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Audio Express: USB vs Firewire
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:35 am
by lloydev23
Just in case anyone is interested, I am using an Audio Express on a Rain Even Mini computer. Windows 7 Pro 64bit. I just installed a Syba PCI-Express Card TI Chipset and there is a noticeable improvement in performance vs USB. I would highly recommend using firewire if possible. Especially if your PC's processor is not the greatest which is the case with my computer.
Re: Audio Express: USB vs Firewire
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:50 pm
by torrentg
Cool deal! I have in the machine I'm on now, a PCI SATAII card from Syba. It works great but the hilarious thing is that when the machine boots, they have all sorts of things misspelled on the hardware initialization screen, including the card itself. lol
Re: Audio Express: USB vs Firewire
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 6:14 pm
by RonaldDumsfeld
there is a noticeable improvement in performance vs USB.
In what way is it noticeably improved?
I ask because I have an Ultralite Hybrid and I cannot hear any difference between the Firewire or USB inputs without looking to see which one is plugged in.
They might both sound crap though because the firewire is taken direct from the motherboard rather than a dedicated card. I cannot see any theoretical reason why they would sound different? They might though...
Re: Audio Express: USB vs Firewire
Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:06 pm
by torrentg
He doesn't say it sounds different. He's saying performance.
I'm guessing there might have been drop outs or squeals and now there are none.
Re: Audio Express: USB vs Firewire
Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 1:05 pm
by lloydev23
To elaborate:
What torrnentg said is correct. Its a performance improvement. I use a lot of cpu intensive vst instruments and I have experienced less drop out when using the firewire vs the usb. There is no audible difference that I can hear in the actual sound quality.
@torrentg What drivers are you using? I was unable to get the included Unibrain drivers to work without causing the blue screen of death. However, the Windows drivers seem to be seamless. Can you comment on that? You seem to be very knowledgeable about this stuff.
Re: Audio Express: USB vs Firewire
Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 11:12 am
by torrentg
I use the Legacy driver included already on the system with Windows 7.
For my Windows 8 install which I use almost all the time now, I had to copy the Legacy driver and installation files out of Windows 7 install. Windows 8 doesn't include it. I have a thread about it on here with Windows 8 in the title.
If you'd like to try it on Win7, use Device Manager to install. Right click on the IEEE 1394 device, choose Update driver software, Browse my computer..., Let me pick...
The Legacy one will show up.