Audio Interface with low distortion?

I'm sure there are lots of similar threads, but now we are in 2024 I thought there may be some refreshed options I've not heard about.

My EMU-0404 appears to be incompatible with windows 11. What can I replace it with that has very low distortion?

The reason I love the EMU 0404 is because it uses proper DAC and ADC chips (AK4396) rather than a all-in-one 'codec' chip that many interfaces use.

ESS ES9017 and ES9821 seem like they would be perfect for such a device these days.
 
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Agreed. I've been using a Solo Gen2 for years, and after its demise, a 2i2 Gen3.
I bought the COMOS stack to deal with the MC pre-preamps: their nominal level of a few mV is stretching the Focusrite a bit too far.
 
My EMU-0404 appears to be incompatible with windows 11.
How much effort did you make to conclude this?

Perhaps like you, I have an EMU-0404 on Win10 on a PC and a laptop, and may well face migration to Win11. Did you exhaust all the EMU driver/app install variations - perhaps similar to the ways Win10 can load Win'97 apps, or even a virtual DOSbox approach for earlier apps.
 
I tried uninstalling and re-installing haha. It is a weird one, it does install and when I connect it after install it will show up in the EMU app. However if I try to run a sound related program the PC hangs. After re-boot it says the USB device was not working right and will not detect it anymore.

Edit: I tried installing with win7 compatibility mode but now it hangs when it boots, until I unplug the interface.
 
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I just recently got a Presonus Studio 24C (used off ebay). Was surprised to discover it runs fine using only Windows' (10, 11) built-in USB2.0 Audio Drivers, as a simple 2ch ADC and 2ch DAC. No manufacturer driver needed (or to go out of support down the road). Appears to use same sample clock on the converters (not totally sure on that one yet though). Balanced inputs and balanced outputs. 24bit, 192ksps looks really good and clean generating and looking at a sinewave spectrum.
 
Do you know who's converters are in the Presonus? And have you tried a Loopback distortion test? The Presonus does look really good. I could not figure out the difference between the 24c and the 26c. You don't get SPDIF until the 68c model. I suspect that one needs drivers.