Your point is well taken about the quality of A/D converter. I will not be using this set-up for reference copies or archival masters, or anything like that, but want to be able to make quality recordings that stick pretty close to the original without getting distorted (i.e "out of the way" and not losing too much). The price range you mentioned is about where I want to be.
I too wonder what other people have used for this setup....
I too wonder what other people have used for this setup....