USB is running neck and neck with FireWire interface these days. Especially the newer USB3, if available, but even the good old USB2 has been able to do the job for sound interfaces, even with multiple inputs (M-Audio USB is one known to work and play well with pgmusic products for the most part).

Also, not all FireWire implementation is equal, if the machine doesn't have the right FireWire chipset in it, the chosen FireWire sound device may not even operate at all. This has been a problem, well documented on forums all over the web, people who did not get, for example the TI Texas Instrument chipset then find out the hard way that they can't use the sound device they purchased. USB, on the other hand, is fairly universal in that regard. Speeds are no longer an issue either. Even with USB2.

There was a time when I'd recommend FireWire as being a better alternative to USB for this purpose, but time and technology have marched right on past that now. So I wouldn't sweat that issue anymore.


--Mac