despite the hubblub out there about firewire audio not being supported by linux, all i had to do was:
sudo gedit /etc/default/rtirq

change

RTIRQ_NAME_LIST="rtc snd usb i8042"
to 
RTIRQ_NAME_LIST="rtc firewire snd usb i8042"

&

RTIRQ_NONE_THREADED="rtc snd"
to
RTIRQ_NON_THREADED="rtc firewire snd"

open qjackctl -> click Setup -> change settings to

Driver: firewire (This selects the ffado driver stack)
Interface: hw:0

Audio:Duplex (or Capture only)

Check Realtime
Priority: (default)
Frames/Period: 128
Sample Rate: 44100 (adjust the sample rate to the specs of your fw device)
Periods/Buffer: 3

see more here

we can record over 21 separate channels
:)