Hi, first time poster here. I have a dillema. I am trying to record my guitar to the hard drive via this method:

Line out from guitar amp, to Right/Left input in on M-Audio Audiophile USB to computer. I use Voyetra Record Producer Deluxe to record.

Now, my problem is this. When I plug my headphones into the Audiophile unit, I hear no sound from the guitar amp. However, when I press record on RPD, it does record the sound from the amp. Any ideas as to how I can get sound through Audiophile?? I tried using Live Lite 4 which came with Audiophile and I can hear it through the Audiophile unit, but the latency is terrible. I tried adjusting the settings on it but still hear the delay from when I strike a string to when I hear it on the computer. I don't have that problem with RPD.

Of course if I plug straight into the sound card on the computer, I hear everything fine but get interference from the insides of the computer (a low hum).

Also, every time I plug M-Audio Audiophile USB into my computer and power it up, I get the "Found New Hardware" box pop up looking for drivers. That makes no sense at all. I've even dowloaded the latest drivers and still get that pop up box.

Should I think about getting a better sound card and not bother with M-Audio Audiophile USB?? If so, is there a decent sound card for around $100 that would eliminate the low hum interference?? Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.

USB, at least USB 1, is just not very capable for both recording and monitoring at the same time. Many of these units have a 'direct monitoring' switch that lets you hear your input at the headphone jacks with no latency but you cannot also hear, at the same time, already existing tracks that you are attempting to record to from a multi-track program. For full proper monitoring with this kind of soundcard you need an external mixer.

The Audiophile 2496 PCI card, generally available for $99, is very good quality and very low noise. It does allow proper monitoring but it has no built in headphone amplifier. You must run its line output to some kind of monitoring setup, such as a headphone amplifier or a mixer or an amplifier with speakers.