Need Help On Soundcard Choice Options

[straydog]

I just bought a brand new imac G5 and I'm looking for a somewhat low-priced soundcard option (since most of my extra cash was spent on extra memory). I already have an AER compact head acoustic preamp (great!) so I really have not much need in terms of gain control, XLR ins or phantom power. I checked out the m-audio audiophile USB, which seems to work fine for me, but since i have some more to spent, I also think of buying the Digidesign M-box (no MIDI,sadly). So I guess three questions arise:
a) Does the audiophile have decent sound quality?
b) Is there anything at about the price of the m-box to rival it?
c) Is the Protools LE software (never tried it) so much better than Cubase that it would be worth buying the M-Box just to be able to use it?

Any help will be really appreciated

Odysseas

[deegone]

hi!
i've used cubase for long time and i loved it (and i still do,vst 5 kicks ass!!!)i even recorded an album an a single with it 'cause i didn't want to do what everybody else does with pro tools...have to say that i was young and stupid about that issue.the sound quality and editing capabilities of PT is far far superior to those in cubase.i just got an digi 001 with PTLE 6.4 and it rocks.i think the mbox is a good choice.btw i've been reading the forums and people is not so happy(or not happy at all )with the guys at M-audio...