Focusrite Isa one, any owners/users here?

if6was9

Ireland
Jun 13, 2007
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lreland
Thinking about getting the ISA one with the digital converters as my next big "studio" purchase. Currently using 2 firepods and am planning on upgrading to a fireface but won't have the dosh for that for a while yet. Getting annoyed with the Firepod as it seems to be putting a cap on the quality I'm getting.

Thinking about getting the ISA for doing everything after drums so I'd be using it for guitars, bass and vocals mainly. I figure it'll give me a jump in quality now and will still be very useful when I do get the money together for the FireFace.

Any of you guys use this pre? What do ye think of it, heard pretty good reviews for it so far but nothing metal specific.
 
I LOVE it.
He's ultra clean and pretty much don't colour the sound.

If your after a clean Pre, you can't go wrong with the ISA, but keep in mind that its not a saturated tubestyle sound.
 
For the same money you can buy an audient mico which gives you 2 stellar preamps with included digital option.

the audient is also super clean but extremly punchy on kick and snare.
I am using it for guitars bass and vocals and oh
 
ISA has the switchable ohmage which is great when using 57's. Also has 80db of gain and is very quiet, so great for SM7's.
It's often referred to as a "vanilla" preamp. Which I agree with, there's no particular flavour but it's still very good.
 
Cool, I think I'll go for it so, it'll take a few weeks to save up for but I've got some projects coming up that should pay for it. I'm gonna try get a FMR RNC to go along with it for vocals and bass on the way in. I'd be happy with a "Clean" pre as long as it's good!

Got a Joe Meek VC 3 mic pre/comp which is really coloured/dirty and the only thng I really like it on is bass.

Good to hear it partners well with the SM7s, thats the next on my mics to buy list!

Anyone using the digital one for conversion? I've been reading that the converters on it are very good only downside is that it's only a/d so you can't run stuff back out through it using the insert point to add outboard.
 
ISA has the switchable ohmage which is great when using 57's.
how does the variable IMPEDANCE ;) change the sound? i know how it works but ive never owned a preamp with real variable impedance
 
haven't used the newer ISA stuff, but i have some experience with the older 110 and 220 strips, and like others mentioned they're extremely clean and quiet. definitely not a "character" preamp, but a pretty good choice if you need something that will serve a lot of purposes.