Thirteen years before Presonus released the ioStation 24C, Tascam introduced the FireOne. A portable FireWire audio interface with shortcut keys, transport control, and jog wheel for use with your digital audio workstation.
Let’s plug it in and see if it knows how to Linux in 2024.
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DRIVERS
Linux has support for most FireWire audio interfaces built into the kernel, making the FireOne plug and play.
PULSEAUDIO
The FireOne functions like any other sound device in Pulseaudio. You can select from several profiles using pavucontrol.
PIPEWIRE
PipeWire didn’t have any trouble with the FireOne. All the inputs, outputs and MIDI connections were available in qpwgraph.
JACK
In qjackctil, select the ALSA driver, then select the FireOne from the interface dropdown menu to connect the FireOne to the Jack server.
CONTROL SURFACE SETUP
Connecting the control surface portion of the FireOne to your digital audio workstation is relatively straightforward. Since the FireOne uses the Mackie protocol, all you need to do is connect the send and receive ports.
Ardour
Edit > Preferences > Control Surfaces > Mackie Control
Reaper
Options > Preferences > Control/OSC/web > Add > Mackie Control Universal
ROUND-TRIP LATENCY
While many kinds of audio latency metrics exist, one useful and well-understood metric is round-trip latency; the time it takes for an audio signal to enter the input of a device, get processed, and exit the output.
Measurements were taken with jack_iodelay.
TESTBENCH
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5600G |
| RAM | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB |
| Motherboard | MSI B550-A PRO |
| GPU | NA |
| SSD | Silicon Power 256GB NVMe |
| PSU: | EVGA 600 B1 |
| Firewire: | Syba SY-PEX30016 |
| Network: | Intel i350-T4 |
| OS: | Debian 12 (Bookworm) |
| Kernel: | 6.6 RT |
| Desktop: | XFCE 4 |
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Connectivity: EEE1394 (6 pin)
- Simultaneous I/O: 2 x 2
- Preamps: 2 x mic, 1 x instrument
- Maximum Gain: 53 dB
- Phantom Power: Yes
- A/D Resolution: Up to 24-bit/96kHz
- Analogue Inputs: 2 x XLR (mic), 1 x 1/4″ (Hi-Z)
- Analogue Outputs: 2 x 1/4″ TRS
- Headphones: 2 x 1/4″
- MIDI Input/Output: 5 pin DIN
- Bus Powered: Yes
- Power Supply: 12V 600mA
VERDICT
The Tascam FireOne, despite its age, remains a solid audio interface / control surface combo in 2024. However, one glaring omission left me scratching my brain with a q-tip: a motorized fader. This wasn’t Tascam’s first rodeo in the audio interface/control surface arena, having released the FW1884 in 2003 and the FW1082 in 2005. And guess what both of those models had in abundance? You guessed it – faders galore!
Another issue, beyond Tascam’s control, is that the jog dial flips the absolute hell out when using the FFADO drivers. While a malfunctioning control surface may be entertaining to watch, it can easily send errant MIDI messages that change settings in your DAW. Ask me how I know.
This is a real bummer since it forces you to use the ALSA FireWire stack if you want to take advantage of the control surface portion of the FireOne. While this is the only way to use the FireOne with PipeWire, it kicks your round-trip latency performance right in the ankles.
Hits:
- Easy to use
- Jog wheel, transport controls, and function keys (assignable)
- Works with Reaper and Ardour
- Hi-Z input for guitars
- MIDI
Misses:
- No fader
- Jog wheel does not work with FFADO drivers
- High round-trip latency due to using the ALSA FireWire stack
Bottom line:
While it’s really neat that the FireOne can still be put to use on Linux in 2024, it falls into the ‘use it if you got it, but don’t go out and buy it’ category.
TASCAM FireOne
A portable FireWire audio interface with shortcut keys, transport control, and jog wheel for use with your digital audio workstation.
Pros
Works with Ardour and Reaper
Hi-Z guitar input
MIDI
Cons
No fader
ALSA only
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