On ven, 2014-06-27 at 16:36 -0700, Len Ovens wrote: 
On Fri, 27 Jun 2014, Wayne DePrince Jr. wrote:

>     thanks for the info.  i guess everything is going USB these days.  but
> can USB 3 perform as well as FW?

Unless you know different, The last I heard there are no USB3 Audio 
interfaces. Many people feel there is nothing to be gained over USB2 for 
audio.

_If_ you can find a usb port that has it's own irq and that is not used 
(via an internal usb hub) for any other bits (webcam, wifi card, touchpad, 
etc.) then very good performance can be had. Up to about 18 channels plus 
midi at 48k/24bit... fewer at 96 (because normally 8 of the ports are 
adat). There are some better FW units (64 channels?) with the right FW IF.

For a reality check on this. The only computers where USB is the only 
options are laptops and smaller computers and 18 i/os already require a 
BOB bigger than the computer. For something that requires more channels 
than 8 it is not that much more trouble to cart around a desktop box... or 
rackmount unit. Then other options exist anyway. A desktop MB _can_ be 
cooled better than a laptop and quieter too. (though many desktops are 
actually louder)

    thanks.  good to know that USB 2 could replace my FW ExpressCard+FW interface, as that seems the only way to get a bus-powered interface on a non-Apple laptop these days.