Author Topic: Audio Interfaces compatible with Powermac G5 (& Powermac G4) running Mac OS X (Read 49498 times)

chrisNova777 · « **on:** January 29, 2015, 04:11:49 AM »

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On this page i will attempt to detail the options for those who have a powermac g5 and need to find an audio interface. This is a somewhat complicated subject... lets first discuss some important factors in finding a compatible interface... there can be complications if you aren't careful!

**All PowerMac G5's support firewire
**All PowerMac G5's support usb 2.0
re: pci slot interfaces -- the PCI slots in a powermac g5 depend on your model; there are 3 different types
and your specific powermac G5 will only support one of the following:

- standard PCI
- PCI-X
- PCI-Express

please note:
if you choose a pci connecting interface, you must ensure that the card will work with the slots in your specific powermac g5!
usually this can be visually identified by checking if there is more than 1 notch in the pci connectors.. if theres 2 notches this means the card is 3.3v compatible + it should work. also i believe you can tell which models support pci-x by counting the amount of ram slots inside the g5.. if there are only 4 memory slots (max ram 4gb) the g5 is standard pci.. if the g5 has 8 memory slots (max ram 8gb), it is pci-x (for more information see this page : http://www.everymac.com/actual-maximum-mac-ram/actual-maximum-power-mac-g5-ram-capacity.html)

then there is the issue of OS compatibility..
PowerMac G5's can run 4 different versions of Operating sytems:

-Mac os X Jaguar 10.2 - (final version 10.2.8 )
-Mac os X Panther 10.3 - (final version 10.3.9 )
-Mac os X Tiger 10.4 - (final version 10.4.11 )
-Mac os X Leopard 10.5 - (final version 10.5.8 )

you must also ensure that the interface you choose has working drivers + is compatible with the version of mac os x that your g5 is running!

in general, most interfaces compatible with g5's are going to have been made between 2003 and 2011. but there are some exceptions to that, a few produced even early were updated with drivers, and a good number of interfaces that claim to not be compatible (ie claim to require 10.6, 10.7+) in the 'system requirements' put forth by the manufacturers, actually are able to be used... but in general its advisable to take the system requirements as law.

here is a general article from 2008 on how to make the decision of choosing an interface
this details the things you want to pay attention to, different types of connections, manufacturers etc
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/audiointerfaces.htm

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The vast majority of computer-based musicians will need an audio interface, but with so many on the market, it can feel like an impossible task to decide which to buy. You can narrow down the choices significantly with the help of our essential guide.

List of PowerMac G5 Compatible Audio Interfaces
(alot of these interfaces will also support g4's running mac os x aswell)
(if you know of an addition, please just reply to the thread)

Zoom R8 www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr12/articles/zoom-r8.htm

Zoom R16 www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep09/articles/zoomr16.htm

Prism Sound Orpheus (firewire) www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/prismorpheus.htm

Lexicon Alpha (usb) http://www.lexiconpro.com/en/products/alpha

Lexicon Omega (usb) www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar04/articles/lexiconomega.htm

Lexicon Ionix FW810S (firewire) www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun09/articles/lexiconionixfw810s.htm

Lexicon Ionix U82S www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct09/articles/lexiconionixus82s.htm

Phonic Firefly 808 Universal (firewire/usb)

ESI Duafire www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul08/articles/esiduafire.htm

ESI ESU1808 www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug08/articles/esiesu1808.htm

Allen & Heath ZED R16 www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov08/articles/allenandheathzedr16.htm

Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1 (usb) www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar07/articles/niaudiokontrol.htm

Emu 0404 USB (usb) www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan07/articles/emu0404.htm

Alesis Master Control www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr09/articles/alesismastercontrol.htm

Alesis MultiMix16 USB 2.0 www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug08/articles/alesisMultimixUSB16.htm

Alesis I/O14 http://www.alesis.com/io14

Alesis I/O26 www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun07/articles/alesisio26.htm

Alesis MultiMix Firewire 16 www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb06/articles/alesismultimix16.htm

Roland V-Studio 100 (usb) http://www.roland.com/products/v-studio_100/specifications/
site claims it supports 10.4.11 but requires an intel processor, earlier reviews claim g4 400mhz compatibility

Edirol UR80 (usb) www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec03/articles/edirolur80.htm

Edirol UA20 www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb03/articles/edirolua20.asp

Edirol UA25EX (usb) www.soundonsound.com/news?NewsID=10185

Edirol UA-1000 http://www.roland.com/products/ua-1000/

Edirol UA101 (usb) www.soundonsound.com/sos/may05/articles/edirolua101.htm

Edirol FA101 (firewire) www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep04/articles/edirolfa101.htm

Presonus Audiobox http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AudioBoxUSB
mac os support: 10.4.11+

Presonus Firestudio Project www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct08/articles/firestudioproject.htm

Presonus FireStudio www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec07/articles/presonusfirestudio.htm

Presonus Firepod (firewire) www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb05/articles/firepod.htm
mac os support: 10.3.5+

Presonus Firebox (firewire) http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul05/articles/firebox.htm

M-Audio Audiophile USB (usb) www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep03/articles/maudioaphile.htm

M-Audio firewire Audiophile (firewire) www.soundonsound.com/sos/may04/articles/maudiofirewireap.htm

M-audio/Avid Mobile pre (usb) http://web.archive.org/web/20120207000706/http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/MobilePre.html

M-audio profire 610 http://web.archive.org/web/20120207115742/http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/ProFire610.html

Fast Track Pro http://web.archive.org/web/20120206104734/http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackPro.html

M-audio/Avid Fast Track Ultra 8R http://web.archive.org/web/20120208090710/http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackUltra8R.html

M-Audio Project Mix I/O www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan06/articles/maudiopmio.htm

M-Audio NRV10 www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar07/articles/maudionrv10.htm

M-audio/Avid Fast Track Ultra www.soundonsound.com/news?NewsID=9483

M-audio Audiophile 2496 (pci) http://www.m-audio.ca/products/view/audiophile-2496#.VMtSFoegJKM

M-audio Delta1010LT (pci) http://www.m-audio.com/products/view/delta-1010lt#.VMoUDy4YHao
***please note: only compatible with powermac g5's that have pci-x slots, aswell as 8 ram slots inside, if your g5 has only 4 ram slots, it is not compatible with this interface ***

M-audio Audiophile 192 (pci) http://www.m-audio.ca/products/view/audiophile-192

Mackie Satellite www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec07/articles/mackiesatellite.htm

Mackie Onyx 400F (firewire) www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan06/articles/mackieonyx400f.htm

Mackie Onyx Blackbird (firewire) http://www.mackie.com/products/onyxblackbird

Mackie 1620i Onyx Mixer (firewire) http://www.mackie.com/products/onyx1620i/

RME Fireface 400 (firewire) www.rme-audio.de/en_products_fireface_400.php
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul07/articles/rmefireface400.htm
Mac os support: 10.3.9+

RME Fireface 800 (firewire) www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec04/articles/fireface.htm

RME Fireface UC www.soundonsound.com/news?NewsID=11627

RME Digiface (pci) http://www.rme-audio.de/en_products_digiface.php

Focusrite Saffire (original) www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep05/articles/saffire.htm

Focusrite Saffire LE

Focusrite Saffire 6 USB (usb) http://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/saffire-6-usb
***Only USB 1.1 variants of the Saffire 6 USB are compatible with OSX 10.5 Leopard. USB 2 variants will not be compatible. USB 1.1 variants' serial numbers begin with 'SU'. USB 2 variants' serial begin with 'S2'.