I'm also headed in the laptop direction. Altho I still have some homework to do, I can vouch for the SC88 sounding pretty good. Also the Roland SC-D70, which sounds even better and gets both MIDI and audio in/out of your laptop flawlessly.

My plan is to use the laptop not only for Mp3s and SMFs, but also for the B4 (which I don't have yet). The B4 "B3s" much better than any AK... and I gotta have that sound!

Glenn