Firewire vs USB 3.0/3.1

Reading the linked article, it mentions:

"FireWire streams data rather than packets data. This results in more stable synchronization and performance. A FireWire device can stream data in both directions at the same time, while USB requires the sent packets of data to finish transmission before the device can receive more data."

So Firewire being isochronous, that means we can play in and hear back audio with minimal latency, compared to USB, which only sends data one direction?

I was wondering if this has changed with USB 3.0 or USB 3.1? I cannot find any articles talking about it.

Does USB 3.0 or 3.1 allow streaming data in both directions, like Firewire... or is it still just one directional, but MUCH faster than USB 2?

If it hasn't changed from USB 2, would Firewire still be the best bet for two-way direction data streaming?

I'd like to record audio, have it play back and record another audio track separately while the first track is still playing,

So I'd assume this way of working would be best suited for Firewire?

Here is the article I copied above:

http://support.presonus.com/hc/en-us/articles/210046023-Should-I-choose-a-FireWire-or-USB-audio-interface-

USB 3 is full duplex, meaning it can transfer data in both directions simultaneously. Here is a source cited from wikipedia: http://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetPDF.aspx%2F4AA4-2724ENW.pdf
Also, it is very fast.

Firewire in the year of our Lord 2016 has greatly fallen out of favor in the rise of USB 3.0 and even 2.0 for that matter. Also, finding a firewire chipset that doesn't boink your audio data is something to behold I could only find one firewire card that had a compatible chipset, made by Siig something or other, 6 years ago.

TLDR; USB 3.0 > Firewire

on my latest machine (PC, i7 6-core x99, DDR4 memory) I had to put in a PCI express firewire card (two rear 6 pin ports) that i bought brand new maybe 6 months ago... I was really lucky the chipset was fine... no issues with motu or project mix (notoriously picky about chipsets types).

usb 3.0 is fast, 3.1 is way faster (but i haven't seen 3.1 native interfaces yet) .. another great option in 2016 to look at is AVB (ethernet) ... i have a feeling future proofing will be easier than even USB.

thank you guys! I've searched quite a bit about finding the right PCI Firewire cards that work with the Mackie Onyx series and found that the SYBA 3-port PCI-E card with the TI​ XIO​2213B​ was confirmed at least for Windows 7 & up.

I'd like to upgrade to a newer unit, more modern connections & reliability, so it looks like USB 3 is the way to go.

While we're here, do you guys know of any USB 3 units that have at least 12-16 inputs that will let you listen to PC audio like the internet & itunes without having to dedicate an onboard channel(s) to hear it?

Something where you can have all physical inputs plugged into gear and playing, while being able to hear anything playing from youtube or itunes.

I'm looking for a USB 3 unit that functions as close to the Mackie Onyx 1220i or 1620i, as possible.

So far, I'm just finding a bunch of rackmount mixers...

At the risk of sounding like a broken record here, you might want to wait until after Winter NAMM before settling on a new purchase.

and check out the AVB stuff... for example motu avb... it connects with ethernet and can be set up to send or receive audio channel to and from anywhere on your network.

I think the linked article is dead on, but USB audio audio interface is great too.
I still use M-Audio Quattro USB (1.0!) audio interface, which was discontinued more than a decade ago, and it can record 24bit 96kHz stereo audio. (I still use old Mac for that.)

USB 3.0 is full duplex, but it is not stream stream based protocol. USB sends data via packets.
Firewire uses stream data scheme, and that was why it was great for dealing with video data and also audio data, compared with USB 1.0 and even with USB 2.0 (in reality, Firewire 400 performs better than USB 2.0 (which is still half-duplex), in terms of actual data speed.)
I liked Firewire; my Firewire CD burner (by Yamaha) and DV camcorder didn’t give me a headache.
USB and Firewire work in very different way; USB works like host to slave devices, whereas Firewire is pear to pear network. For that reason, Firewire can be used to connect PC to PC data transfer, but you can’t do that with USB.
Firewire is already abandoned by Apple (they moved on with Thunderbolt), and it was better, but more expensive, interface.