[ARSCLIST] USB/Firewire v PCI card was : [ARSCLIST] Reducing soundcard/circuit noise

[andy kolovos <akolovos@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Folks,

A friend visited me last week and, being the total losers that we are, 
the topic of our conversation eventually ranged to A/D conversion and 
digital file input to a PC.  We were talking around the benefits of 
using a quality outboard A/D unit that feeds a digital audio signal into 
a quality PCI card versus using an quality outboard A/D that feeds the 
digtial signal in via USB or FireWire.

Thing is, no one I've asked has been able to give me a clear explanation 
of the benefits and drawbacks either way.

I can imagine at least one--outboard DAC-to-PCI can input an AES 
signal--and can guess at a couple others, but I'm curious to get 
people's opinions, especially since most people in the field and the 
best practices out there always instruct in the use of a DAC-to-PCI 
setup.  Specifically, is the DAC-to-PCI approach just a hold over from a 
time when that was the only way to go?  What are the benefits over 
quality USB/FireWire input devices?

andy

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*********************************
Andy Kolovos
Archivist/Folklorist
Vermont Folklife Center
P.O. Box 442
Middlebury, VT 05753
(802) 388-4964
akolovos @ vermontfolklifecenter.org
http://www.vermontfolklifecenter.org