NI(nterface)D - Focusrite Forte
Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:20 am
I recently moved to a new house and have had to set up my music gear in the master bedroom 
until I am able to finish the basement and build out an awesome studio space. To make the best of things in the meantime, I needed a recording solution with a smaller footprint than my Mackie Onyx mixer. After some research, I was interested in the Focusrite Forte (http://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/forte), and when I was able to nab a new/open box one on ebay for $300 that sealed the deal.
Turns out so far that this has been a great choice. It of course has fewer preamps/ins and less in the way of routing options than my Mackie interface, but I don't really need more in my current situation. The design of the device is great, they have made everything very easily accessible via the one turn-and-push knob. The control software is fine too, and the plug-ins it comes with (Focusrite Midnight Comp and EQ) are actually very nice.
The most important thing though is the sound quality, which is fantastic. I don't think I will be able to go back to my Mackie after this. The sound from the preamps and possibly the converters is just so much better. The preamps don't have the color of the Onyx pres (which really are nice) but they make the material you record sound far bigger, more open and accurate. They aren't quite as super clean as something like a Grace m101 but they're more in that direction. They also have TONS of gain. Plenty to drive an SM7b on vocals with ease.
The downside is on the technical end where I have encountered some glitchy weirdness. When I first installed the device I was prompted to d/l some new firmware, which I did. After the installation completed and I cycled the power on the device, I got the dreaded BSOD.
But after my DAW restarted, it has never happened again. The bigger issue is that the Forte Control software takes umbrage with certain things seemingly at random. Its not too big a deal really, primarily what I have noticed is the kind of thing where if I'm in Reaper and I mix down a track and select the 'Launch File' option from the mixdown menu, Forte Control will stop working. Fortunately, this doesn't crash Reaper, and in fact the Forte still functions in that it passes sound from the DAW to the monitors/headphones, but the knob and option buttons stop working. To fix the issue you can just save your project, close out Reaper, and restart the Forte Control program. Or, you can avoid the whole issue by not launching the file from Reaper, and making sure you have Reaper minimized when you go to listen to the file in Media Player or whatever. So the software is not bulletproof like I have found Mackie's to be, but it's also not really problematic.
Overall, at the price and for the quality of sound, I cannot recommend the Forte highly enough. If its size and feature set meet your needs, definitely give it a look if you are in need of a PC DAW interface.
until I am able to finish the basement and build out an awesome studio space. To make the best of things in the meantime, I needed a recording solution with a smaller footprint than my Mackie Onyx mixer. After some research, I was interested in the Focusrite Forte (http://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/forte), and when I was able to nab a new/open box one on ebay for $300 that sealed the deal.Turns out so far that this has been a great choice. It of course has fewer preamps/ins and less in the way of routing options than my Mackie interface, but I don't really need more in my current situation. The design of the device is great, they have made everything very easily accessible via the one turn-and-push knob. The control software is fine too, and the plug-ins it comes with (Focusrite Midnight Comp and EQ) are actually very nice.
The most important thing though is the sound quality, which is fantastic. I don't think I will be able to go back to my Mackie after this. The sound from the preamps and possibly the converters is just so much better. The preamps don't have the color of the Onyx pres (which really are nice) but they make the material you record sound far bigger, more open and accurate. They aren't quite as super clean as something like a Grace m101 but they're more in that direction. They also have TONS of gain. Plenty to drive an SM7b on vocals with ease.
The downside is on the technical end where I have encountered some glitchy weirdness. When I first installed the device I was prompted to d/l some new firmware, which I did. After the installation completed and I cycled the power on the device, I got the dreaded BSOD.
But after my DAW restarted, it has never happened again. The bigger issue is that the Forte Control software takes umbrage with certain things seemingly at random. Its not too big a deal really, primarily what I have noticed is the kind of thing where if I'm in Reaper and I mix down a track and select the 'Launch File' option from the mixdown menu, Forte Control will stop working. Fortunately, this doesn't crash Reaper, and in fact the Forte still functions in that it passes sound from the DAW to the monitors/headphones, but the knob and option buttons stop working. To fix the issue you can just save your project, close out Reaper, and restart the Forte Control program. Or, you can avoid the whole issue by not launching the file from Reaper, and making sure you have Reaper minimized when you go to listen to the file in Media Player or whatever. So the software is not bulletproof like I have found Mackie's to be, but it's also not really problematic.Overall, at the price and for the quality of sound, I cannot recommend the Forte highly enough. If its size and feature set meet your needs, definitely give it a look if you are in need of a PC DAW interface.
