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FireWire audio interfaces are legacy gear now, but plenty of studios still run them, and adding a PCIe FireWire card is usually cheaper than replacing a working interface. Texas Instruments-chipset cards are the safe bet since most FireWire audio interface makers tested against TI controllers; these five are real, currently sold cards.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | StarTech PEX1394B3 3-Port FireWire 800/400 PCIe Card | $64-$70 | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | Sonnet Allegro FW800A PCIe Card | $50-$55 | Amazon |
| 3 | KALEA-INFORMATIQUE PCIe FireWire 800/400 Controller Card (TI XIO2213B) | $20-$35 | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | Syba SY-PEX30016 3-Port FireWire PCIe Card (TI XIO2213B) | $28-$41 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | SIIG FireWire 800 3-Port PCIe Card | $70-$100 | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
StarTech PEX1394B3 3-Port FireWire 800/400 PCIe Card
A well-known IT-brand card giving two FireWire 800 ports and one FireWire 400 port from a single PCIe slot.
- 2x FireWire 800 (1394b) 9-pin ports, 1x FireWire 400 (1394a) 6-pin port
- Native single-chip PCIe controller
- Broad OS compatibility, widely stocked through business/IT retailers
- From an established, widely trusted computer-accessory brand
- Covers both FireWire 800 and 400 devices from one card
- Pricier than the budget FireWire-400-only options
Sonnet Allegro FW800A PCIe Card
A card from Sonnet, a brand long favored in the pro-audio and Mac world specifically for FireWire expansion.
- 2x FireWire 800 ports plus 1x FireWire 400 port
- PCIe interface
- From a brand many DAW and audio-interface manufacturers have historically recommended by name
- Sonnet has a strong reputation specifically in pro-audio FireWire compatibility
- Covers both FireWire 800 and 400 from one card
- Costs more than the budget FireWire-400-only cards
KALEA-INFORMATIQUE PCIe FireWire 800/400 Controller Card (TI XIO2213B)
A budget card built around the Texas Instruments XIO2213B chipset, considered the gold-standard controller for FireWire audio timing.
- TI XIO2213B chipset, widely regarded as the reference controller for audio-interface compatibility
- 2+1 port configuration (FireWire 800 plus FireWire 400)
- Includes low-profile and standard brackets
- TI chipset is the specific one most FireWire audio interfaces were validated against
- Lowest price of the three
- Smaller, less mainstream brand than StarTech or Sonnet
Syba SY-PEX30016 3-Port FireWire PCIe Card (TI XIO2213B)
Another TI XIO2213B-chipset card, from Syba, an IT-accessory brand with a long history of budget expansion cards.
- TI XIO2213B chipset, the same reference controller as the KALEA-INFORMATIQUE card
- 2x 1394b (FireWire 800) + 1x 1394a (FireWire 400) ports
- PCIe 1.1 x1 interface
- Same trusted TI chipset as the pricier cards here
- Widely available through Newegg and Amazon
- Older card that requires a legacy driver install on Windows 8/10 in some configurations
SIIG FireWire 800 3-Port PCIe Card
A card from SIIG, a long-running IT-accessory brand, offering the same TI single-chip design as the others here.
- 3 ports (2x 9-pin, 1x 6-pin), up to 800 Mbps
- TI single-chip controller
- Hot-swap capable, PCI Express 1.0a compliant
- From an established IT-accessory brand with enterprise-channel distribution
- Same TI single-chip design philosophy as the other picks
- Runs at the higher end of this group’s price range, and stock has been inconsistent at some retailers
Buying tips
- Check your audio interface manufacturer’s own compatibility list before buying — many kept a published list of tested FireWire PCIe cards, and a Texas Instruments-chipset card (all five picks here use or are built around TI controllers) is the safest bet across the board.
- If your interface is FireWire 400 only, any of these five still work since all of them include a FireWire 400 port alongside FireWire 800.
- KALEA-INFORMATIQUE and Syba use the identical TI XIO2213B chipset, so if one is out of stock the other is a genuine drop-in substitute rather than a downgrade.
- FireWire audio timing is sensitive to chipset quality — this is one category where the cheapest generic no-name card (not featured here) is genuinely more likely to cause dropouts than any of these five.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.