I haven't used the previous version of JAM- I had interfaced guitars with an Apogee Duet. I got the Jam because my wife works at home and doesn't appreciate me "practicing" thru my Mesa amp, and I wanted something quick and easy thru Garage Band/iPad instead of having to fire up my entire studio. That said, Apogee has always had excellent convertors, and I would imagine Jam would be the best dedicated guitar interface out there.
Sorry for persisting with this, but all of this is completely foreign to me:
Right now, my kids are using some sort of device that takes the guitar output and converts it to USB (a TASCAM unit, I believe). They are using a maxed out 2012 Mac mini as their home studio computer, and in addition to the two guitars, they have a Roland digital piano plugged in via MIDI to USB (a Roland adapter of some sort). They want to add a digital drum set - god help our ears... - and then maybe a mic if they can get a singer. There's four of them now, and often they get a friend or two to come and join in when they jam.
It's all run into Garage Band when they record, since it seems to do all they want. I don't know what other software would add that they would need (their ages range from 7 to 15, but they are fairly sophisticated when it comes to computers and music). I've set up a TV to use as a monitor, so they can see from across the room, although the resolution is poor, I was thinking of getting a Seiki 4K if the mini can support it (they are apparently only about $750 for a smaller one).
My goal is to keep them engaged in music and technology; I'm not expecting to create the next Rolling Stones or Pink Floyd or Oasis Coldplay or whatever (perhaps I'm biased, but I would have to apologize to the world if I was responsible for the next Justin Bieber...)
Having said all that - can anyone chime in as to what I can or should do to slowly upgrade the setup to allow them to continue to experiment and grow?
Thanks in advance for any guidance
(ps. right now, they play songs ranging from Sultans of Swing, Hotel California, Demons [by Imagine Dragons], Beautiful Day, Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Stairway to Heaven, etc)