I tried them briefly. Could not get a reliable latency. Result was that every time hitting play might crackle or not, unless raising the buffer size. Then sometimes the latency was too high. Confirmed that by running the CEntrance utility and found that latency varied by several ms on each measurement. Also found that sometimes using the CEntrance utility causes a system crash. So I went back to the previous drivers.
Bill B.

That's EXACTLY the problem I'm having! Whew, I'm glad it's not just me.

So, I don't know that there's a way for me to back out the firmware on the board. It sounds like you were able to just go back to an earlier set of software (windows) drivers to solve the problem. What version are you running now?

The firmware version has not changed for a long time, so don't worry about it. The drivers I use were published January, 2008. I use ASIO; the WDM drivers blue-screen for me.

Would you please report your findings to Alesis? And also to rgriffith@numark.com who was said by Jim Norman of Alesis (in posts on Harmony Central about the io26 and io14, which use the same drivers) to be a very helpful guy for Alesis tech support. Best to tell them your detailed operations and results.
Bill B

I'll let them know. The website doesn't have earlier versions of the drivers. Is there any way I could get the January set from you?

I'll send them to you. Hope they bring you better luck! Perhaps you could give Alesis an extra zinger by asking them to post their older drivers. They have done it for the io14 & 26.
Bill B.

Hi,

New user here...but I think for the most recent post it would be useful for the people who do have the multimix firewire working to post their specs(with firewire hardware/drivers) and driver versions for alesis. I've heard that older drivers/firmware might work better but don't know where to get those files. This way people can quickly see if someone who has the same system was able to fix their problem...potentially ruling out miscellaneous problems without having to sort through all 9 pages. I read about 6 and then decided to ask for this, if it's not too much trouble.

I am at the stage of deciding which driver to try and install again to get this thing to work. I've cleaned off all alesis programs/drivers and updated my computer. Previously my computer has recognized the mixer, but not allowed me to make the mixer my sound card...don't know why. I have gotten my mixer to work on a another older computer, though. Has anyone tried using a SIIG firewire expresscard? Maybe, that's the problem; however, my computer can see the firewire card and mixer.

I have:
Dell Inspiron 1501
AMD turion 64x2 1.8Ghz
2 GB Ram
Win Xp SP2
SIIG Firewire ExpressCard

Any help would be appreciated,
Alex

To use it as a regular Windows sound card (WDM) you need "system sounds" to be "enabled" in the Alesis control panel. See this post.

Bill B.

I too have a problem with the newest driver, same as buckethead777. The driver installs correctly, Windows discovers a device called "Alesis Firewire" (it detected "Multimix ....." devices with the old driver versions). The firmware updater says "waiting for device", the Alesis Control Panel is empty. I'm using a 2005 driver from the CD, but I have sound quality problems with that version. Of course Alesis don't answer my emails. Should have bought a MOTU or a Mackie.

ORIGINAL: bvideo

[The website doesn't have earlier versions of the drivers. Is there any way I could get the January set from you?

I'll send them to you. Hope they bring you better luck! Perhaps you could give Alesis an extra zinger by asking them to post their older drivers. They have done it for the io14 & 26.
Bill B.

Anywhere I can download the January drivers? You can email me through my Sonar profile.

I also sent email to Alesis through their website...

Hi guys, this is response to reply I got on digifreq in the soundcard forum for alesis multi 8 firewire. thanks beagle for this link. I havent been here for a while. If I remember right I didn't have the problem I described with My alienware area 51 and XP home.But I do have the problem with Vista premium. although I did have to power off the multimix 8 and back on sometimes. I got this Emachines desktop and added another HD and brought the ram up to the max 2 gigs. and installed a firewire card from worst buy. In device manager its called a "AGERE" I wonder if thats the problem? The alesis site names "adaptec" and some other one for compatible ones. This is my post on digifreq. http://www.digifreq.com/digifreq/discuss/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2391

In Vista I did have to disable the onboard realtech card to use the alesis. And now as stated in digifreq the install doesnt seem to complete but the alesis shows up on desktop and in sonar it shows up in audio options but it doesnt show up in vista audio properties. sometimes the sonar project file will play and sometimes I get this horrific buzzing or grinding sound. Its Monday and Im going to call Alesis and talk to one of thier tweaker geekers.

Greg