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Andy, just to offer a little direct input to you, I think you are right to take the opportunity to get current on your OS and computer HW. Ideally, it would be nice to update the audio interface, too, to something that uses USB (that won't be around forever, but it should be with us for 5 years or so - a computer lifetime) and that has both a-d and d-a built in. That would simplify things a lot, make your current choices less restricted, and allow more flexibility in the future. The Apogee is a nice unit, however, and if you are not able to replace it, your plan with the Lynx card looks like the only way to go. The pity is, the next time you are facing this decision, your playback card, that new card, and therefore the converter, might be orphaned. You might look at taking that $700, see what you can get for the Apogee, and attempt to budget for an RME UCX or UFX. These units are much more agile in their compatibility and RME has a history of supporting OS changes over multiple generations, unlike many other makes. Their FW drivers support Win7 for products that are getting toward 10 years old. I sold my FF800 to an archivist, and I think it's working fine for him. One advantage of a self-contained interface is that you are freed from dependence on one computer to support your work. You could easily keep your old desktop, or find an older laptop, to use as a backup or a portable system. The UCX, I think, will even record to memory cards, independent of a computer. Don't know if that would benefit your style of working, but it's nice to have options. Our friend Richard Hess uses one. Do you do multiple simultaneous inputs - multitrack recording? Or synchronized overdubbing? If not, you don't have to sweat the power of the computer so much. I would, unless you have a way of isolating the machine, look for something that is quiet! I ended up building my own studio PC, just so I could address that aspect. It's a big decision for you, if it looks like another ten years before the next opportunity comes along. I doubt that good quality equipment will get any cheaper than it is today. Better to look to the future than to hold your current choice hostage to the past. If you have the option. -----Original Message----- From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Andy Kolovos Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 9:34 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Audio workstation recommendations? Hey all-- My primary software is Adobe Audition 2.0 and 5.5. I also run Diamond Cut 7, but use it very rarely. There's also a gaggle of smaller applications I use: e.g. BWF Metaedit, NCH's Switch, Nero Burning Rom (can't remember the version), Better File Rename, the software for my thermal CD/DVD labeling machine, as well as Access, Excel, etc--as well as drivers for my steadfast USB Plextor Premium burners, the DAL CardDeluxe. I'm pretty sure the thermal labeler is not supported past XP, and that's one thing I still really need. MAC is probably out of the question due to my need for PCI/PCIe slots--especially since the new Mac Pro no longer seems to have them, not to mention we could not afford one regardless. My plan was to go with a fuller version of Win 7 rather than 8. I also have a Mac Mini with XP installed on a Bootcamp partition--and I might just move that to a VM using Parallels or VMWare Fusion. The only real bummer to me in all this--outside of the irritating recalcitrance of Microsoft in general--is Apogee's lack of FW 400 support for the Rosetta past XP, which will now require me to spend at least $700 on a D-sub interface and cables so I can keep using the hardware. Thanks, Andy -- Andy Kolovos, Ph.D., MLS Co-Director and Archivist Vermont Folklife Center 88 Main Street Middlebury, VT 05753 (802) 388-4964 http://www.vermontfolklifecenter.org/archive/