Are M-Audio Delta 66 cards compatible with WireReady?

Q: We were going to buy the Delta 44 cards for our station but they have been discontinued and replaced with the Delta 66. Are these cards fully compatible with WireReady?
A: Simple answer - Yes. On paper, the Delta66 is virtually identical to the Delta44 and has the same break out box.

Details:

Many customers have asked this because the Delta44 has been discontinued and no one makes a 2 stereo in/2stereo out balanced card anywhere close to the affordable price of the Delta44.

The Delta 66 is in essence a Delta 44- plus a SPDIF connection on the card which provides a 3rd in/out if you want to mess with the digital in.out stuff. And that's why it's a little more money.

Otherwise it should be identical to a Delta 44, other than being more expensive.

The silver break out box we believe is identical too, so same connections, levels etc. and it's the same driver.

The difference is the Delta66 card also as a 3rd in/out - but it's SPDIF

I stopped selling it because too many customers thought they were getting a Delta44 with 3 channels instead of 2. and were disappointed when they realized they paid more- and basically got a delta44..

But folks are starting to use them because the Delta44 are discontinued.

I suspect the Delta66 will be discontinued soon too, so buy them while you can.

There really isn't anything cost comparable to the Delta 44 and Delta 66. It's a shame to see them going bye bye, but my guess is there aren't enough computers with PCI slots for Avid to justify another production run.

Like anything, our caveat is we're 99.9% sure. We have hundreds and hundreds of Delta44 cards in use around the country, the Delta66 are in the minority, but we suppose growing every day. But on paper, and our limited experience to date shows that the card is functional and electrically identical to the Delta44 and uses the same driver so our software can't tell the diference other than seeing a 3rd channel you could use too if you don't mind dealing with a SPDIF connection. Otherwise just use the 1/4" analog in and out jacks and it's just like a Delta 44.

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