Focusrite launches 3 new products: Platinum Pro, Platinum OctoPre LE DAW and the Sapphire FW interface. The Platinum Pro is a preamp/compressor, the less expensive recording channel they sell. The pre comes from the Green range, there's a DI, an optical comp, EQ, latency free monitoring and optional ADC 24/96 digital out. Price is $299, ADC is $199, shipping in january so…
The Platinum OctoPre LE DAW and Digital Console Interface, as the name suggest, it's 8 preamps including 2 "Super Channels" which includes DI and impedance matching all at 0.003% THD, 110 dB A dynamics. It feature also a peak-reading meter similar to the ones on the Red range, switchable to the channel you want to monitor. The optional A/D-D/A card in adat lightpipe use wordclock with a X256 clock for Protools addicts. available in January (it's an habit) for $499, Digital I/O option for 199$
The Sapphire is a fireWire interface designed by the guys behind the Liquid Channel. It's a DSP peripheral, with ultra low latency, 24/192 conversion, 4 ins: 2 preamps and S/PDIF, 8 balanced outs for monitoring/headphones or 7.1 surround. Why a DSP then? because there's a plug-in suite: compression, EQ, amp modeling and monitor path reverb available on analogue inputs, for recording wet and or monitoring. Bundled is also a software to record up to 5 stereo mixes of incoming and recorded tracks. The plug-ins are available also in your favorite DAW. And… you have a MIDI I/O on top. Price and availability TBA.