Advice for problem solving audio interface/synth setup

[Infrasound]

In the never ending soap opera of 'what do I need to fix with my computer this week?', I'm contemplating a reshuffle and possibly a new audio interface.

First of all, I'm running a mixture of USB and 5 din MIDI for my hardware synths. I have been having some problems with a midi loop somewhere and managed to get rid of it by ditching USB midi, and using 5 pin midi only. Is it worth keeping USB midi? What advantages am I gaining with it?

Problem 2 is I don't have enough physical inputs on the X-Station for audio interface duties so I've been running Creamware audio out into the EVO audio in, and EVO outs into X-Station. To use the Prodyssey like this have to keep the EVO filters and ADSR open and a few other little juggles. Not ideal and only a temporary short-term solution.
My options are to get a cheap mixer with 6 - 8 inputs, or a new audio interface with extra ins.

I'm leaning towards a new Audio Interface, as I think a mixer will add more noise into the system and potentially complicate it as well. I'm looking at maybe getting either the Scarlett Saffire 8 in - 6 out with built-in 5 pin midi, or the Akai EIE Pro with 4 in 4 out audio, 5 pin midi port, but also 3 USB ports. I'd like more audio ports, but I like the extra USB ports and thinking I'd keep the X-Station as Midi a keys/controller for the time being.

Both audio interfaces look to have decent specs with reasonable D/A converters and latency but I prefer to have the option of not just being limited to 5 pin midi cables with the interface itself. Ultimately I see the X-Station going, to be replaced by a hardware synth (possibly by Prophet 08). I worry about possible conflicts with X-Station because I want to use it for MIDI but not audio. If I get a new audio interface I'd prefer to avoid grief from the old one.

For recording synths at the moment I need 3 inputs, and that's why Prodyssey is running into DEVO for now. I also record guitars, mandolin, bass, percussion and sundry other non-synth instruments, but generally by myself. I also run a Novation Zero, MPD18 for drum pads, and Ipad for Ableton and some midi controllerism. Realistically, 3 inputs is the maximum amount of audio ins I need at any one time, but the thought of leaving everything plugged in is seductive.

If anyone has any advice/recommendations, I would like to hear them. People who have experience with similar mixes of hard/soft equipment - I want to maximise my equipment & minimise stress. I don't buy new equipment often, and tend to keep stuff for a long time. If there are solutions which don't involve buying anything, that is good too.

[silikon]

First of all, I'm running a mixture of USB and 5 din MIDI for my hardware synths. I have been having some problems with a midi loop somewhere and managed to get rid of it by ditching USB midi, and using 5 pin midi only. Is it worth keeping USB midi? What advantages am I gaining with it?

If you have a midi loop, most often simply ensuring all the devices are set to channels properly -- I don't know that ditching USB MIDI would gain you much... but removing them and re-adding one-by-one could be a good tool to debug where the problem lies..

My options are to get a cheap mixer with 6 - 8 inputs, or a new audio interface with extra ins.

Lots of inexpensive options, Allen& Heath make a solid affordable mixer (Zed Series), as do Makie and a few others. Mackie's Onyx has a Firewire option, the Allen&Heath have USB2 and the more expensive Zed has Firewire...

I don't have alot of experience with a ton of Audio interfaces other than the Apogee line, MOTU Traveler, and the Digidesign stuff. With only 3 inputs necessary you could easily get the Traveler and forego an external mixer for the time being. You'd have 4 Mic/Guitar inputs and 4 Line ins. More than what you need.

Those aren't the only solutions, but that's what I have at the moment. Because you don't need a ton of physical interfaces, Maybe keeping it simple with an audio interface with adequate connections would be more advantageous?

[Infrasound]

I don't have a firewire card, so I am hesitant in investing in that direction. Another card to install and rummage inside the guts of my computer, which itself will be upgraded in a few months.
Initially I was keen on the USB mixer/interfaces a couple of years, but a friend of mine bought one of the Zed series and he's never been completely happy with it. His is a bit noisy and I've heard that this can be a problem on the lower end of the market.

I'm using a PC and aren't Apogee only Mac, and also quite high end? MOTU looks great, but way more than I'm prepared to spend, and firewire also.

The more I look at the Focusrite Scarlett, the better it looks. 8 ins (6 really as unlikely to use spdif), 6 outs, ASIO drivers, and it's been around long enough for most of the wrinkles to be ironed out. Pretty cheap where I live too. I am sorely tempted by the Akai EIE, but it's very new, with not a lot of reviews yet. A few people have complained that Akai's customer service isn't the greatest. I've dealt with Novation, who I think are owned by Focusrite, and they've been quite good, responding to emails fairly quickly.

The midi stuff is confusing me because one of the synths doesn't seem to be responding well to USB midi, and I'm getting a bit confused between what data is is going where. What is the difference between Keyboard midi channel, and Global midi channel?

You're right, I need to nut out what's going where - it's late & I need to go to sleep so-as to go to work and ATM everything seems to be disjointed signals going simulaneously everywhere, and no-where. Thanks for your help, holidays next week, so time to really catch up then.