A person can buy used equipment also like on e-bay or like that. A $100 condenser mic may sound okay to most people depending on which brand (not usually Chinese) and whatever.
??
Always can look around.
 
And the DAW program with its software included can change sounds around to edit after recording and add reverb, echo, compression, or whatever is built into the program to edit sounds with, and also it may take a lot of working on the song, editing it all to finalize a song recorded.
 
Also can look this forum over for seeing what anyone posts there, as well as listings usually on the bottom for e-bay type music equipment whatever. I have not looked at it that much but may in the future.
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/
 
There is Roland units, and Steinberg units u22 and u44 or something like that mentioned over there and well other places on-line or in a music store to ask questions for equipment or an audio/interface.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DuoCaptureEX/
 
 
 

Be sure to check the requirements before you spring for an interface, especially since you are running an older XP system.
I really like the Focusrite Scarlett series, but they need at least Windows 7.
This one does have XP and Vista drivers:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EIEPro/
I'm pretty pleases with mine. There is also a 16 bit version for a little less.
There are units available from other makers, just check the specs.
I would avoid Lexicon, though. The pricing is tempting, but they offer very marginal performance.

Here is another like the Pyle, but again it does not have a MIDI connection on it or how it looks to me. It is a Behringer so it is probably better known (at least to me). (it was mentioned on a new thread, so threads can be looked at also maybe in the Hardware type threads forum here on Cakewalk or in this section of the forum also.)
 And in some store somewhere they probably sell it also.
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/Q502USB.aspx
 
The question is how much are you going to use it, and will it be what you really want in the future.
Buying a better audio/interface now probably will save you money in the future like some of the other ones shown.
Actually the Roland type one with the link is probably not much more than a really good soundblaster gaming card, and the EMU probably does cost around the same also if you go that route since perhaps you can trade in the Soundblaster you just go (trade it out) to get the EMU (Soundblaster) regular Creative Labs audio/interface.
 
Well, a lot to read so you have to do homework I guess.

A little humor may help.
 

Wow, lots of info Spacealf, Thankyou! I feel like I've been schooled, in a good way:-) Yes Gregy57, I meant ASIO, I'm doing all this on a different PC, so I wasn't looking right at my settings. Wish I had just taken an extra minute before I started buying things to learn that a interface wasn't the same as a soundcard, but all should be good now:-)
 
I decided to go with the M-Audio M-Track 2-Channel Portable USB Audio and MIDI Interface with Ignite by AIR and Ableton Live LIte
 
It is compatible with my PC (Thanks RobertB), has the midi inputs I want, and the XLR (although I have it on a 1/4" cord for my previous mixer set-up) I only need 2 channels right now, so although I could have bought a cheaper 5 channel for less cost (Tascam & Behringer), I prefer quality over quantity for the price-range. It has the phantom power at 48 kHz/24bit, so it's good enough as I was not ready to fork out too much for the 96kHz at this point.I think I covered what I am looking for right now, and I'll be browsing back at my "cakewalk lecture" (this thread) for anyadded issues I come up against.
 
I'm expecting all to go well when they get here Monday,(since I've dabbled to much on the settings & researched a lot this week, I'm pretty confidant I can hook it up correct & assign the proper settings:o) I'll  let you know how it works out:o)
 

Looks like a new one from them then. It is always changing (equipment wise).
And we could all discuss how fast a sample rate people record at and why 192kHz is not needed, but we already had that discussion probably in the Techniques thread, and most people only record at the 48kHz sample rate anyway.
The rest is always up for discussion.
 
Just get adaptors at a local electronics store or somewhere like that if needed (mentioned in another thread in this same forum just recently) to either hook up computer speakers (not so good) or a stereo amp if you have one or powered monitor speakers (which I don't even have yet).
Example maybe someday: (powered monitors)
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/c695--USB_Audio_Interfaces/popular/params=eyJkaW1lbnNpb24iOnsiQnJhbmQiOlsiNDI5NDk2NjI3MyJdfX0
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LSR305/
 
Or your normal stereo (FM receiver) type amp with adaptors which is what I use.
Actually both - computer speakers (headphone out jack) and sterero amp with passive speakers.
 
All you have to do now, is make that music, musicmama!
 
PS. Insert jacks are used to insert hardware based effects I think the tip is send and the shield is return or something like that. Have to look up that stuff if even using that.
 
Hope the guitar input is loud enough recording, never tried one yet and I have one on mine also but so far have used a Boss ME 25 or a Digitech R-255 whatever type unit. (or now a regular guitar amp.)
 
To each their own.
 
And it still can be time consuming, recording and then engineering the music to total end sounding of the song.
Well, there is always the Edit - Undo and Redo menu option probably in the DAW too.
 
Music Creator 6 (or so version) will work fine probably with that. Have to review it to see what is with it, usually something like 32 total audio tracks and or 64 (128?) midi tracks for a song project. (in audio that be 16 stereo tracks).
whatever or Sonar Essential which would have more in it to begin with. Well, probably mentioned that already but if not...........
 
 
 
 
 

Well, Spacealf, you are correct about the regular speakers (yuck) I had to use MME settings with my MAudio to get sound loud enough from my mic, (even with phantom). It records loud enough, but with latency, so I will download ASIO4ALL & put settings to ASIO again to see if that fixes the sound issues. The only way I could get sound from my PC speakers was to have them on the MME setting as well, so, I'm going to attempt regular speakers. I've researched how to splice regular speakers (with bare wires) to RCA inputs, which I have adapters to go into 1/4 plugs that will go into my interface. Do you think this is a good idea (assuming I keep my grounds, + & - separated & splice them right)? 
   You had mentioned passive speakers. What is the difference between Active speakers & amp with passive? Are active speakers ones that plug into a power source, and if I use these kind, can I bypass the amp, or am I looking at another investment for an amp? From what I read above, it seems that the interface is not an amp to power speakers (passive), and that is why I may need an additional amp. Is that correct?
 
Come to think of it, most speakers are not powered by an external plug (except maybe a subwoofer if I recall. hmmmm, maybe that is the difference between monitor speakers & regular. I'm sorry if I've confused you with my questions, just trying to grasp what I'm dealing with here. 
 
Long & short of it, my goal is to hook up speakers through the 1/4 Main Outs on the interface so I can completely bypass my cruddy soundcard & run everything through the interface. I've got spare RCA cords & a roll of speaker wire so I can do the connection, so I'm wondering if this will work for what I need and if you have any pointers I need to be aware of before I get the speakers, or if I need to spring for an amp?

" regular speakers (yuck)"  Sorry, i bet that was confusing, what I meant was simple computer PC speakers (headphone style plugged ones) are yuck.
 

All M-Audio products should have native ASIO drivers and will work better than ASIO4All in almost all cases. You should visit the M-Audio web site and download/install their ASIO driver for your device and operating system.
If you've already installed ASIO4All, that will have to be removed from the computer first.

Here is a simple breakdown.
Good, you now have a proper audio interface. It will come with proper drivers. ASIO4 all is BAD.
So wipe all traces of Soundblasters,asio 4 all from you computer.
Install the M audio drivers that are correct for your OS and 32 or 64 bit system.
READ THE MANUAL FOR THE INTERFACE. it will explain things in a very clear way.
If you don't yet own proper studio monitors yet, start saving up.
In a pinch, you can use a good ( bad?) home stereo system= Power amp and passive speakers.
These will be connected to the interfaces output jacks.
Out of desperation, you could use computer speakers, but they will need to be plugged into the headphone jack of the interface.

ok, thank you both. Yes, the manual has very clear directions, I will play with it a bit more today. I had not installed ASIO4ALL, so I will wipe that from my to do list & download the any extra drivers from MAudio. I had a total brainfart when I ordered my Cakewalk, thinking I had XP, when in fact, I have Vista Business on the new PC, luckily I ordered the older version that is compatible with either....whew
 
I have been looking at studio monitors & I'm trying find a good deal....we'll see, but for the moment the yucky PC speakers will have to work:-(  I'll plug them into the interface, rather than the soundcard ( had to plug them to PC because I didn't have the 1/4 adapter at the time) That's why they worked on MME, but now that I can do all through the interface I will disable the soundcard & go ASIO & see what  I come out with. I'll be testing the Midi port & guitar plug today, so I guess I'll find out if I need an amp or not.
 
Thank you for all your help, My daughters were really happy with the surprise and I'm tickled pink to know they'll be able to record their songs soon:-)