There are a handful of people who are successfully running ProTools on a 64 bit system. None of them are using a firewire interface. ProTools LE on 64 bit is beta at best.

If you're just getting started, you may just want to buy a decent interface with an LE version of some software. The Presonus stuff comes with Cubase AI which is (apparently) 64 bit compatible. Studio One is a purchase on it's own probably near $400. What is your budget?

Originally I was trying to stay within $500 keeping in mind I could grab a student copy of Pro Tools for $150. Now i'm leaning towards Studio One as it lets me use MOTU gear which i've always heard very positive things about. So with that said, for my initial set up I'm anticipating spending a little over $1000 for Studio One, the MOTU 8Pre and a SM57. Before I forked out a grand, I just wanted to get some feed back and see what the thoughts on Studio One are or see if Pro Tools or some other program is a better way to go.

Well, with ProTools you're stuck using Digidesign hardware. The software comes With the hardware.

If you want MoTu you'll have to go with some other software. I suppose Studio One would do fine. I've never used it other than the trial software. It sidi everything I wanted it to and recognized my hardware. Whether it's any easier to use is debatable.

I have used all 3 and each one has it pros and cons.

PT is my least favorite, between hardware limitations and workflow problems. Being a small project studio owner, it's not worth the expense of shelling out for PT friendly gear when the program isn't any more powerful or streamlined than the other big players out there (to the contrary actually).

Studio One's a solid program, especially if you're talking about using a 64 bit OS with multi-core. It is definitely user friendly, but not quite as powerful as some of the others. It has an integrated mastering solution, if that's a feature you're looking for (basically, imagine cubase with wavelab built into it or acid with soundforge built in). It has recallable channel presets and patches, media browser, etc.

Cubase 5 is my recommendation between the three. It has so many useful and well-thought out features. It's user friendly, especially for making quick edits and managing plugins, channel presets and automation. It comes with a bunch of FX plugins, synths and Halion One (which is not an amazing sampler by any means but still a nice thing to have if you don't own a copy of Kontakt or something similar). Another thing I dig about Cubase 5 is Variaudio (pitch and timing correction). It's built into the sample editor which makes it easy to access and tweak (but it also is applied non-destructively). It sounds great - not quite as good as Melodyne - but still awesome.

But, I have a fourth suggestion - which, honestly, seems like the solution for your situation - Reaper. Once you take your time to familiarize yourself with UI and workflow, it competes with any of the more expensive, professionally endorsed DAW's out there. REAPER can perform basically any audio or midi task you need it to and everything is user definable from your hot keys list to the actual program appearance ("skin"). You can route audio and midi signal (IMO) prob better than any other program. Track grouping, automation, multi-timbral instruments, audio looping, timestretch, tempo mapping, whatever, it's all there. It's by far the cheapest one and technically, you can download the program and use it for free without it being crippled in any way by the software developer.