USB or FireWire of your audio interface?

Firewire is better for bidirectionality so is better for the interface. Your external audio hard drives are better off as USB to keep the data streams separate and because the saved audio data will be one way traffic while being recorded.

Of course most interfaces that offer USB as a connection are one or two channel.IMO it probably won't make much difference with this amount of data flow, but if there is a choice all other things equal I'll take firewire.

In practical use, I've noticed no difference. However, because I have a USB dongle and various USB thumb drives, I went with a Firewire interface simply because I wanted to avoid any possible conflicting situations.

The USB versions of the AudioBox and the MBox have given me fits #!@%&~ ... FireWire is a close second. :)

sorry, i had to delete my post. it was intended for a different poster.

4 hours of sleep in two days can play blur the mind.

FW for the console/front end/interface. Keep it 1 device per port, no matter what they tell you. You'll avoid conflicts and lock ups this way.

USB for data storage, dongles, mice, ready-boost, etc. I put the external HD on its own USB connection, and use a USB hub for all the other goodies that won't fight for speed/space/memory.