[LAU] Help finding parts for building a hardware system

Hello all, I recently have started having some issues with my current computer, an old Mac OSX laptop, so I want to build a computer (desktop or otherwise) to replace this older system. I pretty much have a list of some specs that I would like in this machine, but in starting a search for these things online, I feel I am getting nowhere fast. I am looking to building around some Linux distro, but I am not "married" to any particular system. My only hardware requirements are the ability to connect up my USB midi interface. I would also like to be able to capture digital audio from my external synths. If anyone could possibly give me a handle on some direction of where to start looking, it would be greatly appreciated. It just seems that there is so much information out there, and Google doesn't seem to be helping sort out the things I would need. Thanks, Mike