Hi, Paul:

Thanks for your great response. Here's my thought process with regards to my "home studio" as you call it.

I live in a 1 BR apartment, mostly for convenience and cost savings.

The audio equipment shares my living room with a television, couch, and a small "corner-style" computer desk. Oh, yeah...did I mention the 6-foot long aquarium? It's a bit cramped in here right now.

I have been taking keyboard lessons since February '99, and voice lessons for about 3 or 4 months now. My aim is to learn how to read, play, and write music. I suspect that in twenty years, I will still be learning new things about what makes music... well, "musical."

I would love to be in a band someday, even if I'm just playing cover tunes for a time!

I would love to write, record, and sell new music someday. I would love to play live someday.

But right now, I need to spend time learning and practicing.

Gotta learn to crawl before I can walk, walk before I run, and run before I fly.

And I want to do it all while excelling at my 40 to 50-hour a week job. You see, I love what I do. For now. It pays well, and so far, it's allowing me to build a wide and deep asset-base.

Barring any catastrophes or lawsuits, the day job will make me free one day, but only because I am being diligent.

Given all that, I love bass sounds, and I can probably afford most of the equipment you've mentioned...

However, I live in a 1BR apartment. It's small, and the walls and floors are thin. A 15" woofer would be a total gas, but I haven't the room nor, I suspect, the tolerant neighbors.

So for right now, I just need a setup that sounds good and doesn't take up lots of room. I understand that I may have to upgrade when I'm ready to get more serious, and I know I may not be able to jam loudly until then.

I will investigate all the gear you mentioned, though, before I buy anything. Who knows, I might change my mind. After all, that's why I posted the original note here.

Once again, thanks for taking the time to post your well-thought response. I will post here again as I review the equipment you listed. I most certainly will have some questions.

-- Brian in Florida