[LAU] MIDI over firewire on Linux?

[Len Ovens]

On Sat, 19 Apr 2014, Jonathan E Brickman wrote:

> Thanks!  Do you know of any good such devices which are not very pricey?  I
> found a few out there after reading your post, but they seemed all to be in
> the high-port-count and higher-cost ranges.

Cheapest Audio plus midi has got to be the old ens1370 based cards... free 
if you can find it. Best 16 bit sound for the price. If you don't have a 
pci slot, then the next price range is going to be USB devices... because 
most new systems don't have a FW plug, so an adaptor is required. Also, 
USB covers more people's systems so scale brings prices lower too. USB 
midi ports can be had for less than $30. And of course there are lots of 
USB audio solutions out there including built right into the mic stuff, 
again under $100. USB audio is much more picky about system tuning for low 
latency.

Assuming you already have a FW port, it is a better solution than USB, but 
even a 2+2+midi FW unit will cost more than the USB 2+2+midi unit. The 
Focusrite line starts with the pro 14 at $260. They call it 8in and 6 out, 
but I only see 6 physical inputs (and two of those are s/pdif i/o so only 
4 i/o for analog) at $260... yet they sell the 2i2 for usb for $150 or so. 
Presonus is the same, their "Firestudio mobile" is similar features and 
price to the pro 14 and the price matches too. (just note that it seems to 
need breakout cables to get at all the ports... including MIDI) Their 
audiobox USB (2+2+midi) can be had for $140.

So, yes FW costs more, but works better/easier. In the end you have to 
decide how important moneywise these things are to you. The presonus USB 
has been very good and stable... except in USB3 ports on Intel USB3 ports 
which are... broken at least for low latency audio (Intel agrees).

--
Len Ovens
www.ovenwerks.net