Starting Out, what to add next Options

[aldrahn]

ok, so im getting an imac, expanding it to 3gb, getting logic 8
i have speakers and studio headphones
next i guess i get an audio interface

what i want to know is, what is a good interface to get that i wont feel i will need to replace
as i learn more
im thinking a motu 828mk2 or m audio nrv10(which includes a mixer)

what would you choose.

considering i dont want to add guitars, or vocals to my music

then what??

what do you guys add as time goes on to improve your capabilities

keyboard, mixer, ...?

i want to be able to have eventually some great tools in order to make electronic/industrial style music

also(a strange question)
is there anything out there to recreate the sound of anvils, machinery, vaccuum hisses, clicks and clunks etc etc


what do you have in your studios that enhances what you can do outside of whats in logic

i forgot to mention the external harddrive, (firewire or usb?)

[makaala]

In the spirit of constructive criticism, I would steer away from M-audio firewire 410. My personal experience is that they took forever to come up with a leopard driver.. which seems unstable.. it loses connect to my system requiring restarts... I didn't upgrade to Leopard for a year or there abouts because of the lack of driver and find it doesn't fit with my system in a reliable way. When I boot up Final Cut, there is an audible pop and problems.
I have no recommendation other than be wary of that unit.
My assessment of equipment is like that of restaurants.. I want it to be consistent.. not great one time than lousy the next...
regards and good luck