CardDeluxe runs very hot. Expect your case temperature to rise at least 2c. I have never heard the E-MU 0404, 1212m, or 1820m. I do however own a DAL CardDeluxe, and a LynxStudio Lynx L22. (and I've had many other sound cards... too many). I categorize Lynx L22 as sterile, accurate, and unforgiving. Maybe even a little sluggish with low-end bass. Throw a bad recording at the L22 and you might end up like Van Gogh. I use the L22 just like I use Yamaha NS10 monitors - a reference point to make sure that it's the recording, and not my speakers/headphones making farting noises.
The CardDeluxe is a totally different creature. It's very fast, and punchy in the low-end. Though accurate, it doesn't bring any huge flaws right in your face like the L22 does. I was intially going to replace my M-Audio Revolution 7.1 in this system with an E-MU 1212m, but decided to build a 2-way switch to toggle between speakers/headphones with my CardDeluxe, after trying my speakers out on the Lynx L22 and the CardDeluxe. I thought these Swans were "okay". Prior to the Swans I had FPS 200A flat panels, and prior to that (I don't have enough space anymore) I had maggies (MMG) with accuphase pro-10 power amp. Going from the FPS 200A to Swans was more of a side-step if anything with the Revo being my primary source. Don't even make me start on what a down-grade from the maggies it was. I actually swapped back and forth between FPS 200A speakers and my Swans, depending on if I wanted to listen to classical or not. That's all changed now though. On the Lynx L22 I noticed a dramatic difference in sound resolution. Things were a lot more dynamic, accurate, wide, and the treble wasn't as exaggerated. I didn't know these little speakers sounded that great. After listening to a large variety of music, I decided on seeing how the CardDeluxe performed. It was one of the tracks on the Chesky Audiophile sampler/test discs that sold me on the CardDeluxe as speaker source. The extreme stereo positioning track. On the Lynx L22, it sounded like the voices were coming diagonally outward from the monitors. On the CardDeluxe, it was VERY disembodied. Like there was an extra speaker hidden somewhere way out there. My Swans don't suck for classical anymore either
CardDeluxe makes me tap my foot to the music, and get embarassed about singing along (I'm shy!). Lynx L22 makes me sit there concentrating more on ignoring the flaws than actually enjoying the music.
The upgraditis bug has bit me though, and I'm going to be listening to a whole bunch of powered monitors that would better suit my room/listening area. I want to pick up an E-MU 1212m eventually just to see how it sounds, but with all of the posts about the mods that make it sound better.... I just don't know. From my point of view, the components were selected to work together. It's like tearing apart a Benchmark DAC-1 and going to town on more expensive opamps. It changes the synergy of the original product, and invalidates all that nice engineering research the company did for you. I suppose in some cases it's just the company in question cutting costs to get it to you for less money... but whatever, the purist in me is being an overopinionated mule, and I don't want to step on any toes.
