My personal choice is to use ADAT as my standard digital audio link and use whatever
computer interface will handle it. That means an RME PCI card in the main studio computer
and a firewire interface for my laptop. However, if I was buying a laptop ADAT interface
now I would be looking at USB as Firewire sockets are becoming more difficult to find on
computers and, with the exception of RME, audio interface firewire drivers have always
been somewhat flakey.
If you are after large numbers of inputs you might want
to look at MADI or one of the newer emerging network protocols like Dante instead of
ADAT.
James.
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JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net