Re: Audio Interface for Notebook Users

[mech <mech@m3ch.net>]

At 10:25 AM -0700 3/19/06, Kris Hartung wrote:
>I'm interested in finding out what audio interfaces all you notebook 
>computer users are using in place of (bi-passing) the internal 
>soundcard? USB? Firewire? Can you share what you are using? I'm 
>interesting in something that is compact but also high quality.

I'm using an Edirol FA-101 Firewire interface.  Sounds excellent, and 
has given me no issues.  It has 10 inputs/outputs (although, to be 
fair, 2 are for S/PDIF and you've got to allot 2 outs for the mains) 
plus MIDI.  I'm using the extra I/O as effect sends & returns, and 
doing all my mixing in software.

One of my primary criteria was Balanced I/O on all audio jacks -- 
which eliminated most of the M-Audio interfaces, since they've 
started playing silly games with that.  Another was size -- which, 
unfortunately, knocked out the MOTU interfaces; although I understand 
they've got a brand new half-rack which might be worth checking out. 
Finally, price eliminated the RME's for me, even though I've got a 
lot of respect for those.

The FA-101 met all my criteria and gives me fantastic audio quality as 
well.

I've also got an older M-Audio Quattro -- USB 4 channel I/O with MIDI 
-- which sounds great and has never given me a single problem.  I 
just needed to upgrade since USB1 limited its number of available 
channels, and I wanted to go Firewire to eliminate the wall-wart.

I'm currently looking at the Echo Indigo models for one of my other 
laptops (better specs than the onboard audio, and ultra-portable).  I 
just can't decide on whether I'd rather go for the Indigo I/O or the 
Indigo DJ...

        --m.

-- 
_______
"Snakes on a Plane..."