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  • basic audio interface question

    C
    C
    I'm currently using a M-Audio Firewire 410. I'm building a new computer around an I7 processor. Question: Would a PCI based audio card be better or should I just stick with the Firewire card? Basically, is PCI better, and why?
  • Beat KaufmannB
    Beat KaufmannB

    PCIe AudioCard-Systems are the fastest solutions because the data flow is the highest of these four and often used possibilities: USB, Firewire, PCI, PCIe

    In the near future we will have USB 3.0 Maybe this will be as fast as PCIe...?

    Best

    Beat Kaufmann

    - Tips & Tricks while using Samples of VSL.. see at: https://www.beat-kaufmann.com/vitutorials/ - Tutorial "Mixing an Orchestra": https://www.beat-kaufmann.com/mixing-an-orchestra/
  • cmC
    VSL Team
    cmC

    i'd like to second beat's statement: PCIe is the best option.

    on the other hand firewire is not bad (backdraft with the digi series and a few others: you can't additionally attach a harddrive to firewire without getting dropouts) and we run a lot of fireface interfaces to our full contentment.

    USB is IMO the least advisable option related to its protocol design (for audio as well as for harddisks) for performance reasons.

     

    also i'd consider USB 3.0 to be one of the worst ideas in the computer world during the past years ... one has to bundle 2 PCIe pipes to allow the transfer rate of 4.8 Gbit/sec for USB3 (which of course will be missing then for other PCIe expansion cards).

    the major idea behind the USB3 standard appears to be connecting large displays over USB, but the trouble with this technology is, that the load for diplaying things then goes again to the CPU then instead to the GPU ...

    christian

    and remember: only a CRAY can run an endless loop in just three seconds.
  • C
    C
    I'm considering the M-Audio Audiophile 192 now. I have no need for a studio set-up. It's just me, my computer, keyboard and mixer, and occasionally I might record some guitar tracks. The 192 is PCI (not PCI-E, I believe) but better probably than the Firewire card.