I was having a lot of problems with an aging computer. I'm not sure if it was computer problems or FW problems with the Profire, but M-Audio has terrible support and even though it is hard to beat for features, it was time to get a new main audio interface. I got a pretty much mint Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56 under 2/3 retail price. It is a step up from the Profire in every conceivable way.

Above the LS56 is the Seventh Circle mic preamp chassis with N72, A12, and T15 mic preamp cards. To the right is the heart of the system, the beloved 1976 Pioneer Spec 1 preamp. There is some complicated stuff going on since I like to be able to listen to background music (FM/Vinyl/computer) while watching certain videos on Youtube or whatever. This system is also providing signal a set of Yamaha MSP5 powered studio monitors in my workshop, as well as to my Pioneer SX-1010 that provides the music in the bar/fireplace room where we play darts etc.

Since I was having so many problems with the old computer, I was able to get an old "small form factor" computer and put a Q9550 quad cpu, 8 gigs of RAM, 2.5 TB total hard drive space, and a Nvidia GTX750 video card that can run four monitors and has EXCELLENT performance for very low power use. So the SFF power supply is well within spec when I've run torture tests on it.

The new PA set up. From top to bottom:

Alesis Ai3 takes 8 channels of audio from computer via ADAT, input to mixer's 9-16. 15/16 is "main mix" from DAW or any other computer-based sound (Youtubes etc).

Mackie 1604 VLZ Pro mixer

Carvin XP2 effects unit (I would rather have a noise gate)

M-Audio Profire 2626 - drums, theramin, vocal mic, piano, and synth are all plugged into Profire. All inputs are mirrored to both ADAT output and analog outs going into mixer's 1-8. This allows monitoring during jams, and recording anything from that side of the room.

Carvin HD1000 amp - bridged for subwoofer

Carvin DCM1000 amp - 225wpc @8Ohms powering the Yamaha S115iv pa speakers.

Out with the old...

The ADAT signals go out of Liquid Saffire 56 computer sound interface, into the Alesis Ai3, out of Alesis into Profire, then from Profire back to LS56. Amazing it all clocks instantly together at either 44.1 or 48 Hz.

The 8 analog outs from Alesis Ai3 go into mixer's 9-16.

Starting at the left, are the outputs to DCM1000 amp. Then the tape input is from the Pioneer Spec 1's second main output and orange cable is "control room" out to HD1000 (bridged) subwoofer amp. This allows use of the subwoofer for listening to FM/computer/records etc, controlling the level of the main speaker's amp and the subwoofer levels with the Spec 1's volume knob. But also whatever is going through the PA can be sent to CR/subwoofer via submix 1-2.

There are four black cables that "send" to the Carvin XP2 effects processor and "return."

The glaring 8 empty analog inputs on the Ai3 are soon to be filled with the six Aux sends from the mixer. I need one more long adat cable and then I'll be able to have six effects chain tracks in Reaper that then send back to the mixer.