Because you already have a pre-amp, I would recommend the M-Audio Delta 1010LT. It has 2 balanced and 6 unbalanced line inputs. As long as you keep the run length short you should not have any noise problems with the unbalanced lines.

Or if the thought of unbalanced signals near your CPU bothers you, check out the Delta 66 and Delta 44.

GeckoMusic wrote: Because you already have a pre-amp, I would recommend the M-Audio Delta 1010LT. ...

I don't yet have the RNP, tho' it's on my short list.

Is there an alternative combination pre-amp / ADC you'd recommend?

- Richard

expatCanuck wrote: Is there an alternative combination pre-amp / ADC you'd recommend?

- Richard

For Mac there is the Apogee Duet. I don't think there is anything near equivalent for PC yet.

for a more modest price
I would suggest the E-MU 0404 usb

I have tried tascam and m-audio
both don't have enough gain on the mic inputs
and don't function standalone
and have more troubles with groundloops and output noise

the EMU has >60dB of gain
is quiet and a standalone ad and da

check their site

If you don't have a Mac and have not yet bought the RNP, I'd look for an interface that combines preamps and converters. There are a lot of good interfaces for the price of an RNP and an Apogee Duet (amost $1,000 total).

I guess that an RNP/Duet/Mac chain might give you two channels that would be superior to any of the converters in that range. (At least it would be interesting to try.) But there simply aren't a lot of people out there going this route.

For what it's worth, I have an RNP and like it. But it was not as different as I'd hoped from the preamps in my A&H mixer, Digi 002R, and Octopre. I now have a API 3124 and a Langevin DVC and these are a noticeable step up. If I had it all to do over again, I'd stick with the pres in my interface until I was ready to jump several price points.