I got bad news for you. If you think a combo amp and pedals cost money, wait 'til you price some near field monitors! You need a pair of powered near field monitors, preferably bi-amped. The cheapest thing I know of new that qualifies as a real monitor is M Audio
SP5B or better, SP8B, if you can find them. We are talking $300 the pair. For somewhat more expensive options, check Event 20/20, KRK,Mackie, and Jensen.
What is a monitor? I don't know a lot technically, but that helps, because I don't know enough to confuse you. Monitors are specialized speakers used to listen to music critically. Home audio speakers are optimized to produce good sound and reduce noise that is not generally in the parts of the audio spectrum that music uses. Monitors are designed to reprocuce *all* the stuff you recorded, including that which sucks, noise, hum, hiss, etc.
Usually used for mixing, you can also listen to music through monitors, especially if it's a good recording of good music. If the recording sucks, monitors will bring out all of it. There are 2 types, passive, and active. Active, or powered speakers, have a built in amp, or in the case of bi-amp'd models, two, one for the woofer and one for the tweeter. Passive speakers need a separate power amp. Personally, I find active monitors more versatile. Basically, get real close to the speaker, where you can hear the woofer and tweeter separately. Then move back until you can't separate the two sounds, and STOP!
You have now found the "near field" they're talking about. Home stereo speakers are designed to fill a room with sound. Near field monitors are designed to sound perfect in a very small area. I'm currently experimenting with using POD Pro straight into a pair of monitors, then mic'd like a guitar cab. The sound absolutely rocks, but I haven't figured out the best way to mic monitors yet. I tell you this- a quieter guitar amp you will not find. No hum, hiss, etc.
Also, you can run at a much lower volume that way, and trick the recorder into thinking you're playing a Mesa Moogie cranked up. That's what I'm working on- the right mics in the right place to trick the recorder the best I can. And sometimes, I even use them for monitors!-Richie
