[Professor]

anything but a soundblaster. get some kind of firewire device. m audio makes some good ones, and that will leave you set up for when you are ready for m-powered protools. i have both an audiophile and a firewire 410....not at the same time...but i've used them both. mostly i'm using the 410 now. it's solid and most software platforms recognise it...ableton, reason, reaktor...etc...and protools now.