I've got three setups:A3ntar wrote:Speaking of input methods, what are you all using as guitar computer interface(s)?
1) PC laptop with an Indigo I/O PCMCIA card, fed by an M-Audio Audiobuddy. Very nice combination, would even be slightly better in case I could use a PCI card such as the Audiophile.
2) NI Rig Control, used on either the PC laptop or the Macbook.
3) M-Audio FW410, which has got instrument ins as well. Mainy used for the Macbook.
All the three combinations seem to be very suitable as the results I'm getting out of the same patches are really close to each other. Rig Control actually seems to "smear" the transients a tad more, but maybe for guitars that's not even a bad thing. After all, it was basically made to deal with instrument signals only.
The secret behind getting a good direct guitar signal into your computer is using some sort of D.I. box (not required for active pickups) to change the high impedance guitar signal to some low impedance one, then using a rather neutral preamp to boost things up to line level and finally running them into not all too shabby converters.
All three devices I'm using are doing this in combination.
In your setup, there's the flaw of the soundblaster being really, really bad in terms of converters. So, even if you'd use a linedriver such as the Audiobuddy, it might still not sound all that great.
Using the POD XT isn't exactly an option either, as it colors the sound too much, even if you bypass everything. Or are you using it as an audio interface as well?
If I were you, I would try to get a more or less decent setup. USB or soundblaster fed monitors can't be part of any such a thing, sorry for the bad news.
It seems you're not using a laptop. In that case getting an Audiophile and an Audiobuddy will nicely sort you out for less than 200 bucks.
Then run the sinal into anything which would send it to some headphones or speakers. Even a mediocre HiFi amp will do.
My wife says I can have it for xmas. My baby loves me! 
