Audio input levels distorted using Propellorhead Balance Soundcard.

Hi

I've been using a Propellorhead Balance soundcard (fairly high end) with Garage Band for about a year and have been a Garage Band user for about three years...I have to say I like the simplicity of the app and having tried other more 'professional' programs have always come back to Garage Band for it's ease of use, I've had my macbook pro for just over two years now (doh!)

I've always had nice high input volumes and a clean sound from the card in any case. For the last couple of days when I apply the same input settings I've been using for the last year I've mysteriously started getting low recording levels/waveforms and when I play back the recording is distorted. Output on pre-existing recordings or any of the built in instruments is fine.

I worried that it was either my mic (I use a Rode NT1000 studio mic) or my Soundcard (Propellorhead Balance) but that wasn't it as when I tried both on my mate's Mac Air through Garage Band the results were as I used to achieve...very good. I also tried plugging my Yamaha Compass series acoustic directly into the soundcard and I have the same issue through the guitar input over the mic input. Finally I just upgraded Garage Band '08 to Garage Band '11 but it made no difference which makes me worry it's a hardware issue somehow.

So I've worked out it's not the card or any of the instruments I plug in so it's either Garage Band or the mac....anyone had the same issue?

Hoping you have and found a way to fix it...my warranty is up on my mac (MacBookPro7,1)

RT