Computer recording - PCI or USB?

[sambencuda]

I'm convinced that my sound card is f#&% up (so is m-audio tech support). I'm looking for another interface, but I'm wondering if I shouldn't switch to USB. I've heard that PCI is way better than USB, but I've never worked with a USB interface so I'm clueless about it. How bad can it be? I'm looking at an M-audio Quattro. I need 2 audio in's and two audio out's as a bare minimum plus midi in and out. I don't need SPDIF, but don't care if it's there. If I go PCI again, I'm thinking about the Echo Midimia which is almost exactly like the audiophile 24/96 I'm replacing.

Help me out here folks. I'm only using for amateur home recording. Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Happy New Year!

[Lordofgain]

Re: Computer recording - PCI or USB?

Well, assuming that your bus speed on your computer is 133 mhz your throughput is a sustained 1 gigabit per second. To put that into perspective, a device using USB 2.0 has a "burst" not sustained throughput of 480 megabits per second. Firewire 400 has a sustained transfer speed of 400 megabits per second.
My opinion is that even for amatuer home recording either Firewire or PCI is the way to go.

[jgcable]

Re: Computer recording - PCI or USB?

PCI bro.

[ApeDosMil]

Re: Computer recording - PCI or USB?

Don't do USB, it's pretty crappy to get it to work with certain software sometimes.

[axeman81]

Re: Computer recording - PCI or USB?

the only way I would go for USB was if I had to use the interface on a laptop...even then I would go for firewire instead ----> what lorofgain said! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
stick to PCI, you'll be glad.

- Rune.

[sambencuda]

Re: Computer recording - PCI or USB?

Ok, I'm freakin out here. I haven't done any recording in about a month because I couldn't get my audiophile 2496 to work with my new PC. M-audio told me after a sh%$ load of trouble shooting that the card was probably bad. I was just about to pull the trigger on an Echo card on eBay and something told me to try it one more time. MY CARD IS WORKING NOW! I was screwing around with my wifes new PDA and software a week ago and the machine locked up so I opened the case and popped the battery off of the board for a minute and put it back to unlock the machine. I bet that had something to do with it. I'll have to watch it for a while to make sure it's ok.

I have another 40gig HD that I dual boot to and run Cubase on and record to a 100gig hd that I put in (thanks for the tip Rune!) Works like a charm!

Thanks for the advice guys! Look for some Mp3's from me in the Mp3 section soon!