I use a late 2013 Mac Book pro to record music. What is the best analog out put ? headphones 1/8" is too flimsy.

If you want a quality signal at line level I would opt for an external device. Focusrite Scarlett as an example, there are many more options on the market.

The Late 2013 MacBook Pros use the old-style Thunderbolt ports – so if you can find an Apple Thunderbolt-to-Firewire adapter, all you need is that adapter. Not the Thunderbolt 3-to-2 one.

Likewise, it sounds like you won't run into the "Apple removed Core Audio support for Firewire" issue (since the latest version of macOS those machines can run is Big Sur).

daleeo wrote:

Thank you! I should have mentioned my whole system is based on firewire, and I use my MBP to teach, do bookings, and record. I have several Focusrite Saffire firewire converters, with their awesome Rupert Neve design preamps. I was hoping for an MDMI or some kind of USB to firewire adaptor without being too rube goldberg, duct tape, bailing wire.

Perhaps I need to ask MOTU software users, as all is grea, except the analog out mini jack.

There isn't any such thing as a USB-to-Firewire adapter. USB 2.0 and 3.0 don't have what it takes to support Firewire. You may see some "adapters" that consist of a USB connector glued to a Firewire one, with internal wiring that connects pins in who-knows-what way. If you're lucky, these "adapters" will do nothing. If you're unlucky, the pins will be connected in a way that may cause damage to your equipment.

Thunderbolt brings PCIe-type signals outside the box, and so Thunderbolt-to-Firewire adapters are technically feasible for the same reason that Thunderbolt PCIe cards are.

Apple did have a Thunderbolt-to-Firewire adapter. Unfortunately,

• They never updated it for Thunderbolt 3, so to go from current versions of Thunderbolt to Firewire 800, you have to daisy-chain an Apple TB3-to-2 adapter with the Apple TB-to-FW adapter.
• Apple seems to have discontinued their TB-to-FW adapter. It disappeared from their store and it has been going out of stock at other retailers that still list it on their sites.

Likewise, I can't think of any Thunderbolt 3/4 docks that have the Firewire ports that were so common on now-discontinued Thunderbolt 1/2 docks. Thunderbolt 3/4 could support Firewire, but the manufacturers seem to believe that there is not enough demand for it.

There are also recent posts in these forums saying that Apple removed Firewire support from Core Audio in Ventura(?) or Sonoma(?). If those reports are accurate, that means that even if you have a way to connect Firewire devices to your Mac, plug-and-play Firewire audio devices that don't need drivers won't work with the latest versions of macOS.