Audio Gurus please help with External Mic & Audio Interface

[cyberprince]

Hey guys I have been looking at some external microphone and preamp solutions to work with my PowerBook and could really use some of your expert advice on this matter. I’m trying to improve the sound quality of my podcast recordings and would like to do it with as less expense as possible.

I want the sound output to be:

- Clear enough for an enjoyable listening experience, crystal clear, CD quality is not necessary, as most users will probably have regular ear buds on anyway.
- Clean and free from the noise generated by the hardware (spinning fans, electrical hums, typing on the keyboard, etc.)
- Free from background or ambient noise, like outside traffic sounds, electric fan or aircon hums, and the like.

I’ve done a lot on Internet research and there are a lot of options available. Here is a summary with some comments and questions. Please feel free to answer one or all.

Cheapest way to go seems to the Griffin iMic. I have several concerns though:
[list=1][*]Ditoy reported a problem using the iMic during one of Vic’s presentations. In this thread he reports that the iMic hung both his machine and a G5 PowerMac.[*]I was told that Firewire devices are better for audio recordings compared to USB since the USB is not constructed as a dedicated sound interface.[*]I have a couple of Shure SM58 mics at home, which I think are unidirectional. I can only use one mic since only one jack is available. Won’t this be a problem if I have two or three guests in the studio? Do I need to get a noise-canceling mic or will this do?[*]For those who have used the Griffin iMic does it work as promised with regard to isolating internal electrical computer noise? Does is crash your machines?[/list=1]
Another option posted was to get a pre-amp audio USB/Firewire interface like something offered by M-Audio or Digidesign.
[list=1][*]This will allow me more flexibility to connect more than one mic, and also an auxiliary device for playback.[*]But it costs a lot and might actually be too much for my needs. Are these options more of a professional solution?[/list=1]
One more suggestion that also looks good is to get a condenser mic, a phantom powered mixer (suggested one is Behringer UB802 for $50) and a compressor.

The compressor connects to the computer via available line in ports. I don’t know if the one on my PowerBook can handle this.


I think I’ll stop here before this post gets too long to invite any help. I am totally lost when it comes to audio; I am still reading up on all concepts involved and have a long way to go. I would like to hear what you have to say and do hope you audio gurus could point me in the right direction that provides a great balance between quality and affordability.

Thanks in advance.