ISA220 w/card vs. Avalon 737

[Bubbla]

Trying to update my mic signal chain for reggae & hip hop production. Right now, I have an AT 4040 going through a dbx tube chanel strip w/digital out going spidf into my 002R. It's ok, but could be much better.

I will soon be getting a TLM 103 from a friend and am looking at the ideal pre-amp/compressor/eq combination. I would be using it for vocals, micing acoustic guitars, micing amps, and direct input for bass.

I have narrowed it down to the Focusrite ISA220 with the digital card or the Avalon 737sp. I want to know if anyone has experience with the ISA220 with the card... I have know that these 2 unit have different character (ISA a bit more pristine, Avalon more "warm", right?), but my question really is how much difference do the ISA's converters make? Esp. as compared to taking the Avalon into the 002R analog. In using my dbx 386, I've found that the digital out is much better than the analog out - just wondering if that would be the case in going digital out from the ISA220 compared to analog out from the Avalon. Ideally, I would get the Avalon and an apogee converter, but gotta sell a lot more reccords before that happens...

Thanks.

[Rock_Artist]

I use the ISA110 here a lot and used the 737sp many times.

Bottom line - the 737sp is GREAT for vocals and the studio that I've used it is now being rent to the biggest hip hop label here.

That studio got SSL 4000G+ and I once tried comparing the 737sp with the SSL pres on a r&b "POP" singer. she sounded great on the SSL but than I compared the sound from the 737 and BOOM... it's PHAT and WARM.

The ISA design is "tube-less" and gives a clean character like any transformers design. but for vocals usually I would prefer the Avalon big time it's a single unit that has it all for vocal straight to the recorder.

I havn't checked any AD cards and usually checked it with going to the 002R or 888|24 and later 192I/O.

If you go on the ISA for vocals you should find a "colorful" compressor.
I've seen a succesful use of it with TubeTech (Denmark ? ) compressor that gave it great warmness that the ISA don't give by it self.

The Focusrite ISAs are very "Accurate" and less colorful but that's their greatness.

[Bubbla]

Give thanks.

anyone else?