Digital audio in for laptop, looking for suggestions on what to buy Options

[hansalbertsson]

I'm planning to use an "Echo Audio Indigo I/O" Cardbus card for recording sessions with my laptop.
However, the Indigo has no Digital Audio in/outs, i e no Toslink or COAX S/PDIF
I/O. So I need something for getting S/PDIF into and out of the laptop, t oo!

Now, I've seen the M-Audio Transit USB device, which is at a good price point for me.
However, I can't find out if this device is capable of bit-perfect digital audio INPUT.

Does anyone here know if this card can do bit-perfect S/PDIF input, or if there are
any alternative USB or Firewire or cardbus devices that can?

P.S. I know the Transit USB can do bit-perfect digital OUTPUT, which makes me happy, but
I also need bit-perfect INPUT.

[cabbagerat]

Well, if M-Audio won't tell you then you need to test it yourself

Walk in to your local dealer with your laptop and ask if you can test the box with your machine. Then loop a cable between the out and in ports. Finally, play a sample/selection of samples with lots of dynamic range and record the SPDIF input. Finally, bit compare the audio data in the files and you have a close approximation of the answer.

While this wouldn't be and exhaustive test (in my experience these sorts of things vary with driver version, firmware version and other factors) it would go a long way to answering your question. I don't see any decent dealer having a problem with you doing this.

[hansalbertsson]

Well, if M-Audio won't tell you then you need to test it yourself

Walk in to your local dealer with your laptop and ask if you can test the box with your machine. Then loop a cable between the out and in ports. Finally, play a sample/selection of samples with lots of dynamic range and record the SPDIF input. Finally, bit compare the audio data in the files and you have a close approximation of the answer.

While this wouldn't be and exhaustive test (in my experience these sorts of things vary with driver version, firmware version and other factors) it would go a long way to answering your question. I don't see any decent dealer having a problem with you doing this.

M-Audio came back today., saying:

Yes it is possible to achieve bit-perfect S/PDIF
input when using ASIO with the Transit USB.
The application that is being used must use the ASIO
protocol in order to do this.
Hope this help.
Thank you

SO
M-Audio Technical Support

Well, so I'm OK with this.