Hello. I just bought an iBook G4. I'm experienced recording on my home made PC and would like to work on the Mac. I don't believe in spending money on interfaces--I think a simple interface with a mixer is a better bang for the money. So, all I want is an interface that will run either firewire or usb with a 1/4" input for the mixer. If all the interface has is a 1/4" I'd be happy with it. Unfortunately, the cheaper inferfaces that work with Mac only have 1/8", like Griffin's iMic. [Creative labs has a slew of cheap 1/4" firewire externals for the PC, but I've seen no evidence that Mac can run them.] The very cheapest one I've identified is M Audio's Jam Lab for $80, and that [they claim] is just for guitars. Can anyone propose something comparable? Anything cheaper?

My PC setup is an old school Creative Labs Soundblaster Platinum 16 Bit with a LiveDrive, which was their first I/O that mounts on a five and a quarter inch front panel. All I've ever used is the 1/4" jack on the LiveDrive. I don't suppose anyone will beleive me but I can't imagine the expensive interfaces, like DigiDesign's or M Audio's, improving on the LiveDrive noticeably or practically (worth the cost of the upgrade). But I'm new to the world of "prefessional" interfaces, so perhaps I can be convinced.