Background A year ago I built an audio pc based on a VIA Epia ME6000 motherboard to use with an external Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) from a manufacturer of audio equipment (Cambridge Audio). I choose the Epia because it is fanless (no noise). At first I wanted to use the motherboard's own...

What would be the cheapest PC soundcard with bit-perfect electrical(!) s/pdif through any application? I use iTunes and do not want to use applications like Foobar or Winamp, so no ASIO or Kernel Streaming solutions.

I am looking for a PC soundcard for bit-perfect output of 44kHz stereo audio CD tracks (stored in .wav format) via SPDIF using iTunes. Preferably with a coaxial digital out. I came across the Audiotrak Maya 44 mkII (around 100 euros) that has proprietary EWDM drivers that presumably bypass...