Focusrite Saffire 56 + Rokit 5 Monitors + 2 1/4 Cables

Liquid Saffire 56 is Focusrite’s new flagship 2U multi-channel firewire audio interface. Liquid technology combines with Saffire PRO firewire interfacing to deliver a host of authentic pre-amp flavours, seamless software integration, excellent routing flexibility and future-proof, rock-solid driver stability.In addition to six of Focusrite's legendary mic-pre's, two of Liquid Saffire 56’s pre-amps utilises the third generation of Focusrite’s Liquid Pre-amp, providing the choice of ten different pre-amp emulations. These include emulations based on the Neve 1073, the Pultec MB-1, Telefunken V72 and seven more. A harmonics dial on each Liquid pre-amp lets you account for variance in vintage originals of the same model, or use levels of 2nd, 3rd and 5th Harmonic distortion creatively to shape your sound.

Liquid Saffire 56 doesn’t just offer pre-amp variety; sonic integrity is also guaranteed throughout. Both the Liquid and Saffire pre-amps ensure low noise and distortion, whilst quality digital conversion and JetPLLTM jitter elimination technology ensure pristine audio quality as your audio flows between the analogue and digital domains.

Alongside the two Liquid- and six Saffire pre-amps, are a host of i/o options; 10 analogue outputs, 16 channels of ADAT i/o, stereo SPDIF i/o, MIDI i/o and 2 virtual ‘loopback’ inputs for routing digital audio between software applications - ideal for capturing audio playback within your computer. Mic, Line and Instrument inputs all utilise independent connectors, with the input type for each channel selectable via custom control software. Consequently, all the inputs can remain permanently connected, ready for whatever your recording session demands. In addition, word-clock i/o is provided on BNC connectors, allowing Liquid Saffire 56 to act as either a master clock for your studio, or as a slave to an existing clock. Every channel features an independent phantom power and a high pass filter, switchable from the front panel, with the two instrument channels also featuring -9dB pads for additional headroom. Front panel 5-LED metering for all inputs, including ADAT and SPDIF, offers accurate viewing of all levels.

Saffire Mix Control, the zero-latency 18 x 16 DSP Mixer/Router software provided with Liquid Saffire 56 features unparalleled output routing and monitoring. It also provides intuitive one-click set-up solutions, a clear and concise mixing layout, large on-screen metering for inputs, outputs and submixes and control over the choice of liquid emulation. Two independent headphone buses are provided, each with their own level controls available on the front panel. A dedicated stereo monitor mix output features pads for improved sound quality when connected to active monitor speakers. An 'anti-thump' circuit protects your monitor speakers from spikes when booting up or shutting down the unit.

Liquid Pre Technology

Rather than creating a similar sound to vintage units, as with modelling devices, Liquid Technology samples their sonic behaviour. This is achieved through Dynamic Convolution; the application of a unique, level-dependent set of responses to an audio signal. These measured responses, sampled at numerous levels and with every possible setting combination, are applied to the input stream on a sample-by-sample basis for accurate emulation. However, Mic-pre emulation can't be achieved with software alone. Hardware is required in addition to account for the physical interaction with the microphone. Mic-pre's have always had to connect to the source microphone, but it's an interactive system that isn't 100% efficient. Mic. pre-amps have been designed since 1920's to suit a wide variety of different types of mics.- passive carbon dynamics, then coil-based designs, then valve amplifiers, large diaphragms, phantom powered condensers etc.

Hence, different vintages and types of mic. pre-amp, will vary dramatically in terms of the way that their input has been designed. For example, the range of electronic/transformer front ends that have been used over the years exhibit a wide-ranging set of impedances, and this is why an analogue front end needs to be included. If a specific mic. is not being loaded by the analogue circuit just as it was by an original vintage device, then the sound from that microphone will be different. The is no real mic-pre standard. Take a transformer for instance. It has two coils of wire, the 1st coil generates a magnetic field, and this then passes into the 2nd coil- which in itself is not a fixed transfer mechanism, there's a lot of variation in transformers.

What impedance appears at the input of the pre is also a key factor- when you connect a mic. it has an output impedance of its own. The two sides (mic. and pre) react, and frequency-related level can vary wildly as a result. Capacitances also interact as both mic and transformer have capacitances that vary, so HF roll off may occur for example, or you may get an HF peak (The famous Focusrite 'airiness' typified by the ISA range for example,) Older mics. designed for broadcast applications often roll off at e.g. 12kHz, since before 1970 few people cared about HF matters. (Designers used to just roll off at c12kHz to filter out problems above this threshold.)

Consequently, The only way to accommodate the full range of different designs is to allow huge flexibility in the resistance and capacitance parameters in a custom analogue circuit designed specifically for that flexibility. By including a 'Liquid' pre-amp circuit containing a flexible signal path and variable impedance value, Liquid Saffire 56 can mimic that of the classic mic-pre to ensure that the interaction with the microphone is close to the original.

Hence, The Liquid pre-amp physically changes analogue circuitry as well as using dynamic convolution technology to create mic-pre emulations. Focusrite has built in the variations required to reproduce the vagaries of a range of electronic mic-pres. The capacitance and resistance are then varied in the circuit, and Dynamic Convolution technology is used to emulate the full range of electronic pre's. Tube emulation is also covered 100% - this is taken care of by the Dynamic Convolution process. Whatever artefacts were present in a classic vintage tube piece are also present in the Liquid Pre-amp. The sound of every opto, and every VCA compressor, every transformer-balanced, electronically balanced (including tube pre's) can be emulated, because each device's response has been calculated.

- All of Focusrite's FireWire interfaces are fully compatible with Thunderbolt using a simple FireWire to Thunderbolt adapter. Focusrite fully supports the use of Thunderbolt with our FireWire interfaces.

Key Features

• Two Liquid Pre-amps

  The marriage of a hugely flexible analogue front end with cutting-edge dynamic convolution DSP, each Liquid Pre-amp lets you choose from ten different classic pre-amp emulations, with an eleventh ‘flat’ option.

• Six High Quality Award-winning Focusrite Pre-amps

  Six award-winning Saffire pre-amps complement two Liquid pre-amps. All eight pre-amps demonstrate the same wide bandwidth philosophy behind the early vintage Focusrite units.

• High Quality 24-bit/192kHz Firewire Interface

  Professional digital conversion and JetPLLTM jitter elimination technology; pristine audio quality and reliable synchronisation are guaranteed.

• Total I/O Count of 28 Inputs and 28 Outputs

  A host of i/o options are provided*, including a unique loop-back facility for routing audio between software applications via Saffire Mix Control.

• Suite of Focusrite VST/AU plug-ins

  Upgrade your standard sequencer effects and bring a touch of class to your session with Focusrite Compression, Reverb, Gating and EQ VST/AU plug-ins.

• Two separate headphone buses

  Two artists can receive independent and fully customised monitor mixes. Each output has an independent level control available on the front panel.

• Saffire Mix Control Zero-latency DSP Mixer/Router

  Routing flexibility and intuitive one-click set-up solutions; Saffire Mix Control provides an 18 x 16 DSP mixer with excellent output routing and monitoring capabilities.

• Front panel 5-LED metering

  LED metering for each of the analogue, ADAT1, ADAT2 or S/PDIF inputs offers accurate viewing of levels direct from the front fascia.

The KRK RokitG2 Series takes value-priced monitors to a new performance level. All of the great stuff that Rokit’s have been known for (front-firing bass port, soft-domed tweeter, glass aramid composite yellow cone) are still there, but the G2 Rokit’s feature refined voicing and a new curved baffle that looks great, reduces diffraction and provides even better monitoring accuracy. Studio Monitor Series from KRK Systems. For years the Rokit series has been a popular choice for accurate monitoring in studios large and small. Now the all new Generation 2 RoKit provides a new standard for even better performance and accuracy, raising the bar once again.

No Pain With Gain

Why compromise gain structure to achieve a comfortable listening level? As musicians and recording people ourselves, we've asked that question too. So each Generation 2 Rokit comes with an Input Volume Control that provides an adjustable gain range from +6dB to -30dB. Just another way the Rokit lets you focus on your mix, and not on compatibility concerns.

Catch A Wave, For A 3D Mix

Recessed tweeters may look the same, but they don't perform the same. KRK has designed a superior tweeter wave guide for the Rokit that provides optimal high frequency pattern control and focuses the sound outward, away from the cabinet. More conventional designs direct sound along the plane of the cabinet where waveform interaction can cause phase problems and increased diffraction. KRK knows a properly engineered high frequency wave guide is a critical component to great sound, and one key to our award winning performance.

You’ve Got Connections

At KRK our focus is your mix. But it doesn't stop at creating accurate monitors. We live this stuff and appreciate the need for monitors that not only sound great but work easily into your particular set up. That's why you'll find plenty of input options with your Rokit, sure to accommodate any studio environment. So if it's RCA, Quarter-Inch (balanced/unbalanced) or XLR inputs you require, Rokit has got you covered.

Even More Accurate Than Before

We took a great monitor series and made it better. Our engineers and listening panel took the Generation 2 Rokits’ speaker voicing to even more accurate levels. What you hear is what you are intended to hear, coloration is not part of the spec. This performance is brought to you by drivers that are custom-designed by our world-class studio monitor engineering team, for clear, low-distortion performance.

Take Control

While your Generation 2 Rokit leaves the factory voiced to our demanding specs, KRK also knows that no two rooms "sound" the same. As such, each Rokit comes equipped with a High Frequency Level Control. This feature provides specific adjustment of high frequency output most commonly affected by room acoustics. It's just one extra level of control that KRK gives you to ensure the most accurate mix for your particular room's acoustics.

Don’t Be Square, Curves Ahead

Our new Rokit looks different, so it can sound better, and in a wider "sweet spot". Traditional rectangular speakers suffer from diffraction as sounds leaving the edge of the cabinet are reflected back into the original sound field, and at different time intervals. This phase distortion creates a "narrow" or boxy" sound. The Generation 2 Rokit series eliminates this issue with radically engineered curved surfaces, so diffraction is virtually eliminated. Simply put, you'll get better sound in a wider area.

Let’s Be Up Front

Take a look at competitive monitors and you'll find ports on the back of the cabinet. These rear-firing ports tend create bass coupling with walls and corners amplifying low frequency information which will color your mix. The superior design of the KRK Generation 2 Rokit’s include front-firing ports, which are just the right shape and taper to reduce port turbulence. You'll appreciate the clean and accurate bass performance, this approach delivers, even at high SPL’s.

Power Up!

A great sounding monitor doesn’t stop with a great cabinet and custom drivers. Our true bi-amplified amplifier system provides discrete low-distortion power for each driver. While our active crossover systems provide smooth and accurate frequency response, and again, accurate diffraction control.

High-performance instrument cable!
For more than 30 years, Whirlwind has been producing high-quality audio cables with musicians in mind. You can benefit from their experience on the stage or in the studio with their standard instrument cable, the GC20. Its 20-foot length is perfect for live settings. You can put some distance between you and your amp without excess coils to trip over. You'll have enough length for your bandmates to cross behind you without getting clothes-lined.

Versatile 1/4 in. connectors
The 1/4 in. cable serves many functions in a musician's rig. They typically run from a guitar, bass, or keyboard out to an amplifier or effects unit. As patch cables, they often connect rack processors and powered monitors to the rest of your gear. In the studio, mixer inserts and direct outputs usually have a 1/4 in. connection. The GC20 is a 1/4 in. to 1/4 in. cable specifically engineered for reliable operation in any of these settings.

Rugged components for road-use
As with all their cables, GC20's are built to Whirlwind's exacting specifications, using only the finest components. The 1/4 in. connectors have excellent strain-relief to prevent damage no matter how many times you plug and unplug them. Whether your cables stay connected in the studio or you take them out on the road, you'll have years of trouble-free use. No more tedious hours spent looking for a short circuit.

Flexible and durable
On tour, instrument cables come out of the van, get uncoiled for the show, then wrapped up again for the trip to the next venue. They get stepped on, tucked under amp-handles, and tripped-over. All this wear can take its toll, leading to cracks, shorts, and ultimately, poor sound quality. Whirlwind uses a finely stranded 20-gauge wire for the GC20's center core, and a strong, supple outer-shield to guard against scuffs and pinches. Your cables will have the toughness and flexibility to stand up to heavy road abuse, no matter how long you're on tour. No one wants to hunt for a music store 20 minutes before the gig, so make sure your cables are reliable and ready to rock when you are.Description goes here