Digital recording interface question

[DogFood]

I am researching digital recording interfaces. I am pimping a Toshiba Laptop with a Pent 4 200+, so I've got that covered and could easily get a tower together if I needed more computer flexibility. Now I need to record a medium to large sized drum kit. That will be all the more mics I will be imputing at a time. I would prefer at least 8 imputs. What products/manufacturers have I missed?
Digidesign 002
motu
echo
mackie products
tascam
yamaha

Also is there a particular configuration that would be more powerful/flexible at the same cost? such as a mic pre 8 inputs with a lightpipe out to a sound card and add software and you get more for yer buck?

[Elmo89m]

if you had a tower you could get a m-audio delta 1010lt pci card its 229.00 and has 8 inputs plus some virtual inputs. you need your own preamps...or you could get a presonus firepod (firewire interface) it has preamps already and it has eigth inputs but its 599

[aaroncomp]

I second the Presonus Firepod idea.

[apl]

Or the RME Fireface.

[DogFood]

what advantage is there to a mondo soundcard with an 8 channel mic pre fire wire piece of hardware? more phantom power imputs? is the sound going to be cleaner? are there going to be data transmission problems with say a digi002?

[AlexW]

I've never had data transmission problems with my Digi 002R. Basically you're paying for the I/O interfaces (analog, s/pdif, ADAT), preamps, and converters with any box. Firewire is a pretty effective way to transfer data to your computer and doesn't require a separate PCI soundcard interface. If it's an 002 you also get some faders to play with; and it can act as a stand alone digital mixer.

[Elmo89m]

a pci generally has the lowest latency but the firewire is right up there if not quite as good...yes on the pci card you would need your own pre's and phantom power...the firepod has that on all channels.

[DogFood]

if I can allocate funds away from the hard ware I can dump it into mics. that is a good thing. would I expect any latency issues recording a full on 8 channel drum thang?

[AlexW]

Shouldn't be a problem.