First of all, Ricky, I want you to know I'm not really *mad* at you per se. I don't think you're necessarily a "bad" person, just mis-informed, or rather, under-informed. I think you have definite psychological and fiscal reasons for posting the views you do, that are not necessarily connected to what I define as "reality". You seem to enjoy a hearty debate and so do I. Hence, the extra "bite" in my posts that I reserve especially for you, and other "infidels"
Feel my scorpion sting!!!
OK....
"In my opinion, it is a reasonable quality sound card, comparable to many cdp's,"
Based on what? Your "average" sound card? Surely you would admit that your "average" soundcard is in the $150 range, while the "average" CDP is several times more. Also, please list the CDPs you've auditioned in your home. None? I thought not.
"This is a conversation derived from the claims of a person of that a soundcard, as general rule, can't be as good as a good standalone."
Provide the quote where I said that. In fact, I've said just the opposite. A great soundcard surely can outperform a crappy CDP. However, your $150 sound card will not out-perform a low-cost ($300) SACD. Not even close.
"it seems that you assume that all soundcards are "crappy" soundcards. "
No, but as a general rule, *most* soundcards ARE indeed crappy, a fact you instinctively know, which is why you had to drag in the $1K soundcard to cover your tracks.
"Please go and look for many different quality pro cards from many brands such as M-Audio, Echo, DAL, RME, Creamware, Emagic, Waveterminal, Aadvark, etc."
While ignoring the HUNDREDS of good quality CDPs/SACDPs/DVD-A players.
A one-box solution, which has been designed to act as a whole, is in a better position to out-perform a separate Korean cheapie CD-ROM drive hooked up to a crappy sound card in a PC box with dozens of additional components that wreak havok on all the nice performance figures (you love those don't you?) for the soundcard. Don't forget that the rest of the devices inside your PC are adding all kinds of "grunge" and noise to the power supply, thereby obliterating all the nice performance measurements for that card. A one-box CDP does not have the same inherent problems.
You're on the ropes, man... Where's the ref? Your corner should just throw in the towel so you can save some face...
markl