The Liquid Saffire 56 from Focusrite is a 28 input and 28 output FireWire digital audio interface featuring 8 microphone preamps, 2 of which utilize the company’s innovative Liquid technology. A comprehensive complement of I/O options is provided, including a loop-back facility for routing audio between software applications via the Saffire Mix Control software.

The Liquid preamps represent a marriage of a flexible analog front end with dynamic convolution DSP, with each preamp providing a choice of 10 different classic pre-amp emulations, with an eleventh “flat” option. Emulations are based on the Neve 1073, the Pultec MB-1, Telefunken V72 amongst others. The other 6 preamps are Saffire based, with all 8 pre-amps demonstrating the same wide bandwidth philosophy that lay behind early vintage Focusrite units.

Front panel 5-LED metering for each analog and digital input offers accurate viewing of levels. Two independent headphone buses are provided, each with its own level control. Additional 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, basic stereo to full 7.1 surround.

Saffire Mix Control is a zero-latency DSP mixer/router software application that provides extensive output routing and monitoring, a clear mixing layout, and large on-screen metering for inputs, outputs and sub-mixes. A suite of Focusrite AU/VST plug-ins provide compression, EQ, gating and reverb. Focusrite’s Xcite+ bundle features Ableton Live Lite (for all your production, performance and compositional needs), Novation’s Bass Station soft synthesizer, the Midnight Plug-In Suite, and over 1 GB of royalty-free samples from Loopmasters.

The Focusrite Red 2 and Red 3 Plug-In Suite (AAX, Audio Units, VST) delivers accurately modeled plug-ins based on the classic Focusrite Red 2 EQ and Red 3 Compressor hardware. The plug-ins allow for conveniently exploring the sound of the hardware originals from within Pro Tools (10 and above), along with other audio software. The software is a free download for new and current owners of the Liquid Saffire 56.