Is there a noticeable difference in the audio quality between the MOTU
Traveller and the E-MU 1616m? By audio quality, I mean low noise inputs
where I can record condenser mics with plenty of headroom, and no hiss.

Need to get something soon. It will be used as a recording interface to my
laptop for recording musical voice, accoustic & elec guitars, synths,
accous. piano, etc. I don't need more than a couple of simultaneous ins,
but would like as may outs as possible.

Looked at the specs for both. They both use firewire, and support ADAT I/O
(I have an ADAT). The E-MU has 2 fewer analog outs, but is more compact - i
see this as a tradeoff. But what I can't tell from the specs is how well
they sound - or to be maybe a little more precise, how they don't sound,
meaning how true they allow the source sounds to be recorded.

Thanks,
RonTheMusicMan

the E-mu uses pcm-cia, not firewire (doublecheck this).

i would get the e-mu.