Something I noticed recently: the sound card I usually use with my amp (Rod Elliot P3A) is an AOpen AW744. A few days ago, I moved the amp to a different machine in a different room with a Creative AWE64, and noticed two things:
- much less output from the card
- the Creative card has audible hiss at higher volume levels (but not very high - probably at the sort of level I'd listen at when I'm alone).
I then took the amp back to the AW744, turned the volume right up, and put my ear to the speaker. Nothing. I could not hear a damn thing (while I desperately hoped that no-one ICQ'd me in case the speakers blew out or something). The sound quality from this card seems quite a lot nicer, and I don't have to wind up the card volumes an outrageous amount to get a good signal out of it (which, of course, distorts on the AWE64 at high levels).
I guess I *should* do something a little more conclusive than 'this card sucks because on a different computer on a different power circuit it hissed', and also try out the SB16 I have in another computer. Proper distortion measurements would be nice, but I don't have that sort of gear (or the time to build it).
I'd really, really like to compare these to an SBLive, too. And an Audigy. I'd love to know if there actually is any reason to pay so much for them - my AW744 cost $45AUD, and has every feature I could ever want (EAX, S/PDIF optical out being the main selling points for me).