Anyone know if a Firewire/USB 2.0 Pro Sound Card is on its way? (1 Viewer)

I am putting together a better computer recording setup, but to make good band recordings I'll need at least 6, preferably 8 audio inputs.

Unfortunately USB devices top out at 4, meaning I cannot go down the laptop route.

Presumably firewire or USB2.0 will allow more inputs/outputs but no such devices seem to exist yet that I can find.

Anyone got any advice or ideas?

Cheers.

Apologies, I don't mean four USB devices but 4 audio inputs!!:b

I will keep checking literature. Cheers.

You can add firewire hubs as well.

Probably the most likely candidate would be a new Audigy card. Right now it's USB 1.1, which I THINK has a high enough capacity to handle music data (12 Mbps, uncompressed CD quality sound is 1.4 Mbps).

The current Audigy that is out seems to support only 2 or 3 inputs -- I'm not sure if thats limited because of USB Bandwidth or not.

However, I don't expect to see a USB2/Firewire only card until they get a bit more common in PCs. They're still a bit rare these days.....

M Audio has a 10in/10out FireWire Audio System in the works. Don't know when it will be released.

Motu is all firewire or USB. Their stuff is considered pro quality- and pretty common in the recording world. Their new 2408 is an excellent interface.

Motu is very well known, pick up any recording mag for musicians and you'll find the mag dominated by discussions of MOTU products as everyone uses them. This is not some "on the horizon" technology- people have been using them for years.

Motu 828 is firewire, eight channels of analog input and output - along with 8 channels of ADAT S/PDIF for a totla of 18 inputs and 18 outputs.

Motu 896 is firewire, eight channels of analog input with mic preamps and 8 outputs - along with 8 channels of ADAT S/PDIF for a totla of 18 inputs and 18 outputs.

Curious why it has to be USB or Firewire- there are great cards with multi inputs that are PCI- and cheaper than MOTU (aardvark, echo, etc)-- and real pro interfaces (Digi or Motu 2408 for example) are PCI cards with breakout boxes.

-Vince