Jaymark, there are countless examples of scientists missing regularities in data because of their paradigm. I love the self-declared scientists who don't listen because their paradigm says differences are impossible.
I sought advice from the top people I know in digital. Most seem to have little experience with Firewire or hesitate to make recommendations as they are manufacturers. I have made no real comparisons. I did buy Granite Digital Firewire cables and did compare them with Firewire cables I got with my Western Digital 2 TB HDD. I can hear that the Granite cables are slightly better. But I never really broke-in the Westerns the way I have the Granites.
There are a number of cable manufacturers whose Firewire cables I would like to try, but apparently it is expensive to get a license for using Firewire.
I am confident, however, that Firewire connections are the way to go. Again, however, it is just the results I am getting with the Mac/Amarra/Firewire/Minerva setup. I have multiple dacs but none afford me the opportunity to compare Firewire with USB, S/P DIFd, or AES/EBU. I do have much experience to suggest that ripping to HDD or SSD excels over optical readers, including new blu-rays.