USB2 devices are usually not supported in linux, due to there not being a standard for such devices and with manufacturers that won’t release data sheets so people can create drivers.
If you don’t need four mic inputs the Edirol FA-66 is a good, supported firewire device in the same price range.
Not completely true. USB2 class compliant devices are supported on Linux, but there aren’t many USB2 class compliant devices available at the moment but they are growing. One example as far as I am aware if the Sound Devices USBPre2 for example. Non-Class Compliant devices in general however are not supported.
Well, that’s why I said “are usually not supported”
And I don’t see anywhere in the specs that the USBPre2 is USB 2.0 only. From what I understand some devices fall back to USB 1.1 (aka USB1 class compilant) if there’s no USB2 support. And I’m guessing that’s why it’s mentioned on http://www.sounddevices.com/products/usbpre2.htm that it’s limited to 24bit/48kHz in class-compilant mode, no?
I believe USB1 class compliant would be 16/48 for the record, and no I don’t believe that is the case, see here…
As a class-compliant audio device, the USBPre 2 is limited to a maximum data rate of 24-bit, 48 kHz in Windows, Linux, and Mac OS versions 10.4 to 10.5.7. Mac OS 10.5.8 and higher support the audio class 2.0 device and can address the USBPre 2 up to 24-bit, 192 kHz.
So on OS X 10.5.8 and higher that support USB2 Audio Device Class, it operates at a full 24/192. Since recent versions of ALSA on Linux and the Kernel support the USB2 Audio Device Class as I have been told, this should operate as such even on Linux as well. NOTE: I have not tested this yet, but it is on my list of things to get sometime, likely after I get a Macbook Air and put Linux on it after they are updated in mid-July sometime I will get one of these buggers as they are the first USB interface to impress me and would be usable for my needs of system tuning and remote voice over recording.