USB Mixer Support/Compatability

Depending on you budget, I will recommand to you to use a Mackie console from the Onyx series, with the Firewire interface. It is very well supported by alsa/jack. You can record up to 16 tracks at a time, but you will have a playback to the console of only 2 tracks, on the master section. Most of usb or firewire console have the same kind of problematic. If you need more playback, you will have to buy a more expensive console with A/D and D/A converters (to adat or aes/ebu), plus a sound card like that can handle the in and out digital signal. I am using for myself a RME hdsp multiface II, that I use as sound card and there is on it 8 analog in and out, with very good converters, and there is i/o adat too. So up to 16 in and out at the same time, plus 2 i/o on spif and a headset plug. I patch it so the sound can go from the pre-amp in the sound card, and from the outputs to some analog processing, etc... I don't own a console because I don't need one for what I do, but you can very easily use a console instead or pre-amp, etc... Toine

You then need a Digi control desk like I have. I can record 16 channels into ardour simultaneously, and play back the same amount. The only prblem is that you need a ADAT interface, like the Hammerfall from RME, and a digital mixer that has ADAT support. It works out a tad expensive if you are just looking to record your garage band on Saturdays... Hope it helps

64studio (Ardour) supports any generic MIDI, or Macky mixer automation interface. Thus it will support any usb mixer that creates a usb midi interface. Control surfaces that are well supported, in the affordable range, would include the BCF2000 from Behringer. It uses 100mm alps motorized faders, and following a small upgrade procedure on the ardour site, will be fully supported under linux. If you need something similar, but much more expensive, you can look at the Yamaha's, Mackies, etc. I have the DDX3216 mixer (not available new anymore) - but it works wonderfully with my set-up. You could look for a second hand one, but do check it out before buying. Some roadies don't know the term "Look after our stuff" and you don't want to buy a dropped digi mixer... Hope it helps