好的录音,需要好的监听,最低要求。
To make a great recording, you need great monitors. Bottom line.
竞技场内灯光渐暗,交响乐团隆隆声预示大战即将开始。
The lights go down in the arena and the low rumble of the orchestra indicates impending doom.
[低沉,沙哑,中性,极具戏剧性的嗓音]
[cue: low, throaty, generic, high-drama voice talent]
“在一个…充斥着火线借口的世界里…邪恶轴心相聚做最后决战…胜者将成为新一代超级音频接口的领袖…准备好征服混音。”
“In a world . . . full of Firewire interfaces . . . the axis of evil meets for a final battle. . . . The victor will emerge as the leader of the new race of super interfaces . . . ready to conquer the mix at hand.”
[闪光灯,警报声]
[cue: flashpots, sirens and strobe lights]
就像职业摔跤一样,开始戏剧性高潮之前要进行热身
And just like pro wrestling, we start the long time periods between drama peaks.
这两个产品的共同点是都有2个输入进电脑录音和8个输出混音的基本功能。所以我认为对可能做5.1混音的小型录音室/音乐人很有用。两个产品都有两个XLR话筒输入(可以开关幻象供电)和两个线路输入。M-Audio的两个两用Neutrik XLR上兼有TS插口,分别对应话筒和乐器输入,非常实用。这个很酷,不过用线路输入的时候,可能会令话放过载。盒子背面也有线路输入插口,虽然很好,不过有点不方便。面板上有开关选择话筒/乐器输入或者线路输入。还有一个-20dB的衰减开关,不过即使开着,面板上的输入仍然不适合线路输入。前面版还有一个信号指示LED和一个过载指示LED。Yeah yeah, but what both of these boxes have in common is the basic function of being Firewire interfaces that allow 2-channel recording into the computer and eight outputs for mixing. So I’m thinking this is a great little box for the home studio/musician that wants to mix (potentially) in 5.1. Both boxes have two XLR mic inputs (with switchable phantom power) and two line inputs. The M-Audio device has a dual Neutrik XLR with a jack in the center. Very handy, however, these are for mic input and instrument input, respectively. This is cool, except when running line level to these, it tends to overload the mic pre. There is a line input on the back of the unit though, which is good, but somewhat inconvenient. There’s a switch on the front that allows you to choose between mic/instrument or line level input. There’s another switch that puts a –20dB pad in line, but even with the pad, the front input doesn’t like a line level signal. An LED on the front will indicate signal present and another LED will indicate clipping.
Focusrite产品有两个XLR话筒插口和两个1/4寸插口。一个开关切换1/4寸插口的乐器输入或者线路输入。该型号没有衰减开关。三个LED指示-20, -6和信号过载。两个产品都有MIDI和S/PDIF输入输出。M-Audio还有支持AC3和DTS的光纤输入输出。两个产品都有8个通道模拟输出,支持多声道监听或者多达7.1的监听。M-Audio面板上每个声道都有信号指示。Focusrite没有硬件输出指示。两者面板上都有一个带独立音量旋钮的耳机插口和一个旋钮控制整体音量。Focusrite还有额外的减低音量和静音开关。基本上,除了少数差别,两个产品查不太多。The Focusrite, on the other hand, has two XLR for mics and two 1/4" jacks with a switch to change the 1/4" from instrument to line input. No pad is available on this model. The 3-LED meter indicates signal at –20, –6 and clipping. Both units have MIDI I/O and S/PDIF I/O. The M-Audio has additional support for lightpipe I/O supporting AC3 and DTS! Both boxes have eight analog outputs for multiple channel monitoring or surround monitoring up to 7.1. The M-Audio device has signal indicators for each of the eight outputs on the front of the unit. The Focusrite has no hardware output metering. Both units have two headphone outputs on the front with individual volume control and overall volume control for the analog outs via one knob. The Focusrite has additional switches for dimming and muting. So basically, with a few minor feature variations, these boxes are essentially the same.
作为录音用途,两个产品都不错。话放达到专业质量而且干净。声音有差别,不过很难指出如何不同。在频响上针对不同输入确实有不同个性。至少可以说,输入方面都很不错。一个巨大的区别是,M-Audio支持24位96K而Focusrite可以支持192K录音。另外一个重要区别是M-Audio的输入输出是非平衡而Focusrite全都是平衡接口。And for recording purposes, both boxes do the job well. The mic pres are professional quality and clean. They do sound different but it’s hard to pin down exactly what the difference is. They each have certain characteristics in frequency for various types of input. It’s enough to say that they are both great on the input side. There is a BIG difference though: the M-Audio box does 24 bit to 96K where the Focusrite pushes up to 192K for recording. The other big difference is that the M-Audio device is unbalanced on the I/O and the Focusrite is fully balanced.
外表方面两个产品都有点欺骗性。M-Audio是个光亮扁平的金属盒子,有份量,表面镀铬。而Focusrite比较轻,竖直摆放,面板是白色塑料。Focusrite的输出插口坚固,并且有螺栓固定。而M-Audio的插口缺乏支撑,可能较快出问题。The physical appearances of these boxes are a bit deceiving. The M-Audio is a bright, shiny, metal, flat box with some weight to it and a chrome finish, while the Focusrite is lighter, stands upright and has a white, plastic front. The output jacks on the Focusrite are nice, solid jacks with a bolt holding them still. The M-Audio jacks are free floating and could potentially fail quicker due to this mounting method.
安装方面,双方都有些弊端。M-Audio的火线插口上有警告贴纸说必须先安装软件,然后接驳设备,并且在收到提示不要接驳设备。不然一个尼姑会现身并甩你一巴掌。你应该插入光碟并且跟随指示。我遇到的问题是,我的电脑在放入光碟时不会自动运行。我以为只需要安装驱动程序,所以进入了driver子目录却没找到410。快速入门手册说到用户手册查找解决方法,而用户手册则让我到光碟上不存在的目录里寻找文件。我有点失望,直接用自动运行,问题迎刃而解。如果我当时和其他人一样按部就班,就不会遇到这些麻烦了。But let’s talk about installation. Both boxes have their own set of quirks on the install side. The M-Audio unit comes with a sticker over the Firewire hole that warns you to install the software first before connecting and not to connect it until you are instructed to do so, otherwise a nun will appear and slap you silly! You’re supposed to insert the CD and let it guide you. My problem is that I’ve got my computer set so that inserted CDs just sit there until I tell it to do something. Thinking that I just need to install the driver, I skip to the driver subfolder and I don’t see the 410 listed. The quick start guide says to look to the user manual for additional instruction. The user manual has me search for a file that doesn’t exist on the install CD. So I’m frustrated and just click on the autorun.exe and everything works fine. If only I just operated my computer the way everyone else does, I wouldn’t get into these pickles.
Saffire有两个叫做PC和MAC的子目录,每个里面只有一个安装文件。这样才像话。不过…安装程序问你是否要装插件。然后会创建一个注册文件,却没有指示说如何使用它。当然,如果我的录音室电脑上网,就不会这样迷糊了。看了说明书以后,我发现需要到Focusrite网站注册这个文件。网站上说要先上传这个文件。我照做了。然后它又要我下载一个文件。看上去和我刚上传的文件一样,不过有稍微不同的后缀。“现在怎么办?”我问道。有个按钮提示下一步做法,可弹出窗口太小,不够显示所有信息,我想看的文字在最底端,而这个窗口没法改变大小!The Saffire has two sub folders labeled PC and MAC and within is a single file for install. Now that’s more like it! UNTIL . . . you’re asked if you want to install the plug-ins. This creates a registration file with no instruction on what to do with it. Of course, if my studio computer were connected to the Internet, I wouldn’t get into these muddles. So I look to the manual and find out that I need to register this on the Focusrite website. I go to the website and find out that I need to upload this file. I do. Now I’m asked to download a file. It looks like the same file I just uploaded, but with a slightly different extension. “Now what should I do?” I ask, and there is a button to push to reveal the information on what to do next. However, the pop-up box isn’t big enough to show all the FAQs and the info I need to read is at the bottom of the box and there’s no way to resize it!
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本帖最后由 himhui 于 2006-5-30 15:35 编辑 ]