Hi everyone. I would like to use a Linux USB audio interface to my laptop. I would prefer something of reasonable quality, with at least two XLR microphone inputs with phantom power. Six channel output would also be useful.

What interfaces would people recommend that I should look into?

I'm using a Toshiba Tecra A2 laptop, with Fedora Core 4 installed. Someday I hope to upgrade to a later Linux.

$ /sbin/lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82852/82855 GM/GME/PM/GMV Processor to I/O Controller (rev 02)
00:00.1 System peripheral: Intel Corporation 82852/82855 GM/GME/PM/GMV Processor to I/O Controller (rev 02)
00:00.3 System peripheral: Intel Corporation 82852/82855 GM/GME/PM/GMV Processor to I/O Controller (rev 02)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device (rev 02)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-M) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 83)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801DBM (ICH4-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 03)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801DBM (ICH4-M) IDE Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.6 Modem: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 03)
01:05.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 2200BG (rev 05)
01:08.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB PRO/100 VE (MOB) Ethernet Controller (rev 83)
01:0b.0 CardBus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus Bridge with ZV Support (rev 33)
$ uname -r
2.6.11-1.1369_FC4
$

Oh dear, my computer doesn't have /sbin/lsusb (and "whereis" fails to find it). Off to run yumex.

Either Mobilepre USB or FireWire Solo from M-Audio, but you have to give up multichannel output unless you hook it up to a decoder through toslink or coxial. Firewire is better for multimedia, but may not work in Linux. Also using USB for audio in Linux is not stable and reliable. I suggest use PCMCIA (aka PC Card or Card Bus) that converts it into a PCI slot. Then you can use any PCI sound card that has such features. IMHO, notebooks computer are not the way to go for audio recording. I suggest making a desktop computer that has a 12 volt or 24 volt power supply. Yes, it will be clumsy to move a bulking item from one location and then to the next, but it is more reliable, stable, and a lot faster.

Hi. After thinking about things, I eventually went for a M-Audio Fasttrack Pro USB. It doesn't work with all software, but I can record and play back, which will do me for now.