If you were buying a new recording rig for your PC/Mac????

[Blueser]

Would you go firewire, or PCI based?

Which one would you pick and why?

I am thinking of picking something up, that already has the preamps built in. I want some great sound quality, and I really don't foresee myself ever recording more than 4 tracks at a time. My candidates are:

**Firewire**

Motu 896 HD

Motu 828 Mk II

Presonus Firepod

**PCI based**

EMU 1820M

Lynx II (but I would need a preamp)


I already have pretty high powered dual processor P4, and G4 machines with plenty of disk and memory, that should do whatever I need them to do. I also have a pair of Mackie 824 monitors, and a Mackie 1402 mixer that I should start to put to good use. For now I have an SM57 to mic the cabinets, but I will be looking for a versatile condensor mic in the $300 range that can cover vocals, and instrument micing as well.

I basically want to pick a platform and start to move forward, which I think will help me improve my playing as well.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
B