I use the M-Audio Fast Track Pro on one computer and an internal Mark of the Unicorn PCI card in the other.

I play into the M-Audio to create and overdub using Real Band. As you move ahead you will likely leave BIAB behind quickly and move to Real Band, which is a 48 track sequencer (in 2000's language, a Digital Audio Workstation). My system takes a turn at this point that many other don't, as I move that song file to the second computer where I then feed it out to the MOTU hardware, which is patched into my mixer, and I mix on the mixer and feed it back to the first computer where I record the final mix (what I call "printing").

For room sound, I have 2 Wharfedale powered monitors. Everything runs through a patch bay so I can send this to that or that to the other. I just painted and reorganized the studio and I will get pictures up when I finish wiring and all. Both PCs are 3.2ghz dual core with 4 gig of RAM in one and 2 in the other. The one I mix through doesn't need the horsepower as the one I write on.

BIAB is a great tool to create backgrounds to sing and play over. RB is going to give you more options to expand. The service is great and the forums are full of knowledgeable people who are willing to help. Not a "take a number" company at all like the big boxes who say "send and email" and you hear from them in 4 days.

I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.

1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.