[linux-audio-user] RME Multiface vs. M-Audio Delta 1010

I'm comparing the RME Multiface with the M-Audio Delta 1010 (the full model, not the LT). Both things provide 8 balanced analog ins/outs (and balanced is very important to me), some digital ins/outs (the M-Audio provides only SPDIF, RME has SPDIF and optical) and MIDI. Both are fully supported by ALSA. Both can do 96kHz/24bit. M-Audio Delta doesn't have headphones output. The big difference is the price. RME Multiface can be bought in the US for like $920 (the breakout box plus the PCI card). M-Audio Delta 1010 is $600 total; even if i stick to it a 4-way headphone amp, it's still only $700. What do i lose if i go the M-Audio way, instead of the RME? I know the RME stuff are more like sound routers (can combine the channels in a very flexible fashion), plus they do a lot of things with 0% CPU load. How's the M-Audio Delta in this regard? Can i do the same clever things with it? -- Florin Andrei http://florin.myip.org/