I call the thing a "soundcard" -- even if it no longer resides in a slot inside the computer. Whether it is USB, FireWire, or some connect to come along in the future, it is still doing the same job as the venerable old "soundcard" -- it is just that the card, or the printed circuit board, to be more precise, is now located outside the PC box.

The Edirol USB Audio Capture UA-25EX has MIDI connects built into it. You can use those to connect MIDI controller to Input and MIDI synth/sampler to output or standalone MIDi keyboard with both controller and built in synth to input and output.


--Mac