Audiointerfaces for 150 bucks (and cheaper) can cause dropouts and constantly stop the audio engine.
I recommend any interface from RME.

If you're looking for top fidelity (and ultra low round-trip latency isn't a priority), the Tascam UH-7000 would be a good fit.  Great converters.  Very nice preamps (if you ever did need to over-dub).
It's ~$400, but it offers fidelity superior to anything else at that price point.

I second RME. Babyface is their entry model in USB.

Anything RME is exceptional.
Of course, the cost reflects that.   

roddey_phipps
guy here complained of real problems using X3 and the tascam unit in his review

http://www.amazon.com/TASCAM-US-2x2-USB-Audio-Interface/dp/B00MIXF2RS/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1427295407&sr=1-1&keywords=tascam+audio+interface


I dont know, maybe these reviews are just one in a million problems... but that one was specific enough to spook me
 

 
Could be a single shot data point. Don't know. However the UH-7000 from Tascam is a step up from the US-2x2.

A smaller Focusrite (mains powered, not one powered by the USB port) or, depending on budget, RME Babyface would be my choice. Maybe a Roland.

Monitor outputs really do need to be balanced though (assuming the monitors accept a balanced input) which means TRS jacks or XLR connectors.

Any product will receive bad reviews on Amazon or any manufacture's site.  People that have problems complain about it, even if it is there own damn fault, whereas if it is plug and play, who is gonna take the time to remark about it.  In the interface biz, they are making music not thanking Focusrite or Tascam for such wonderful hardware. 
 
So of course they blame the product.  There were plenty of users here that wouldn't take the time to learn various "new Sonar" technology and kept coming to complain that Sonar was broke since it wouldn't work like it had.  The rest of use buckled up our groins and figured it out.  Most of us like the new way and it made sense once we got the hang of it.
 
As I said above, even RME (the leader in driver compatibility) has problems on certain systems, not on the other 99%.  Just be able to return it.  Good for you most of these companies make various models of the same interfaces, which means you get the driver development without paying for more ins/outs.  You might find an output unit - there are audiophile units out there (I think Gearstluz had a "best-sounding" output unit they talked about a few years ago - you might want to search.  It was a relatively cheap Chinese product about your asking price).  But really, I'd just get a cheap commercial unit and return it if it doesn't work and get the unit from column B.
 
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