Echo is also coming out with firewire cards shortly.

Mario

I was steered in that direction by others....I do like the ability to move the interface between systems (from desktop unit to laptop) I also like the XLR mic inputs on the units I've seen. If the mona type setups are better, the portability issue is mute....I'd rather have a solid interface on the main system and do all of the recording on that system if that is the better option. I've looked at a Mona and liked the setup but they seem hard to come by.

I've been out of the game for a while. The last time I did voice work for radio they were still using carts!!!

You can't do better than Echo for sub 4K. I'm traveling with 2 Laylas right now, both for laptop and desktop. The firewire box is great, but won't be available for about another month

I also agree that Echo Audio sound cards are the best choice :-)

I have 3 workstations in my project studio. In each one there is a Layla 24, a Gina 24 and an M-Audio 44, respectively. I think M-Audio is fine. But Echo Audio sounds warmer and better.

The 3G of Echo Audio is even more robust (56-bit / 100mHz DSP for digital mixing). Besides that, it offers 2 auto-sensing universal inputs (mic/guitar/line) with Phanton Power supply and trim knobs.

But the firewire options are still in development. The Echo Audio website informs that firewire cards are coming soon...

If you can, I'd wait :-)

Lawrence

I've got the M-Audio Firewire 410, done a lot of VO and some basic live sound into my laptop with it.
To be quite honest I'd need proper studio facilities etc before I could justify spending more than it cost. If I ever needed to record full on location sound with more tracks I think I'd hire the kit and / or a qualified audio guy. It's enough of a drama driving the camera(s) without having to worry about the audio as well.
Bob.

I agree that is difficult to manage audio AND video in field recording at the same time. But if you want to be the audio guy, another option is the new Edirol R-4, a 4 channel portable digital recorder with 4 mic/line inputs with Phanton Power switch.

Lawrence

The FW 410 is also a terrific unit. I'll take a PCI card device over Firewire anyday given a choice, but for portability I don't always have choices. So, my portable, field powered unit is the 410, or when I'm flying, the 410 is my choice.

Now there's a box that I've never heard anyone talk about. Made by M-Audio back when it was MidiMan and YES it has a flying cow on the lid. I've never understood the connection (with the cow I mean) but it's one of those things that you buy and don't use for ages and just when you wonder why the heck you bought it suddenly you find a million uses for it.
Probably not so much in the world of DV but it's sort of a connect anything to anything kind of box, no mic ins, but balanced line level, AES, SPIDIF, unbalanced line in and out and probably more things I've forgotten about.
So what use have I found for it, well the 410 only has unbalanced line in, which is usually OK but my reel2reel decks are all balanced and the flying bovine will go balanced line in to SPDIF which can then go into the 410 and into Vegas!
And if you think that's an odd requirement, well we had a guy who just had to go AES to SPDIF, don't ask, I didn't, but he bought it back after two weeks rapt with the thing.

OK I'll admit I'm a gadget junky.

Bob.

Farss, you really have bad GAS.

(Gear Acquisition Syndrome)