Using Digital I/O

My end goal is to compare the end result of both of these transfer lines...

I must not be getting something important here because it seems like a very easy answer but I havent got it yet from anyone.

My question is simply: If I play the piano and record it on my computer with a balanced cable, or through a digital connection. Which will have the best quality.

are you trying to tell me that it depends on what other gear i have? or what because there are only a few variables here, the keyboard is a constant, the computer and software are constant

the only variables are the keyboards output/the cable the signal is sent through, and the sound card it is received by.

i would use the Delta44 with the balanced connection and I would be using the E-mu 0404 with the digital.

it makes sense to me that the digital would have the highest quality because it is uninterruptable data, being 1's and 0's instead of electronic noise that is susceptible to electrical disturbance..
 
There is no reason to do an extra DA-AD hop it will just introduce noise. To disrupt a digital signal you need an obscene amount of noise since it's not 0's and 1's, its a HIGH or LOW signal which represent 0's and 1's and there is a huge tolerance and error correction built into that signal so what is being sent will be for the most part identical to what is being received. Just go digital the whole way
 
Agreed. Since you're starting with a digital signal in your keyboard, it does make sense to keep the signal path digital all the way if you can. Although I'm no expert on keyboards or what you're using, but if the A/D converters in your keyboard aren't great, maybe you're better off just going analog out of the keyboard.

However, It's a much cheaper option to grab a couple of TRS cables and see if that eliminates your hum problem. The sound quality should be just fine, and you're not spending all the extra money for a new soundcard. Going to balanced 1/4" cables seems like it will solve the problem you described. And if not, you'll use them for something.
 
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