The basement is in limbo until we find a contractor who will actually call us back, but since we're still anticipating getting it done, I have a lot more to work out in how to treat the room, but before I go crazy on acoustical treatments, I figured I should invest in hardware and software to help me see how it looks at every step.

Is REW where it's at, or should I have other software on my list? Also, what are some good sources for calibrated microphones? I forget who among you have actually gone down this road. I can always peruse Home Theater Shack's forum, but I thought I should ask here, too. Either way, I'll let you know what I end up with. I suppose sound card is the other big question. I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. I'll be using my main PC to run the software, since it is, and will be, hooked up to my home theater. A USB-based sound card is going to be the most convenient.