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Skip Navigation Links. Open Audio Hardware Guide

As the leading developer of music and sound software for Windows, Cakewalk has always advocated and supported open industry standards, giving you the flexibility to create the best hardware and software configuration according to your own needs. 

Cakewalk software products are designed to work with any audio hardware that supports standard Windows drivers, providing you with the widest range of hardware choices available. We created this guide to help you decide which audio hardware is best-suited for your specific Cakewalk-based recording system.  For the most up to date driver compatibility information on Windows and x64 please check with the device's manufacturer.

This list is a resource for both authorized Cakewalk resellers and Cakewalk customers. It allows you to quickly compare the features of a number of different audio cards, making your hardware decision that much easier. Please see the Glossary if you are unfamiliar with any of the terms used in this guide. If you would like more information on a specific card, simply click on the name of the manufacturer to open a link to their website.

Disclaimer: This guide provides an extensive hardware listing, but does not represent all available audio hardware products. The following audio cards shown represent a broad cross-section of today's best-selling and most reliable products. We have made every effort to ensure that the following information is accurate at the time this guide was printed. Cakewalk is not responsible for any inaccurate information. Prices, specifications and availability are subject to change without notice. (Note: The "Maximum Bit Depth/Sample Rate" listed is per manufacturer specification, actual results may vary per program)

MakeModelFormatAnalog I/OMic PreampsFeaturesDigital I/OBit Depth / Sample RateSyncMIDI I/OSetup Guide
CakewalkVS-700RUSB9x128 XLRHi-Z input;Phantom Power; Fantom SynthS/PDIF, ADAT, AES24/192S/PDIF, ADAT, Wordclock1x1Yes
CakewalkVS-100USB6x82 XLRHi-Z input;Phantom Power;S/PDIF24/96S/PDIF1x1Yes
CakewalkUA-101USB8x102 XLR/TRS ComboHi-Z input;Phantom Power;Optical24/96Optical1x1Yes
CakewalkUA-25EXUSB2x42 XLR/TRS ComboHi-Z input;Phantom Power;Optical24/96Optical1x1Yes
CakewalkUA-4FXUSB2x21 XLRHi-Z input;Phantom Power;Optical24/96Optical1x1Yes
CakewalkSPS-25USB2x22 XLR/TRS ComboHi-Z input; Limiter; Phantom Power; Bus PoweredS/PDIF24/96S/PDIF1x1Yes
CakewalkSPS-66FireWire 4004x42 XLR/TRS ComboHi-Z input; Limiter; Phantom Power; Bus PoweredS/PDIF24/192S/PDIF1x1Yes
Echo AudioGINA 24PCI8x8-none- ADAT; S/PDIF24/96ADAT + S/PDIF-none-Yes
Echo AudioIndigoPCMCIA2x2-none-Laptop users in mind-none-24/96-none--none-Yes
Echo AudioLAYLA 24PCI8x8-none- ADAT; S/PDIF24/96ADAT + S/PDIF + Word Clock1x1Yes
Echo AudioLAYLA 3GPCI8x82 XLR/TRS ComboPhantom Power; HI-Z inputADAT; S/PDIF24/96ADAT + S/PDIF + Word Clock1x1Yes
Echo AudioMIAPCI2x2-none- S/PDIF24/96S/PDIF-none-Yes
Echo AudioMIA MIDIPCI2x2-none- S/PDIF24/96S/PDIF1x1Yes
Echo AudioMONAPCI; PCMCIA6x64 XLR/TRS ComboPhantom Power; Hi-Z inputADAT; S/PDIF24/96ADAT + S/PDIF + Word Clock-none-Yes
EdirolFA-101FireWire 4008x82 XLR/TRS ComboPhantom Power; Hi-Z input; Limiter; Bus PoweredOptical S/PDIF24/192S/PDIF1x1Yes
EdirolFA-66FireWire 4004x42 XLR/TRS ComboPhantom Power; Hi-Z input; Bus PoweredOptical S/PDIF24/192S/PDIF1x1Yes
EdirolUA-101USB 2.08x82 XLR/TRS ComboPhantom Power; Hi-Z input; Bus PoweredOptical S/PDIF24/192S/PDIF1x1Yes
EdirolUA-25EXUSB 2.02x22 XLR/TRS ComboPhantom Power; Hi-Z input; Bus Powered; Compressor/LimiterOptical S/PDIF24/96S/PDIF1x1Yes
EdirolUA-1EXUSB 2.02x2-None- Optical S/PDIF24/96S/PDIF-None-Yes
E-MU0404USB 2.02x22 XLR/TRS ComboPhantom Power; Hi-Z input; Bus PoweredS/PDIF Optical + Coaxial24/192S/PDIF1x1Yes
E-MU0404PCI2x2-None- S/PDIF Optical + Coaxial24/96S/PDIF1x1Yes
E-MU1212MPCI2x2-None- S/PDIF + ADAT24/192S/PDIF + ADAT1x1Yes
E-MU1616MPCI6x62 XLR/TRS ComboPhantom PowerS/PDIF + ADAT24/192S/PDIF + ADAT2x2Yes
Frontier Design GroupDakotaPCI-None--None-SoDA SMPTE SyncADATx2 + S/PDIF Coaxial and Optical24/48ADAT + S/PDIF + SMPTE2x2Yes
Frontier Design GroupWaveCenterPCI-None--None- ADAT + S/PDIF24/48ADAT + S/PDIF2x2Yes
Line6POD Studio UX2USB5x62 XLRGuitar Effects and Ampe ModelingS/PDIF24/96S/PDIF-None-Yes
Line6PODxtUSB1x2-None-Guitar Effects and Amp Modeling-None-24/44.1-None-1x1Yes
Line6TonePort UX8USB 2.08x88 XLRGuitar Effects and Amp ModelingS/PDIF24/96S/PDIF-None-Yes
Lynx Studio TechnologyL22PCI2x2-None- S/PDIF + AES/EBU24/192S/PDIF;WordClock-None-Yes
Lynx Studio TechnologyLynxTWOPCI2x6,4x4 or 6x2-None- S/PDIF + AES/EBU24/192SMPTE/MTC + S/PDIF + WordClock-None-Yes
M-AudioAudiophile 192PCI2x2-None- S/PDIF24/192S/PDIF1x1Yes
M-AudioAudiophile 2496PCI2x2-None- S/PDIF24/96S/PDIF1x1Yes
M-AudioDelta 1010PCI8x8-None- S/PDIF24/96S/PDIF + WordClock1x1Yes
M-AudioDelta 1010LTPCI8x82 XLR S/PDIF24/96S/PDIF1x1Yes
M-AudioDelta 44PCI4x4-None- -None-24/96 -None-Yes
M-AudioDelta 66PCI4x4-None S/PDIF24/96 -None-Yes
M-AudioFast Track ProUSB4x42 XLR/TRS ComboPhantom PowerS/PDIF24/96S/PDIF1x1Yes
M-AudioMobilePreUSB2x22 XLRPhantom Power-None-16/48 -None-Yes
M-AudioProjectMix I/OFireWire 4008x48 XLRMotorized Control SurfaceADAT + S/PDIF24/96S/PDIF + WordClock1x1Yes
MOTU2408mk3PCI8x8-None- TDIFx3 + ADATx3 + S/PDIF24/96WordClock + S/PDIF + ADAT-None-Yes
MOTU24I/OPCI24x24-None- -None-24/96WordClock-None-Yes
MOTUHD192PCI12x12-None- AES/EBU24/192WordClock-None-Yes
MOTU828mkIIUSB 2.010x122 XLR/TRS Combo ADAT + S/PDIF24/96S/PDIF + ADAT + WordClock + SMPTE1x1Yes
MOTU828mk3FireWire 40010x122 XLR/TRS Combo ADATx2 + S/PDIF24/192ADAT + S/PDIF + SMPTE + WordClock1x1Yes
MOTU896mk3FireWire 4008x128 XLR/TRS Combo ADATx2 + AES/EBU + S/PDIF24/192ADAT + S/PDIF + WordClock-None-Yes
MOTUUltraLite-mk3FireWire 4008x122 XLR/TRS Combo S/PDIF24/192S/PDIF1x1Yes
MOTU8preFireWire 4008x48 XLR/TRS Combo ADATx224/96ADAT1x1Yes
RMEFireface 400FireWire 4008x82 XLR/TRS ComboPhantom Power; Hi-Z inputADAT + S/PDIF24/192ADAT + S/PDIF + WordClock2x2Yes
RMEFireface 800FireWire 80010x104 XLRPhantom Power; Hi-Z inputADATx2 + S/PDIF24/192ADAT + S/PDIF + WordClock1x1Yes
RMEHDSP 9632PCI1x1-None- ADAT + AES/EBU + S/PDIF24/192ADAT + S/PDIF1x1Yes
RMEHDSP 9652PCI-None--None- ADATx3 + S/PDIF24/96ADAT + S/PDIF + WordClock2x2Yes
TascamIF-FW/DMmkIIFireWire 400N/A-None-FireWire I/O card for Digital MixersN/A24/96 1x1Yes