Ok, there's so much out there my mind's gone numb. I'll just say what I have and what I need and you lot do the business and tell me what to buy! 
I currently have a SB Live! with front I/O panel which has done me proud for the last 6 years or so! Along with this I have Microsoft Digital Sound System speakers. Don't laugh - they have worked tirelessly for the same amount of time as the SB Live! and have sounded great within the confines of my PC room!
But the SB front panel no longer works since I rebuilt my PC which is a real pain because it was ideal for my headphones and plugging in my acoustic guitar lead and Zoom drum machine midi.
So here's what I have and what I might be using and I would really appreciate thoughts on the best combo's to go with this lot:
PC spec as in signature.
I'm not a big gamer, but like the odd go of BF2 and flight sims every now and again. I have an old Sidewinder joystick (non-USD) that requires a gameport (currently ok using SB Live card gameport)
I have an electric guitar or two playing through a PodXT Live set up which I would like to make the odd recording to PC (through the PodXT USB) along with the Zoom 323 Drum machine which uses Midi.
I play an acoustic guitar connected using 1/4" jack to the Front panel.
I need a good 1/4" headphone socket.
I have about 50Gb of MP3's and nearly always use the PC for music rather than my Sony Hi-Fi, with which I have a PC Link kit, so I can also play from PC through Hi-Fi if I choose.
And that's about it really. I'm not a dedicated audiophile who needs to spend ,000's on stuff, but since I use the PC for playing music a lot I don't want to get poor sounding playback from cheap rubbish either.
I've looked at M-Audio equipment and X-Fi cards and I really need either a stand alone external unit, or another Front-panel card/unit so i can plug in the things I need.
If I start with a £200 budget, what should I get..?
...Over to you gentlemen...
I currently have a SB Live! with front I/O panel which has done me proud for the last 6 years or so! Along with this I have Microsoft Digital Sound System speakers. Don't laugh - they have worked tirelessly for the same amount of time as the SB Live! and have sounded great within the confines of my PC room!
But the SB front panel no longer works since I rebuilt my PC which is a real pain because it was ideal for my headphones and plugging in my acoustic guitar lead and Zoom drum machine midi.
So here's what I have and what I might be using and I would really appreciate thoughts on the best combo's to go with this lot:
PC spec as in signature.
I'm not a big gamer, but like the odd go of BF2 and flight sims every now and again. I have an old Sidewinder joystick (non-USD) that requires a gameport (currently ok using SB Live card gameport)
I have an electric guitar or two playing through a PodXT Live set up which I would like to make the odd recording to PC (through the PodXT USB) along with the Zoom 323 Drum machine which uses Midi.
I play an acoustic guitar connected using 1/4" jack to the Front panel.
I need a good 1/4" headphone socket.
I have about 50Gb of MP3's and nearly always use the PC for music rather than my Sony Hi-Fi, with which I have a PC Link kit, so I can also play from PC through Hi-Fi if I choose.
And that's about it really. I'm not a dedicated audiophile who needs to spend ,000's on stuff, but since I use the PC for playing music a lot I don't want to get poor sounding playback from cheap rubbish either.
I've looked at M-Audio equipment and X-Fi cards and I really need either a stand alone external unit, or another Front-panel card/unit so i can plug in the things I need.
If I start with a £200 budget, what should I get..?
...Over to you gentlemen...
