After reading rewiews here and trying out a few phones that a friend at work had, I've decided to buy the Sony MDR-CD 3000. They seem like a pair I can really enjoy for a long time. I've contacted JMT about getting a META42 amp to go along with them. The only problem I'm having now is the sound card on my computer, which needs a major upgrade.

The Terratec DMX 6fire is a little out of my price range at $250. The SB Audigy has gotten mixed reviews - lots of complaints about the drivers. The M-Audio Revolution has gotten good reviews for the most part, but I saw it mentioned somewhere that its DAC isn't very good. Would I need to get an external DAC if I went with this card?


This place is terrible on my bank account, by the way. Before I came here, I was thinking $100 would be fine for upgrading the sound on my computer.

How about the M-Audio Audiophile 24/96? Time tested, and around $150 just about everywhere. No fancy-schmantzy multichannel type stuff, however...

The Terratec DMX6Fire LT costs ~$100 from a few stores online. Try Musiciansfriend.com.

Hmm, doesn't the M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 have the same problem with its analog out?

How does the Terratec LT version compare to the more expensive one? Would it be better than the Revolution?

Oh, also - do I need to worry about the cables going from the sound card to the amp? I hadn't thought about that.

Computers And Music lists many (though not all) of the options. You may want to do searches in the Source and Portable forums. Similar questions get asked there frequently. There was just a thread recently discussing the digital and analogue outs of the Audiophile and Revolution.

And yes you have to consider the cable.