Mac/Tonelab Recording Question. . .

[Kingbreaker]

At some point in the near future I am going to make recordings for home/personal use.

Here's my setup so far:
Rick 360 --> Tonelab SE --> Mac Pro 15" laptop.

I like the effects on the tonelab. So I'd like to use it to shape the tone rather than Garageband or some other software solution.

What's the best way to physically connect the tonelab into the laptop? The Tonelab is an early one - it's got the double expression pedal, which is great. But it does not have much in the way of connectivity - no USB or Firewire output.

1) One option would simply be to get a 1/8" audio cable and run it from the tonelab to the input jack on the PC. Would I sacrifice sound quality with this route?
2) Would it be a better idea to get a "audio interface" box and run the regular output from the tonelab into the box, then the mac?

Any opinions appreciated. I am not anything more than a hobbyist.

[sloop_john_b]

Yes, you should get an interface. I find the PreSonus stuff is an excellent bang for the buck. If you wanna go a little nicer, find a used Apogee Duet.

[bitzerguy]

I use a Tonelab destop (the original one) into an Echo AudioFire8 into my 2011 IMAC running Logic 9 or Garageband. This works very well and was not expensive.

[Kingbreaker]

So I took the plunge and picked up a new Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. It's fairly simple with two XLR/Guitar jacks, USB 2.0, direct monitoring, and decent reviews. Gonna try putting it through its paces this weekend.