I'd say go with M Audio's stuff since you can always run their ProTools MPowered for an additional $300. Then you could add on extra M-Audio stuff and make your so a superpowerful ProTools system without all of their brand-name hardware. So, no DSP farm cards. Oh well.

There are always workarounds
Ms. Remy Ann David

I got recommended that piece while looking around at guitar center, I've researched it a ton and it seems solid. For extra lines should i just get two of them for 16 inputs? Are the pres worth spending that kind of money?

Do you need 16 inputs??? Do you have 16 mics? Do you have nice room to use 16 mics?

Not necessarily 16, but possibly more than 8 for scratch tracks or bigger drum kits. Just figured i'd keep with a combination thats going sync right.

Remy, when you said "superpowerful pro tools system," what do you mean by that? Like what would you get to make it superpowerful?

Protools HD with and expansion chassis full of Excel cards
the biggest lumpy Intel Mac Full of all you can give it - so you can run Logic and Cubase and softsynths in the background
8)
oh and FCP
...
but the best synth is on the DSP on the Excel cards

add 192 I/Os
and a couple of any of the non digi gear interfaces with a digidesign link ... just for the option

then throw in a SSL desk !!!! just to use as a control panel ... of course

:)
that's a start

"that's a start"

If you want to single handedly keep the audio industry afloat in the recession...

Jamesp65 wrote: I was looking at some interfaces and narrowed it down a bit.

Digidesign 003 Rack
M-Audio Profire 2626
Pre-Sonus FireStudio

I wanna run Pro Tools as my DAW but I know with the latter choice that's a no go, but it still looks pretty good for the price. I also was curious as to what my best bet would be to add extra inputs. Just in case i need to put extra microphones on drums or something.

Its a package put together by Cakewalk and Roland, But its much more

Its the vs-700c

Take the tour if you dare. I use sonar software (by cakewalk) and it lacks nothing. I have easyly opened tracks brought to me on CD made with Pro-Tools. the editing was there and as a matter of fact. it looked just like mine. :)

This VS-700c looks a bit pricey though, but I can vouch for the software, well I use sonar-6

It looks like a good set up but I don't see a price anywhere. Also I still would rather use Pro Tools, anyone know the differences with M-Powered and LE?

By the way, Presonus FireStudio at 24/96 is Golden. I use a macbook with Logic Pro 8, I know you want protools though.

I can't help you there Jammster. I know that there are lots of post on it if you check the search. I think I remember it being a very stripped down version compared to the real deal though I can't talk from experience. The Hardware and soft ware above is around 4G thats for the interface with synth card, motorized and fully programmable board and the software as a matched set.