Hey I've been endlessly searching for quite some time thru a plethora of interfaces and converters and various connection options. I'm building a decent daw PC so I'm limited in PCIe slots and need to be judicious to make sure I've got my bases covered. I'm making the jump to 384k next year when mytek releases its updated version of the 8x192. This will be my 'flagship' converter. That's the place holder unless something I like more around that 3k price point and channel count gets released.

I'm doing an interI'm setup while I'm archiving old projects, and getting a place, and organizing the whole new multi CPU setup. My price range is 500-1500, and I want quality io vs quantity, which the DA side being most important to me, since I'll be doing a lot more listening than

So basically I was looking for a something like a 2 in 8 out interface so I could do surround if I got to it. Those aren't quite common. So I've narrowed things down to the RMEbaby face pro, the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, the Focusrite Scarlett 8pre or 8pre x. They all have they're merits and drawbacks, w the Scarlett having great latency (thunderbolt) and the RMEhaving solid drivers and good quality, and the Scarlett being relatively inexpensive.

But what they all are is mid level and pro-sumer oriented. I just felt that the quality level is a step below what my heart really wants. Although any would be 'ok'

My goal is to be at 192k for now then when I grab the mytek, move this unit over to the capture daw/computer and use it for capture when SRC is required. Since two myteks are out of my price range, I'll have to sum 384 sessions itb, save some cash, or save for the mytek Brooklyn which is a 384 adc only. At 1k less than the 3k asking price of a full other mytek 8x192(384) that's an expensive compromise relatively speaking.

Anyway I started looking at lynx Aurora 8 thunderbolt because the Scarlett is TB and I got enamored w the latency vs USB. The Aurora is quite nice, but it's a price is 2k which is on the high side for something that's essentially only got to be multi-channel for a year... if it was 384k I'd buy it tomm. The other part I didn't like is it's reaching almost the ten year mark. So while it's excellent it's nearing the end of the life span. And paying full price for that old of a converter doesn't make sense from an investment perspective.

So...lol finally the point...

I came across this e22/e44 card which lynx describes as 1:4/1:2 an aurora in PCIe card form.

It's price points are 699 and 999 with 2x2 and 4x4 I/o along w 2 or 4 digital I/o

Anyway the e22, 2x2 ticks some great boxes. It's the same price as the baby face pro and Scarlett, my first two choices. (Scarlett only while on sale till the 31, otherwise it's not a good buy IMHO). The e22 is PCIe so it's got good stability and latency. There's no extra fat like preamps of dsp like the others. The channel count makes it surround incapable, but perfect for a capture daw. It's the most professional level product for in the price by at least one tier or two. Also it seems to be a fairly recent release having arrived in November of 2014. It's. Basically barely 2 years old.

At that price it leaves about 800 or so of the interface budget for a preamp/di like a single channel RND or millennia, or a dual isa. The dual Isa also would be perfect match as part of the folcrom capture system. My original plan was the isa 828 for 2k at Amazon. But that's too much money for now and too many channels. I'm working on the foundation here.

So basically this is 2/3 of the capture system, and what I'd use as my main adda till the mytek drops.

The surround thing isn't a huge deal simply beucae I don't have all the speakers, or any for that matter, nor is there a fitting place to put them since I'm in the market for a house. So it's essentially 'too soon' although all my equipment needs to be 7.x or better capable.

The whole 384k thing isn't a huge deal since it's me just wanting to be cutting edge. Most certainly I'll be working in 192 and less for a while on others projects, and personally I'll be restricted until my vsti supports it. So far the companies I've reached out to haven responded with 'we haven't tested it, no guarantees' when asked if my current bfd and drumagog would run a 384 in Samplitude.

So long story kept long, the e22 seems to be the best comprise of high quality and affordable price, while being future compatible w my system. So far it's the most efficient potential interface because theirs no fat.

The e44 4x4 appeals to me but then at 1k it just makes me want the Aurora 8x8 for 2k. Although that said for 300 more than the e22 it's defiantly a lower cost per channel. Since the e22 also has 2 ch of digital, I could potentially select a set of monitors w digi and/or pipe two high quality ad channels to a multi-channel interface like the Scarlett or clarett or or something like that, and come back from those interfaces via the S/PDIF out of the high quality DA of the lynx.

I could also use the digital io option on the isa (assuming I got it) and feed that to the Lynx leaving the two ad channels for an analog only pre.

The same applies to the 4x4 but at 192, S/PDIF is usually only 2ch.

So anyway I was hoping for some thoughts on the Lynx. I willingly chose quantity over quality with my last interface and was satisfied overall. This time I'm looking to go the opppsite way, but it's taking some discipline to resist all the 'features' of some of the others. Even though my heart wants to move away from anything not pro standard or better.

Overall before I go to far w the Lynx I wanted to post here to see what I may be missing. It seems that there's got to be a catch. Or perhaps just other similar options?

I really was wishing the other day someone made a product for 'someone like me' who needs fairly low channel count but high quality in the under 2k range. Perhaps I finally found it?

Here's two links to the Lynx (lol) one to the main website, and one of a recording rob st. Germain did with the Lynx aurora. Track 2 on the playlist 'floored' has drums bass and electric guitar. There's a very 'present' quality to the sound, and a serious lack of masking. That snare does not go anywhere when the bass and electric guitar enter.

http://lynxstudio.com/product_detail.asp?i=77