I would suggest "bumping it up" a notch or two, if at all possible. This audio stuff is either important to you... or it's not... You'll probably have $2000+ in your computer! Do a bit better than a "C-note", for your interface -- In this case one that includes several "other" critical pieces of the audio system - mic preamps, for instance. My "fairly inexpensive" mic preamp, alone, single channel yet, cost me $500, 5 years ago, and I can hardly wait to upgrade to something better. Your interface/soundcard, which is, not very arguably, your most important investment in your audio system needs to be more important than that... Start by spending at least as much, say, as your video monitor cost? Treat your ears as nice as your eyes...... Look over the different parts of your system and try to keep ALL parts in-line, price/quality-wise, with one another. Your on-board sound device, with an adaptor cable from the store for your microphone, will probably do as well as any 100 dollar USB gadget. Actually, the set of "decent" adapter cables you'd need to use your onboard sound device could cost you MORE than 100 bucks! That's got to tell you something... Shoot a bit higher......

TG

I just looked around a bit. The Lamda is $200(US) not 100, unless you found a real deal? I guess you could get a video monitor for that(But... I wonder if you would?)? I'd rather you blew 3 or 4 for the "better" model? Ah! If it seems to do what you need, give it a try, you can always trade-up.

correction:

Sorry it was a little bit late over here, and I just got the currency all mixed up. Lexicon Lambda USB Audio costs 245 USD (1800SEK). I dunno how I was thinking. Sorry.

You see, my complete budget is 1100$ (this time I got it right =). So the more I spend on the sound card the less I can spend on other important things. The question is how much a good soundcard is worth? Is it worth to add another 100$ to the soundcard and spend less on the CPU for example?
The computer will only be used for recordning.

If it's sound you want, the ONLY "important" things are the "sound things"! Everything else is just "neccessary".

Again, at least until you know what you REALLY need -- a long process that just "happens" over time... ANY modern PC will do the job! Any computer, say, capable of handling Windows XP, comfortably. A $60 MSI mother board and 500 megs of ram will do fine.

I think more important than the parts of the computer is the flexibility of the physical box, itself. I use an Enlite "midi tower" case, for example($60? 70?). I can start with the basics and add to or upgrade as I desire. Many off the shelf machines use plastic boxes and parts that are impossible to add to or modify. Fine, for lots of folks - not you.

Box, power supply(Plenty good enough PS included with the Enlites!) Call it $75. Off the shelf mother board, say $100. 7200 rpm EIDE drive, 80 gig, $75(2 for $150!). RAM. I've never used more than about 200 megs in my life(Though, with XP, I would!)! Get 500 megs, add another stick when you must. What, $150? What else is there? Fans? 2 at $10 each? We're up to $500, what else? You say you have Cubase, a video monitor, keyboard, mouse.

A cheap USB interface is not worth any "extra" money, at all, for the computer, itself. When/if you decide you want more and have the money, THEN upgrade everything, including the computer - it will tell you when it's running out of steam - with luck, just about the same time you run out of patience with your interface?

Wise to sort've forget the computer. In this instance, it is as nothing. It's just a computer. If you bought the latest $399 Dell "TV special" it would likely be great with your USB interface(Even the $400 model!). ALL it has to do is meet the recommendations on the sides of the interface and software box.

Yes, there are those with dual xeons, pricey motherboards, oodles of RAM and all that but they also have multi-thousand dollars worth of preamps, multi-thousand dollar speakers, 2 21" video monitors, etc. Forget them, for now.

There are two things wrong with "complete" off-the-shelf, mail order, computers. 1. They generally have a "manufacturer modified" OS. You want just a plain, MS XP OS. If you buy the OS with a new machine, locally built, you can get the "OEM OS", with no "ads, demo software and other tricky stuff "already installed for your convenience" - and, MUCH cheaper - say $200? Now we're up to $700 for the new machine. Anything else?

If not, that leaves you with $400 for your audio interface. Spend it all(Actually, the Lexicon Omega, is only $300 - spend the leftover 100 on another 250 meg of RAM or a better motherboard, if you like?

Problem? Yes. $1,100 may not be enough. There are lots of things we haven't taken into account. If someone's going to build it for you, they'll want money for that. Shipping, taxes, little "things" - cables.....? Other stuff... Best to add(Or subtract? Just one HD to start?) at least 20% when figuring a budget - these things never really work out "as planned". As we've "spec'ed-out" here, $1500 would be a much safer budget. Less? Gonna' be tight! Probably even if you DO go with the $200 Lambda. Save just a little more..? Look for reliable-seller "web deals" for the parts? Build it yourself?(You could do it!)... Buy the Omega, now, and use the computer you have now?(Probably best and will probably work great.)

TG