How to Get a Firewire 400 Audio Interface Work with USB-C and Thunderbolt 4 (2024)

To connect Firewire 400 or Firewire 800 devices to USB C Macbooks and Windows computers you would need a Firewire 400 to Firewire 800 adapter, Firewire 800 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, and, Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) adapter. You can also convert Firewire to the newly released Thunderbolt 4 port by this method.

Connect all of them in sequence. Connect the Firewire 400 to Firewire 800 adapter to the Firewire 800 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter and Firewire 800 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter to the Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) adapter and then finally connect the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port to the computer and the device would start working. If you have Thunderbolt 4 port then you need a Thunderbolt 3/4 supported adapter.

How to Connect Firewire To USB C (in Detail)

Firewire devices were quite popular a few years ago. But most of them are now outdated and retired from the recording studios and other professional applications. Maybe the upcoming versions of DAWs won’t support them as well.

However, they are NOW not an ideal choice for high-speed data transfer, some of them are still considered very good even by modern standards.

Connecting Firewire Devices such as audio interfaces and external hardisks to USB C or Thunderbolt 3 ports requires you to use two types of adapters together, first one is Firewire 800 adapter Thunderbolt 1/2 adapter, and the second is Thunderbolt 1/2 or USB C to Thunderbolt 3 adapter.

If you have a device that only supports Firewire 400 then you also need a Firewire 400 to 800 adapter. You can connect them as described in this tutorial to transfer data from Firewire to USB C.

As I am a recordist, I will take an example from my recording studio, but the Firewire to USB C or Thunderbolt 3 works similarly in all Firewire devices.

Let’s take an example of my MOTU 896 Firewire which is known as a legendary audio interface when it comes to conversion quality.

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It has a great DAC converter chip that adds depth and an analog feel to the audio recorded in this audio interface that we as recording engineers are actually seeking.

EVEN, I have one piece in my studio.

BUT, what if you want to upgrade your Mac PC or a Windows computer to the latest hardware and software? The problem is there is no Firewire output in the latest Mac computers.

Well, solutions are there.

You can easily connect your Firewire audio device, HDD and other peripherals to the latest iMac or 2023 additional Macbook Pro with the help of certain adapters.

Tip for Firewire HDD users: If the HDD does not work with these adapters, you can remove the enclosure and connect using a USB to SATA/IDE Adapter.

BUT, not all Firewire to USB-C adapters are compatible with the new iMac. So in this guide, you will learn how to connect Firewire to USB C devices.

That’s the reason you should read this guide till the end.

How to Convert Firewire To USB C or Thunderbolt 3 on Macbook, iMac and Other Apple Computers?

This process was done by one of my friends who had tried to connect his MOTU 896 Firewire with his latest edition iMac.

He researched a handful of adapters by purchasing and returning them on Amazon and other marketplaces and finally got the audio interface working smoothly.

To go with the same process you’ll need 3 things,

1. A Firewire 400 to 800 adapter that supports Apple computers. (Only if you have a Firewire 400 device because there is no adapter available for Firewire 400 to USB C).
2. A Firewire 800 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter should also support Apple computers.
3. Apple Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3/4 USB-C adapter.

These 3 adaptors will make your life a lot easier in connecting Firewire audio interfaces, HDDs, and other peripherals with Apple computers.

Process:

• If your device is Firewire 400 compatible then connect the device with Firewire 400 to Firewire 800 adapter.
• Then connect the Firewire 800 side of the adapter to the Thunderbolt 2 adapter.
• Then connect the Thunderbolt 2 adapter to the Thunderbolt 3/4 (USB C adapter) and finally connect the USB (Thunderbolt side) to your Macbook or any other Mac computer.

Here are 2 tutorial videos on how to use those 3 adaptors to get the system to work properly.

How to Connect Firewire To USB-C in Windows Computers?

As thunderbolt connectors and cables work with USB C ports we can use the same process in Windows. So, just like Apple computers, we need 3 types of adapters to connect Firewire devices to Windows computers.

Here are these,

That’s it…

Process:

• Connecting Firewire devices to the USB C port on Windows computers is the same as on Mac computers.
• If your device is Firewire 400 then you need Firewire 400 to 800 adapter. If It’s Firewire 800 device then you don’t need this adapter.
• Now connect the Firewire 800 adapter to the Thunderbolt 2 adapter and then connect the Thunderbolt 2 to the Thunderbolt 3/4 (USB C) adapter and your connection is complete.

Now follow the below video tutorial to connect your Firewire audio interface with a Windows computer via a Thunderbolt 3 port.

Actually, I have the latest Windows laptop with a Thunderbolt port and got this technique worked successfully on this.

The Motu 896 Firewire is successfully connected to my computer’s Thunderbolt port without any data loss or connection errors.

However, Thunderbolt USB-C ports are much faster than Firewire ports you should not expect the speed you get with the Thunderbolt device.

BUT, when you are struggling to connect your old Firewire devices with thunderbolt-only computers, such as iMac, Mac Pro, and other Mac-based devices then this technique works great.

What is USB C?

USB C is the latest version of USB ports among the 7 generations of USB.

Apart from USB-2, it has an oval-shaped connector which is easier to connect with USB-C compatible devices.

One of the best things about USB C is, unlike other USB connectors, you can use the connector in a symmetrical way like from both the ups and downsides.

USB-C is now used in most digital devices such as gaming consoles, mobile phones, and laptops.

USB-C Data Transfer Rate

• If USB C connector is connected to USB 3.1 port, it is capable of transferring data up to 10GBPS.
• If you connect the USB-C connector to USB 3.2 port then it can transfer data up to 20GBPS.

What is Thunderbolt 3

Thunderbolt 3 is the latest version of the Thunderbolt, exclusively used in Apple devices.

Where Thunderbolt 1 and 2 require an external power source to operate in active mode, Thunderbolt 3 can operate in both active and passive mode.

In passive mode, Thunderbolt 3 provides a top speed of 20Gbp, while the active Thunderbolt 3 cables provide 40Gbps speed.

Thunderbolt 3 can be used for several types of data transfer works and also works with USB-C devices. Even USB-C Cables can be used as Thunderbolt 3 as long as you use good-quality cables.

Most USB-C devices can be used with a Thunderbolt 3 cable so you can use USB-C audio interfaces like Motu M-4 and other USB-C compatible peripherals with any device that has a thunderbolt-3/4 connection.

But, Thunderbolt 3 devices can not be used with USB-C ports as they need separate Thunderbolt chips inside your device to function.

As Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 are exclusive products of Apple you will not find Thunderbolt ports in Windows devices.

But, you can use Thunderbolt cables with USB C ports.

Conclusion

Data transfer technology is continuously evolving over time. And so the audio recording technology. Decades back, the system was in the analog domain.

Then digital audio recording technology was born.

Evolution continued…

Especially, in device connectivity, we’ve seen 7 major generations. The first data transfer port was USB 1.1 and now we are using a Thunderbolt 3 USB-C connection.

Every generation provided us with more speed and data accuracy. BUT, with time our favorite hardware becomes outdated just only because of connectivity upgrades.

These types of techniques however help us a lot in using our old devices with the latest computers.

I hope this tip helped you in connecting your old Firewire peripheral to the latest computer with a Thunderbolt 3/USB-C port, USB C/thunderbolt 3 to Firewire 400, or Firewire 400 to USB C/thunderbolt 3 devices.

Don’t forget to share this tip on your social media channels to help others.

Good day…😊

FAQ: Firewire to USB C

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