soundcard selection

[freeztar]

I'm ready to get a good sound card. I'm running a P4 2.4ghz on an XP platform. My budget would peak at $800, but I'd like to spend less. The cards I'm looking at are: M-Audio Delta 10/10, Digidesign Digi 001, ST-Audio DSP3000, Echo Layla, Presonus Firestation 8-channel, Aardvark Aark 24, and MOTU 828 MKII. I'd appreciate some input from users of any of these systems. If you use and like one of these, let me know why. If you've had problems with one of the systems mentioned above, then I'd especially like to hear that. Thanks for the input.
Keith

 

[tmix]

Keith,
All the cards you have listed seem to have a following.
I have personally used the Delta 1010 for 2 years now and have been very pleased with it. I record mainly acoustic oriented music (Celtic, Bluegrass ,Jazz) and can't really complain about anything.
It has been rock solid and very dependable.

Of all the models you listed, I believe the Aardvaark may be one to stay away from. I have seen countless posts here about driver problems and chipset / MOBO issues. I personally thing the converters in the MOTU might be the best of all the listed boxes but the Delta (and several others) come in so very close as second.

You would have to spring for a RME Hammerfall , or more likely Lucid or Apogee or? befroe you would see a noticeable difference.
Using one of the cards listed can be improved by adding a better clock source eventually.

 

[trogdor]

I have been using a delta 1010 for about a year as well, and it's been nothing but excellent since the day I got it.

The best thing you can do for yourself right now is to think as far ahead into the future as you can about what you think you are going to need and plan accordingly.

I just sold my Delta 1010 on ebay to pick up a MOTU 2408 MKII, because I wanted more inputs, and instead of picking up another 1010, I found it would be cheaper to get the motu for only a little more but with 24 channels of digital i/o on top of the 8 i/o analog that the delta had.