Hey!

I am new to this field, want to find a budget solution to create music. First choice - sound card. Purpose:
1. Decent sound
2. Recording (both instrumental and vocal preferably)
3. MIDI
4. ASIO and
5. Lack of troubles with drivers, FiWi, hard or compatibility with programs (FL, Cubase and so on)

I have 2 variants (below $200):
1. M-Audio Audiophile Firewire (not Solo). I dealt with it in past, it was nice. However, it has unbalanced INOUT and its kinda hard to find it now.
(http://www.m-audio.com)

2. Echo AudioFire 2. Balanced INOUTs, easy to buy, but it lack power button (don`t know how important it is) and it is a new staff and I can`t find free reviews and troubleshootings.
(http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--ECHAUDIOFIRE2)

What would you recommend?
I have Toshiba laptop (with I believe Texas Instr. IEEE 1394) (Core2 Duo 1.7, 1GB). I also have electroacoustic guitar, consider buying Korg Triton or derivatives. Do i have to have mixer for all this stuff or balanced inputs are enogh?

And last, what monitors would you recommend? Below $300, I consider Behringer2030A (http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--BEHB2030A)

Thanks in advance!