Help choosing Professional Stereo Sound Card...

What kind of budget are you looking at?  First things that came to mind were the EMU 0404 USB, and the M-Audio FastTrack Pro, but those are lower end/budget.

 

Another question, do you need any inputs?  If not, a 'regular' sound card/DAC would work, as you can just change an RCA to a 1/4".

I'm still thinking an EMU 0404 USB might do you well.  Then you have the option of running speakers via RCA or 1/4" TRS, and have access to a headphone out.  $199 or less USD for the unit, plus you can upgrade the PSU (as it's a wallwart) or roll the opamps to your liking.  It's also one of the few 'cheap' 24/96 over USB devices, making it worthwhile just as a DAC/Amp, and ignoring the ADC functions.

Edited by Hybrys - 7/4/10 at 8:31am

I've just bought a 0404Usb, i think it'll do the job perfectly, it has a very good quality DAC, separate volume control for headphone amp and main analog output, which should be useful for what you plan to do with it. Sounds extremely detailed, unforgiving with bad recordings. The integrated headphone output is also of decent quality, though a bit harsh at times.

 

Drivers are light and run smoothly, the only drawback is that they have a known issue with foobar2000 and its ASIO output plugin, which forgets its setup every system reboot.

 

If you prefer an internal solution there's the 1212m , which has a top of the line CS converter and could provide marginally better sound quality. Drivers can be a nightmare instead with the 1212.

I looked into this a few years ago and eventually dropped a M-Audio Delta 66 into my Linux box. I don't use it much, but nice card and I like the breakout box. I really should get around to needledrops one of these days. I also liked the offerings from RME.

yeah,KRK Rokit 5's is a good choice

I haven't heard it, but, a cursory glance at the product brings up these problems:

 

It's USB bus powered, offering only 5v to power the entire mechanism, and also possibly succumbing to the various problems USB powered devices bring, such as more line noise on sensitive phones, compared to a USB connected, wallwart/internal PSU powered device.  It also includes various software that bolsters the price past just the hardware, making it 40% ADC, 40% DAC, 20% software.  (Rough, and optimistic estimate)

I do not want to hijack the thread, but I've seen a EMU 0202 for very cheap  and was wondering if it it sounds the same as the 0404.

I was also wondering if anybody ever compare this to the Xonar Essence ST, which is not pro and unfortunately is internal.

Hopefully, in answering this, you'll help the OP too.

Echo AudioFire cards are currently hard to beat - best performance (on par with RME gear), and best price/value. The drivers and control panel are great, too.

Indeed. I have the bigger AudioFire4, with pre-amped XLR inputs, but otherwise the same. It's my third Echo sound card since 1998, and I haven't yet found a reason to switch to another brand. A friend of mine uses the AudioFire12 in his recording studio, and says the same. :)