Sound card and headphones
 

I'd like to know what people recommend to me in the areas of a sound card (compatible with Linux obviously) which can be PCI or PCI-E, with MIDI input (or if they don't do it anymore, some way to plug MIDI in).

Plus what does everyone recommend in decent headphones? (Wireless preferable, over the ear, not in-ear)

This just gives links to the manufacturer's web sites.... This doesn't help, because some models do and some don't support Linux.

Turtle Beach Santa Cruz is a good and reliable sound card. It is hard to find now. If you want a more sophisticated sound card designed for musicians, M-Audio makes some good ones.

Headphones are a matter of preference. I prefer using speakers instead of headphones. Any wireless device is not reliable and not good for sound. Wireless tends to lag and miss sounds while playing. I recommend go with a wired setup because they are more reliable at a cost of being annoyed of the cable. Pick headphones that sounds good to you instead of using headphones that people rave about and the people recommends.

Thanks for your recommendations. I have heard that anything from Creative (SB series, etc) is very good and quite standard.... Are M-Audio better?

If you heard that Creative Labs sound cards are very good and are the standard, you heard wrong. Creative Labs Soundblaster, Audigy, and X-Fi are standard for gamers in Windows. They are not good for professional or musical means. M-Audio is better and professional musicians uses their products.

If your going to be rude trust me do not go there ok those links are good links I use them everyday for linux hardware specs. One mans trash is another mans gold .have a good day.

Music is the "core" use of 1 of my Mandriva machines. I recommend without any reservations:

M-Audio Delta 44 soundcard
Grado SR60 on the ear headphones, don't commit to around the ear headphones until you try the Grado.
You have to use the ALSA sound system for the finest in sound from a PC, sounds better than tube based external gear !

Thanks for your recommendations, Cara25... except that right now I don't have enough money to get both at once, maybe I'll find some second-hand.
I have about £120 to spare for this kit, not much to get decent kit I know, but I just want to get the best bang for my buck, not the best bang for anyone's buck.

I built up gradually, go for ALSA software first, then go for the Delta 44 sound card. I periodically use a set of Sony walkman on the ear headphones that I bought at the CVS drug store for $12.00 dollars (model # ?). ALSA makes the Sony headphones sound very good.
All of my comparisons are to MS Windows XP and the Media Player, really, no comparison.

I find that I don't need a 4 in/4 out system so I would go for the Audiophile 2496 with MIDI in/out. How's that been for anyone that's tried it?

Even so, to bring it under £120 I need Grado iGrado headphones, not SR60's, apparently they're much cheaper but slightly worse, but not by much. How've they been for anyone that's tried them?

Also, I always use ALSA whenever I can. I know that OSS is deprecated, and I pipe JACK through ALSA when I need JACK.