How do you guys find USB vs Firewire on your interfaces?

[Kapo_Polenton]

I use a presonus firepod and firewire connection into my DAW (reaper). Never had a problem with synching (sometimes USB ports don't find the drivers and don't bring up the device) but have noticed that more interfaces now are using USB. Has it been improved?

The reason I ask is that this has really caught my attention: http://www.soundcraft.com/products/signature-12-MTK . The new soundcrafts with ghost preamp and other goodies. An analogue mixer that can interface with your DAW for use with VST plugins via the USB. I think there must be some bennefits to using the soundcraft analogue board and converter over something all digital. I'd be very interested to compare the "color" from my presonus with that of the soundcraft and see whether it is all hype. Mostly though, I really like the idea of something physical to tweak in front of me.

So indulge me, anyone have any strong opinions for/against USB in this capacity of mixing music?

 

[dead-pan]

From my experience it depends on the USB controller chip in the computer as many laptops and lower end computers have less quality components. Many interface manufacturers have a list of compatible hardware.

 

[dirtyfunkg]

Using an old MacBook (2006) and iMac (2011), on both machines, Firewire has been much more reliable as far as clocking/jitter are concerned. I only had a Line 6 Guitar Port as USB whereas I have used a Firepod, Studio Live (both PreSonus) and now an RME Fireface 400 as my Firewire interfaces. Obviously, as far as A/D conversion is concerned going into a computer, PreSonus and RME are far more reputable than Line 6.

The problem with Firewire at this point is that it's become obsolete on new computers coming out. You can get a FW-->Thunderbolt adapter, but Thunderbolt has pretty much become a Mac specific protocol. Non-Apple PC manufacturers are not putting FW on their current issue PC's. As such, now is a very volatile time for audio interfaces, since we really have no idea which way things will go.

The best way I can put it is this, though: the problem with USB is, and always has been that it is a batch based data transfer. Firewire is a steady stream. For most home recording uses, this doesn't really pose much of a problem for USB, but once you get into serious multi-tracking at high sample rates and bit depths, USB's process gets a bit more taxed.

I may have spread some misinformation so I ask that anyone who knows better corrects me, but this is my best understanding of where we are right now. USB 3 is a huge step up from USB 2, but the fundamental process remains the same--the numbers have just grown.

I'm not sure what you mean by USB vs. Firewire in terms of mixing. If everything is in the box, I assume you meant "tracking" instead of "mixing" right?

 

[TheLong]

I've used a Presonus 22 USB for years and it worked great.
I've now upgraded to an Audient ID22, it's also USB and works great.
Anyway, no USB issues here.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Yes sorry, I meant tracking ..mo would imagine the more inserts added and simultaneous data streaming , things might get messy. As my FireWire has always held up, I am interested in use because this latest sound craft mixer has the ability to keep a lot of tweaking on the board itself. I am tempted as I have never been a fan of the guitar tones I get out of the presents anyway and tweaking in a daw is annoying at times. Would be great to have the knobs right there on each channel for the basics.