Can I use my Apogee Firewire device through the USB or Thunderbolt ports on my Mac?

If you have an older Apogee Firewire device, it is possible to use it with a newer Mac that doesn't have Firewire ports. This is done through Thunderbolt only, or Macs that support Thunderbolt through USB-C ports.

Do NOT use a USB to Firewire adapter. These do not allow the proper transfer of data and won't work properly.

If you use the proper adapters, there is no reduction in the Apogee interface's performance or latency and they will operate just as well as if your computer had a Firewire port built-in.

For Macs with Thunderbolt 1 or Thunderbolt 2 ports:

To connect to your Mac's Thunderbolt port, you'll need two things:

1. Apple's Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter
2. a Firewire 6pin - 9pin cable

For Macs with Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports:

To connect your Firewire device to a Mac with Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, you need TWO adapters and a special firewire cable:

1. Apple's Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter
2. Apple's Thunderbolt 2 to Firewire 800 adapter
3. A Firewire cable with the 800 port on one end and 400 port on the other

Connecting Apogee Thunderbolt to Macs with USB-C ports