>
> I have come to prefer a USB solution. These have the A/D outboard of the
> computer, so less likely that all the electronic noise inside the
> computer will interfere. They are also not tied to a specific computer.
> I use a Roland UA-30, which is a older model, have not really researched
> current choices that completely. The Roland can easily handle my audio
> I/O needs, both digital and analog. In addition to using it's optical
> digital input from my HHb Portadisc to bring in my nature recordings, I
> use it's optical digital output to run to my Sony CD/MD deck for
> recording mp3's and such like to MD, I use it's analog input to provide
> a sound path into my G4 from that deck to use it as a CD or MD player, I
> use it's analog output to run a set of powered speakers, and I do all
> headphone monitoring of both inputs and outputs via it's headphone
> connection with it's own separate volume control. The current version of
> this is the Edirol UA-3D. As I noted there are probably other solutions
> now that work equally well. I've used the Roland for several years.
>
I did a little research on these external audio interface. I think that
Edirol/Roland products like UA-1D, UA-3D, UA-5 resample the digital signal
because it could not sync to external clock of digital signal. That is, it
resamples to 48k and then resample again to your desire sample rate such as
44.1k into the computer. Even 48k digital signal, it still resamples. Thus,
not bit-perfect.
For external digital audio interface that has bit-perfect digital transfer,
try emi 2|6 or egosys U24 or U2A. Emi 2|6 has switches to set
external/internal clock. When set to external clock acting as a slave, it
could transfer bit-perfect signal into the computer. As these are USB 1.1
devices, if you run too many programs simulataneously it may not work
properly. I believe that cheaper two-channel versions of USB2.0 and firewire
external audio devices are on the way out.
If your feel comfortable with resampling, the cheapest device to transfer
may be Edirol UA-1D. But you could not monitor throught it. UA-1D only has
digital I/O. UA-1A for analog transfer might be better than the onboard
sound card's analog in.
However, just info from internet not my actual experiences. Sorry about
that.
Po-Jen
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
|