Does anyone have any in-depth knowledge of Firewire 3200? All of the cables, connectors, and ports are visibly identical right? Have suppliers pushed out working silicon yet? Has anyone seen a tear-down of the new Macbook Pros?
I know it's highly unlikely, but is there any way the new MB pros could be FW3200 compatible? Even with a firmware upgrade? Wouldn't that be an awesome surprise? Like 802.11N!
Yes FW3200 shares the same 9-circuit board so I guess the link layer is basically the same. The lack of FW3200 announcements makes me wonder if some vendor will just come out with a surprise as well.
I don't buy the notion that Apple drops a port because they had to to add another port (in this case and many others). There are plenty of machines out there that have both ports and more - can we drop the charade of "but apple had no choice!"
If apple really wanted to keep both, they could have made it happen.
And the feature that defines the mac experience is really FireWire Target Mode? Really? Sure, it's cool, but it Defines the Experience?
You hit it on the head. I have my MBP, but bought an Acer Aspire One for travel to Africa this past winter. That sucker has more ports than I know what to do with. It rocks! I'm going to turn it into a Hacintosh. I'm really happy to see the SD slot and the FW800. Those are two things that I use regularly, but on my two diff lap tops.
I used it to muck around in garageband. Basically I'd play a song through iTunes then use a male to male audio cord I had lying around to feed it back into the input on the same laptop and sample the song in garageband. Then I'd chop it up for shits and giggles.
Unfortunately, you'll have to figure out another way to get your shits and giggles.
I don't like the idea of the dropped audio input port, this is just a slow slide against pro and audio creators in favor of locked down consumer machines.
The port is tiny, it could have gone anywhere, this is bullsh*t.
As a professional audio engineer I must attest that any onboard mic/line input on a laptop is never to be associated with professional quality Analog to Digital (A/D) convertors like that found in external audio interfaces like a Digidesign MBox. Consumers are the only ones that will be missing this dedicated input.
Whether or not you buy the argument that it had to go for lack of space is one thing, but from someone who bought their last macbook (not uni) stricktly for Logic Pro and Pro Tools usage, I would have no problem sacrificing a mic input in favor of FW800 and/or sd card reader.
As a professional audio engineer I must attest that any onboard mic/line input on a laptop is never to be associated with professional quality Analog to Digital (A/D) convertors like that found in external audio interfaces like a Digidesign MBox. Consumers are the only ones that will be missing this dedicated input..
You do realize the digital audio input doesn't need an A/D converter in the first place, don't you?
I don't like the idea of the dropped audio input port, this is just a slow slide against pro and audio creators in favor of locked down consumer machines.
Really? For me the lack of firewire on the previous version would have posed a far great problem.
I don't know ANYONE (professional or otherwise) who used the audio-in on older MacBooks. My AU$1000 10in/10out firewire audio interface, on the other hand, gets heavy usage, and meant that a MacBook upgrade was useless for me. (The 15" MBP is not suitable for me, for various reasons).
That said, I have no particular reason to upgrade anyway. My 2.5-year-old MacBook, on which I upgraded the hard disk and RAM last year, still has plenty of grunt. Despite the cracks in the black plastic, I can resist the urge to get a shiny aluminium replacement.
I have a Line 6 X3 Live modeling pedal (basically digital guitar effects, amps and cabinets for my Strats) that I pipe the S/PDIF digital output (stereo) through a digital coax->optical converter and in through the toslink optical digital audio input of my BlackBook to Logic. Its a very good digital signal, so no need to go to analog only to roundtrip back to digital again.
Yes, any "standard" analog goes through my FW-based MOTU UltraLite mk3 (which also does MIDI in via FW) -- except for vocals and mic'ed acoustic guitars which get the Apogee Duet treatment.
But its far cleaner to just take the digital signal from the modeling pedal completely digital into Logic. And even with a 2.2GHz BlackBook I can simultaneously feed digital audio in and one of the FW audio interfaces.
So yes, FW audio interfaces are tha shiznit, but digital audio inputs have their place in many budget mobile recording rigs.
I readily admit that the way I use this is an outlier (OTOH, its part of why I switched to the Mac platform). I will say that I don't really mind this going missing in the 13" MacBook (Pro) as long as the other MBPs continue to support it.
No S/PDIF on your FW interface? I run my X3 Live into my FA101 (also with the help of a co-ax/optical converter). It would be nice if Logic allowed me to use my FW interface simultaneously with the POD's USB connection.
Did anyone use the audio in port? Most pro audio users have other means of input, mainly outboard usb boxes, but mainly firewire ones. If anything, the addition of firewire is far better for the pros than anything else...
I have used the Mac's traditional Line in audio jack a number of times to take output from several audio/tape/stereo components/units to record digitally. Was great for converting some of my dolby cassette tapes to digital mp3/aac format. Good for those cases where I had not bought a CD version of the cassette tape, or where the original source was rare and never made the jump to being re-released on CD.
And I admit, I am not an "audio pro."
Quote:
Originally Posted by anaknipedro
Actually, the new Makbook Pro 13" has an integrated audio in/out port. Read the tech specs on the website.
Well, that sort of works, but only if you don't want to use analog line in and speaker/headphone out at the same time. So technically, yes, it has audio input, but only if your audio in work is OK to do by listening on the tiny MacBook speakers...
Personally, I always use headphones when setting up, making, verifying recordings.
I am glad for the return of FireWire to the MacBookPro ne MacBook, make no mistake about that.
But Apple does have a habit of giving something with one hand, and taking a feature away with the other.
I think there must be a rule at Apple about that. Maybe a limit on the ''number' of ports or features?... Or maybe that one must always take something away when a new item is given/returned? \
plugging an audio jack into a laptop is a BAD idea in my experience. anything you can do with a digital audio in can be done better and more safely with usb, very cheaply, these days
I liked the previous unibody 13" becasue of the ease at which you could switych internal harddrives...
Because you cannot easily sync laptop profiles with your desktop and the fact I share the old ub MB with the wife, I just superdupered my 2/5" spare drive with a hard disk dock and swap them out (I have a 300GB profile).
Does anyone know if you can still remove the harddrive or will it be a labourious task on the new MBP 13"?
I think using optical media for storing data is a thing of the past mainly because they take forever to record data and it is cheaper to use other alternative (SD, USB flash drives, external HDD... etc). I see BluRay for video only not data for the previous reasons and personally I prefer watching HD movies on 32"+ display.
As long as sneaker net lives, there will be a market for a cheap storage device that allows for one use. $0.04 for a disk that I can burn and give someone VS a ~$20 flash chip that I would want back? no contest.
So technically, yes, it has audio input, but only if your audio in work is OK to do by listening on the tiny MacBook speakers...
Personally, I always use headphones when setting up, making, verifying recordings.
Not sure if I understand: you say that if you use the now unique audio port as input, you have to redirect the output elsewhere. Why then use the built-in speakers and not a USB headphones set?
My guess on why Apple has so much trouble fitting the ports.
1. It's likely that the DVD burner is taking a huge chunk of the side area. I really suggest that Apple to give a second option of removing the DVD burner and replace it with ExpressCard and digital audio input or whatsoever. Most users barely use the DVD player on the road, so getting rid of this dead weight makes sense.
2. Steve Jobs insists that no ports can be built in the front because of his aesthetic concern. This is just my wild guess, but entirely possible.
The DVD drive is on the right, the ports are on the left. The space isn't an issue because of the DVD drive, the battery and hard drive is probably whats taking the space.
No S/PDIF on your FW interface? I run my X3 Live into my FA101 (also with the help of a co-ax/optical converter). It would be nice if Logic allowed me to use my FW interface simultaneously with the POD's USB connection.
Yes, the UltraLite mk3 does S/PDIF in.
But I like not having to deal with the FW devices for jam sessions, I can record my guitar directly into Logic Express (and send the keyboard MIDI data through a cheapie USB MIDI device) and leave my other gear plugged into the MOTU in the home recording studio. Another reason to keep the BlackBook around I guess.
After years of hauling around a Hammond+Leslie in addition to guitars and amps/cabinets, these days I'm into keeping my rig as light and portable as possible.
Yes, I did. I liked being able to jack my guitar right into the MacBook for quick recordings. While I'm not thrilled with the new audio plug situation, I'm happy that FireWire is back. It sounds like if I had the right adapter I could still plug my guitar in... though I guess the jury is still out.
Your guitar or amp has digital outs? If that's the case, you can still use analog in.
I doubt there are many audio boxes these days that have digital audio out but no USB or firewire.
Quote:
Originally Posted by donlphi
As for the audio ports, they were great for ripping audio files that couldn't be converted easily. I know there are other ways, but I used to run a 1/8" male to male into the audio out and in and just record commercials or random "not easily" converted audio files that way.
It sounds like you were doing an analog transfer. That hasn't gone away, just digital audio input.
Quote:
Originally Posted by graxspoo
I'm assuming that what they've done is make it take an iPhone-style headphone jack + mono mic input. If that's true, then the laptop no longer has analog stereo input.
If, on the other hand, what they've done is to make it either an input or an output, but not both at the same time, people would not be able to use headsets with Skype, or record a musical instrument while listening through headphones.
Their website says the output is user switchable to analog audio in, so it looks like it still has that.
And I guess you can't do overdubbing in GB like that...but mic options that connect to 1/8 are pretty weak and you can't use a regular mic without buying a mic preamp anyway. Anyone serious about it would be using additional hardware anyway.
Quote:
Originally Posted by retroneo
Fool. It's not stereo anymore.
First, no need to be rude and call people names, it's childish. And second, do the apple specs say if it's stereo or mono?
Quote:
Originally Posted by yopmaster
I sometimes use the audio input in combination of the audio out to plug my guitar and listen to what I'm playing with headphones or some good quaity speakers.
What sort of output is on your guitar (or are you using some sort of guitar amp or pre)? You can't just use a 1/4" to 1/8" cable to hook a guitar directly to a 1/8 input on a computer, can you? I would think that it wouldn't have enough juice to amplify the signal, although I could be wrong.
Doing a quick search online, you can get a simple USB guitar connection for under $40 and it should vastly increase the quality of your audio input and output.
I don't like the idea of the dropped audio input port, this is just a slow slide against pro and audio creators in favor of locked down consumer machines.
The port is tiny, it could have gone anywhere, this is bullsh*t.
So is your argument. There are USB options for audio input. I guess you don't remember the Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) lacked an audio input as well, and it was considered a "Pro" machine. The original PowerBook G4's lacked audio in as well (it did later return). Audio creators use FIREWIRE for their Audio devices. You can still get audio into the MacBook.
I have a Line 6 X3 Live modeling pedal (basically digital guitar effects, amps and cabinets for my Strats) that I pipe the S/PDIF digital output (stereo) through a digital coax->optical converter and in through the toslink optical digital audio input of my BlackBook to Logic. Its a very good digital signal, so no need to go to analog only to roundtrip back to digital again.
And clicking on the link, I see the Line6 also has USB output, so even without digital audio in, you can still send the signal digitally to the laptop. You'd have to hook up using a different cable, but no loss of quality in this situation.
I suppose there are still probably a few audio boxes that have digital out but not USB or firewire, but I doubt there are many recent ones with that configuration.
Quote:
Originally Posted by elroth
Unfortunately, you'll have to figure out another way to get your shits and giggles.
But fortunately, it can be done easily with software, using a cable at all is completely unnecessary.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BananaInsider
As a professional audio engineer I must attest that any onboard mic/line input on a laptop is never to be associated with professional quality Analog to Digital (A/D) convertors like that found in external audio interfaces like a Digidesign MBox. Consumers are the only ones that will be missing this dedicated input.
Whether or not you buy the argument that it had to go for lack of space is one thing, but from someone who bought their last macbook (not uni) stricktly for Logic Pro and Pro Tools usage, I would have no problem sacrificing a mic input in favor of FW800 and/or sd card reader.
The input that was removed was a digital input, and using that will give you sound quality as good as any "pro" box.
Quote:
Originally Posted by schmidty
No S/PDIF on your FW interface? I run my X3 Live into my FA101 (also with the help of a co-ax/optical converter). It would be nice if Logic allowed me to use my FW interface simultaneously with the POD's USB connection.
That FW interface does have spdif, so yet another way he could bring in his guitar digitally. And you should be able to use multiple interfaces simultaneously with Logic (even mixing FW and USB), you just need to go into the Audio Midi Setup app and combine the two as a virtual aggregate device.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Young
I have used the Mac's traditional Line in audio jack a number of times to take output from several audio/tape/stereo components/units to record digitally.
So you were using the analog input, which is still there. They removed the digital input.
Quote:
Originally Posted by John.B
YI can record my guitar directly into Logic Express (and send the keyboard MIDI data through a cheapie USB MIDI device) and leave my other gear plugged into the MOTU in the home recording studio. Another reason to keep the BlackBook around I guess.
Couldn't you do that on this new machine by connecting the USB output of the line6 to the laptop? No FW needed.
Comments
Hey, I just had an interesting thought.
Does anyone have any in-depth knowledge of Firewire 3200? All of the cables, connectors, and ports are visibly identical right? Have suppliers pushed out working silicon yet? Has anyone seen a tear-down of the new Macbook Pros?
I know it's highly unlikely, but is there any way the new MB pros could be FW3200 compatible? Even with a firmware upgrade? Wouldn't that be an awesome surprise? Like 802.11N!
Yes FW3200 shares the same 9-circuit board so I guess the link layer is basically the same. The lack of FW3200 announcements makes me wonder if some vendor will just come out with a surprise as well.
I don't buy the notion that Apple drops a port because they had to to add another port (in this case and many others). There are plenty of machines out there that have both ports and more - can we drop the charade of "but apple had no choice!"
If apple really wanted to keep both, they could have made it happen.
And the feature that defines the mac experience is really FireWire Target Mode? Really? Sure, it's cool, but it Defines the Experience?
You hit it on the head. I have my MBP, but bought an Acer Aspire One for travel to Africa this past winter. That sucker has more ports than I know what to do with. It rocks! I'm going to turn it into a Hacintosh. I'm really happy to see the SD slot and the FW800. Those are two things that I use regularly, but on my two diff lap tops.
I used it to muck around in garageband. Basically I'd play a song through iTunes then use a male to male audio cord I had lying around to feed it back into the input on the same laptop and sample the song in garageband. Then I'd chop it up for shits and giggles.
Unfortunately, you'll have to figure out another way to get your shits and giggles.
I don't like the idea of the dropped audio input port, this is just a slow slide against pro and audio creators in favor of locked down consumer machines.
The port is tiny, it could have gone anywhere, this is bullsh*t.
As a professional audio engineer I must attest that any onboard mic/line input on a laptop is never to be associated with professional quality Analog to Digital (A/D) convertors like that found in external audio interfaces like a Digidesign MBox. Consumers are the only ones that will be missing this dedicated input.
Whether or not you buy the argument that it had to go for lack of space is one thing, but from someone who bought their last macbook (not uni) stricktly for Logic Pro and Pro Tools usage, I would have no problem sacrificing a mic input in favor of FW800 and/or sd card reader.
As a professional audio engineer I must attest that any onboard mic/line input on a laptop is never to be associated with professional quality Analog to Digital (A/D) convertors like that found in external audio interfaces like a Digidesign MBox. Consumers are the only ones that will be missing this dedicated input..
You do realize the digital audio input doesn't need an A/D converter in the first place, don't you?
I don't like the idea of the dropped audio input port, this is just a slow slide against pro and audio creators in favor of locked down consumer machines.
Really? For me the lack of firewire on the previous version would have posed a far great problem.
I don't know ANYONE (professional or otherwise) who used the audio-in on older MacBooks. My AU$1000 10in/10out firewire audio interface, on the other hand, gets heavy usage, and meant that a MacBook upgrade was useless for me. (The 15" MBP is not suitable for me, for various reasons).
That said, I have no particular reason to upgrade anyway. My 2.5-year-old MacBook, on which I upgraded the hard disk and RAM last year, still has plenty of grunt. Despite the cracks in the black plastic, I can resist the urge to get a shiny aluminium replacement.
I have a Line 6 X3 Live modeling pedal (basically digital guitar effects, amps and cabinets for my Strats) that I pipe the S/PDIF digital output (stereo) through a digital coax->optical converter and in through the toslink optical digital audio input of my BlackBook to Logic. Its a very good digital signal, so no need to go to analog only to roundtrip back to digital again.
Yes, any "standard" analog goes through my FW-based MOTU UltraLite mk3 (which also does MIDI in via FW) -- except for vocals and mic'ed acoustic guitars which get the Apogee Duet treatment.
But its far cleaner to just take the digital signal from the modeling pedal completely digital into Logic. And even with a 2.2GHz BlackBook I can simultaneously feed digital audio in and one of the FW audio interfaces.
So yes, FW audio interfaces are tha shiznit, but digital audio inputs have their place in many budget mobile recording rigs.
I readily admit that the way I use this is an outlier (OTOH, its part of why I switched to the Mac platform). I will say that I don't really mind this going missing in the 13" MacBook (Pro) as long as the other MBPs continue to support it.
No S/PDIF on your FW interface? I run my X3 Live into my FA101 (also with the help of a co-ax/optical converter). It would be nice if Logic allowed me to use my FW interface simultaneously with the POD's USB connection.
Did anyone use the audio in port? Most pro audio users have other means of input, mainly outboard usb boxes, but mainly firewire ones. If anything, the addition of firewire is far better for the pros than anything else...
I have used the Mac's traditional Line in audio jack a number of times to take output from several audio/tape/stereo components/units to record digitally. Was great for converting some of my dolby cassette tapes to digital mp3/aac format. Good for those cases where I had not bought a CD version of the cassette tape, or where the original source was rare and never made the jump to being re-released on CD.
And I admit, I am not an "audio pro."
Actually, the new Makbook Pro 13" has an integrated audio in/out port. Read the tech specs on the website.
OK, I just went back and looked... http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs-13inch.html You are right -- it seems they indeed have combined analog audio in and out to one mini-jack port.
Well, that sort of works, but only if you don't want to use analog line in and speaker/headphone out at the same time. So technically, yes, it has audio input, but only if your audio in work is OK to do by listening on the tiny MacBook speakers...
Personally, I always use headphones when setting up, making, verifying recordings.
I am glad for the return of FireWire to the MacBookPro ne MacBook, make no mistake about that.
But Apple does have a habit of giving something with one hand, and taking a feature away with the other.
I think there must be a rule at Apple about that. Maybe a limit on the ''number' of ports or features?... Or maybe that one must always take something away when a new item is given/returned?
Who can fathom their control issues...
Because you cannot easily sync laptop profiles with your desktop and the fact I share the old ub MB with the wife, I just superdupered my 2/5" spare drive with a hard disk dock and swap them out (I have a 300GB profile).
Does anyone know if you can still remove the harddrive or will it be a labourious task on the new MBP 13"?
Thanks
I think using optical media for storing data is a thing of the past mainly because they take forever to record data and it is cheaper to use other alternative (SD, USB flash drives, external HDD... etc). I see BluRay for video only not data for the previous reasons and personally I prefer watching HD movies on 32"+ display.
As long as sneaker net lives, there will be a market for a cheap storage device that allows for one use. $0.04 for a disk that I can burn and give someone VS a ~$20 flash chip that I would want back? no contest.
So technically, yes, it has audio input, but only if your audio in work is OK to do by listening on the tiny MacBook speakers...
Personally, I always use headphones when setting up, making, verifying recordings.
Not sure if I understand: you say that if you use the now unique audio port as input, you have to redirect the output elsewhere. Why then use the built-in speakers and not a USB headphones set?
1. It's likely that the DVD burner is taking a huge chunk of the side area. I really suggest that Apple to give a second option of removing the DVD burner and replace it with ExpressCard and digital audio input or whatsoever. Most users barely use the DVD player on the road, so getting rid of this dead weight makes sense.
2. Steve Jobs insists that no ports can be built in the front because of his aesthetic concern. This is just my wild guess, but entirely possible.
now they get rid of digital in, and "consumers don't use that anyway", "you can use usb mics or FW to get your audio in"
and FW is back, and "now you can get the mac experience of target disk mode again"
No S/PDIF on your FW interface? I run my X3 Live into my FA101 (also with the help of a co-ax/optical converter). It would be nice if Logic allowed me to use my FW interface simultaneously with the POD's USB connection.
Yes, the UltraLite mk3 does S/PDIF in.
But I like not having to deal with the FW devices for jam sessions, I can record my guitar directly into Logic Express (and send the keyboard MIDI data through a cheapie USB MIDI device) and leave my other gear plugged into the MOTU in the home recording studio. Another reason to keep the BlackBook around I guess.
After years of hauling around a Hammond+Leslie in addition to guitars and amps/cabinets, these days I'm into keeping my rig as light and portable as possible.
Yes, I did. I liked being able to jack my guitar right into the MacBook for quick recordings. While I'm not thrilled with the new audio plug situation, I'm happy that FireWire is back. It sounds like if I had the right adapter I could still plug my guitar in... though I guess the jury is still out.
Your guitar or amp has digital outs? If that's the case, you can still use analog in.
I doubt there are many audio boxes these days that have digital audio out but no USB or firewire.
As for the audio ports, they were great for ripping audio files that couldn't be converted easily. I know there are other ways, but I used to run a 1/8" male to male into the audio out and in and just record commercials or random "not easily" converted audio files that way.
It sounds like you were doing an analog transfer. That hasn't gone away, just digital audio input.
I'm assuming that what they've done is make it take an iPhone-style headphone jack + mono mic input. If that's true, then the laptop no longer has analog stereo input.
If, on the other hand, what they've done is to make it either an input or an output, but not both at the same time, people would not be able to use headsets with Skype, or record a musical instrument while listening through headphones.
Their website says the output is user switchable to analog audio in, so it looks like it still has that.
And I guess you can't do overdubbing in GB like that...but mic options that connect to 1/8 are pretty weak and you can't use a regular mic without buying a mic preamp anyway. Anyone serious about it would be using additional hardware anyway.
Fool. It's not stereo anymore.
First, no need to be rude and call people names, it's childish. And second, do the apple specs say if it's stereo or mono?
I sometimes use the audio input in combination of the audio out to plug my guitar and listen to what I'm playing with headphones or some good quaity speakers.
What sort of output is on your guitar (or are you using some sort of guitar amp or pre)? You can't just use a 1/4" to 1/8" cable to hook a guitar directly to a 1/8 input on a computer, can you? I would think that it wouldn't have enough juice to amplify the signal, although I could be wrong.
Doing a quick search online, you can get a simple USB guitar connection for under $40 and it should vastly increase the quality of your audio input and output.
I don't like the idea of the dropped audio input port, this is just a slow slide against pro and audio creators in favor of locked down consumer machines.
The port is tiny, it could have gone anywhere, this is bullsh*t.
So is your argument. There are USB options for audio input. I guess you don't remember the Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) lacked an audio input as well, and it was considered a "Pro" machine. The original PowerBook G4's lacked audio in as well (it did later return). Audio creators use FIREWIRE for their Audio devices. You can still get audio into the MacBook.
I have a Line 6 X3 Live modeling pedal (basically digital guitar effects, amps and cabinets for my Strats) that I pipe the S/PDIF digital output (stereo) through a digital coax->optical converter and in through the toslink optical digital audio input of my BlackBook to Logic. Its a very good digital signal, so no need to go to analog only to roundtrip back to digital again.
And clicking on the link, I see the Line6 also has USB output, so even without digital audio in, you can still send the signal digitally to the laptop. You'd have to hook up using a different cable, but no loss of quality in this situation.
I suppose there are still probably a few audio boxes that have digital out but not USB or firewire, but I doubt there are many recent ones with that configuration.
Unfortunately, you'll have to figure out another way to get your shits and giggles.
But fortunately, it can be done easily with software, using a cable at all is completely unnecessary.
As a professional audio engineer I must attest that any onboard mic/line input on a laptop is never to be associated with professional quality Analog to Digital (A/D) convertors like that found in external audio interfaces like a Digidesign MBox. Consumers are the only ones that will be missing this dedicated input.
Whether or not you buy the argument that it had to go for lack of space is one thing, but from someone who bought their last macbook (not uni) stricktly for Logic Pro and Pro Tools usage, I would have no problem sacrificing a mic input in favor of FW800 and/or sd card reader.
The input that was removed was a digital input, and using that will give you sound quality as good as any "pro" box.
No S/PDIF on your FW interface? I run my X3 Live into my FA101 (also with the help of a co-ax/optical converter). It would be nice if Logic allowed me to use my FW interface simultaneously with the POD's USB connection.
That FW interface does have spdif, so yet another way he could bring in his guitar digitally. And you should be able to use multiple interfaces simultaneously with Logic (even mixing FW and USB), you just need to go into the Audio Midi Setup app and combine the two as a virtual aggregate device.
I have used the Mac's traditional Line in audio jack a number of times to take output from several audio/tape/stereo components/units to record digitally.
So you were using the analog input, which is still there. They removed the digital input.
YI can record my guitar directly into Logic Express (and send the keyboard MIDI data through a cheapie USB MIDI device) and leave my other gear plugged into the MOTU in the home recording studio. Another reason to keep the BlackBook around I guess.
Couldn't you do that on this new machine by connecting the USB output of the line6 to the laptop? No FW needed.
Fool. It's not stereo anymore.
How do you know?