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Dear David and Ken and everyone,
I do not currently plan to use firewire in this application, although I
should, and that for the following reason:
The laptop I'm not currently planning to replace (a 2GHz Pentium4M w/ 1G
of RAM) is somewhat challenged regarding interfaces, bringing only three
connectors for its USB1.1 hub. I've fitted it with a USB2 PCMCIA card
with two connectors, so I'm equipped for the high-speed USB
applications.
I've come to understand that most serious audio interfaces for laptops
are firewire-based, and this for the following reason: all USB2
implementations for Macs suck ass. They do not even come close to
Firewire400, which speed-wise the USB2 on Windows-based laptops does
outperform.
So the options would be:
1. Get a firewire interface (these come very cheap, 'round €25), and use
the Firewire and the USB2 interface alternatingly with the laptop
(meaning I couldn't use any of my external USB2 harddisks with my laptop
while using Firewire).
2. Getting a USB2+FireWire interface (Adaptec makes one four 'round
€100).
3. Getting a USB(2)-enabled audio interface.
I'm somewhat hestitant to go with option 1, because there might arise
applications where I would want to use an external harddisk, and I don't
want to get yet another external harddisk with firewire (although I
might need another external harddisk sooner or later, currently, I use
an external harddisk as a backup solution for my audio stuff, and I
might grow out of that).
Solution 2 sounds considerably better, even though it would make me
throw away (or sell at a loss) my USB2 PCMCIA interface.
Still, I don't see the advantages of the Firewire interfaces for my
specific applications. The firebox doesn't seem to be that much of an
advantage over the USB solutions to justify the additional €100 for the
Firewire interface (see above).
Both the Saffire and the MOTU traveller (hey, especially the MOTU
traveller) do compete in a somewhat different price range.
Regarding some of the suggestions: It's true, M-Audio have a great
reputation for driver stability, but I had failed trying to install a
M-Audio product on my system (that's why I got my terratec).
I somehow fail to understand a statement like "the xxyy has Focusrite
preamps which will sound great". Focusrite has a fame of marketing
extremely cheap and badly-designed products in their budget product
lines with their brand name from the pro lines (Red etc.).
Guess I'll go with the Behringer and let you bash me for this. A friend
of mine (a pro, btw) had been touring successfully with the BCR2000 from
the same product line. And for those cases where I need to go
professional with lots of channels for recordings jobs, I'll just use my
RME Digiface.
Rainer
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: David Morton [mailto:dmorton@gmail.com]
Gesendet: Samstag, 22. Oktober 2005 20:03
An: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
Betreff: Re: quest for an audio interface for laptop music applications
On 10/22/05, Ken Higgins <khl2005@topic.net> wrote:
>
> Well,
>
> It's a Firewire unit and not USB, but I'd like to
> throw in a vote for the MOTU Traveler. Does all
> that you ask and lots more.
> http://www.motu.com/products/motuaudio/traveler/
>
> Lots of capabilities to grow into. It's a lot
> like the MOTU 828 mkII in a portable, bus-powered
> package.
Another vote for MOTU from here. I'm *very* happy with my 896HD. in 13
months of hard use it hasn't given the slightest hint of a suggestion of
a problem.