The price should be about $70 or around there. I'm gonna use it to rip tapes/vinyl, watch movies and play games on my computer. I also listen to music with head phones ALOT. I'm pretty sure i won't need a surround 5.1 or 7.1 card since i wont ever buy a surround system for my computer.

google for the chaintech AV-710. AFAIK, this soundcard is excellent for 2-channel digital playback after some tweaking.

is it gonna work good with ripping tapes and vinyl as well?

AV-710 is great for 2 channel playback, but for vinyl/tape ripping it is far less than ideal. The ADC has adequate noise floor, but distortion figures weren't too good.

which would you recommend?

How about Audiophile 2496, for ripping tapes and vinyls?
You'd need a mixer or a sound system to receive rca, but I guess you already do?

yeah i got a sound system

I second on the chaintech av710:

Check here to set it up: http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=75655

A review: http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread....8255#post848255

And here to buy it: http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=SC-710&cat=SND

You can't do anything wrong it's only 25 bucks. If you want something better you MUST get an emu 0404 or higher starting at 100 $! (The emu cards do need a mic preamp if you are using a mic with your pc!)

can i use my headphones with the Audiophile 2496...just saw some guy selling this kind of cheap...will also look at the chaintech card

Chaintech AV-710 is great for stereo playback, not good for recording. DAC is Wolfson WM8728 24bit 192kHz stereo DAC. The ADC is from the VIA VT1616 codec, it's crappy ADC. Definately not good for recording.

i think i'm gonna go for the Audiophile 2496

how about the analog output of the chaintech and the one from the emu 0404?
as I basically just want to plug my amp and speaker to my computer for music.
I just cannot decide between the two.

Is the Audigy 2 Value still too bad as an audio card to even consider? I mean, all the cards you guys are recommending seem to be pro audio, not as much on gaming performance stuff, while I'm pretty sure the A2 isn't that bad an audio sound card in it's own right...?

If you've been offered one cheap (they retail at over the 100 mark AFAIK) defintely go for it. I've never heard a bad word about M-Audio, it's 'semi-pro' gear, and they pay attention to the recording/ADC circuitry.

I know a couple of musicans who use the Audiophile 2496 for recording duties, and I have a Flying-calf outboard ADC and DIO2448 combo which is excellent.

R.

The Audigy 2 cards are fine. However, note that technical performance is best when using them at 48kHz or 96kHz recording and playback, not at 44.1khz rate. If you need to have 44.1khz recordings, it will be much easier to get a card that captures 44.1khz with good technical performance in the first place. The alternative with an Audigy 2 is to capture at 48 or 96khz and use time-consuming hi quality resampling methods via software to convert to 44.1khz.

-Chris

I just got a Echo MIAMIDI, it would be extremely good for your Vinyle/Tape recording but you would need another card to do your gaming on.

For your budget the best bet is revolution7.1 or audigy2>I was in same dilema like you 6 months ago and i went for revo simply couse it sounded better for audio then audigy2,also it was a few bucks cheaper too and im not a big gamer. But looks like that audigy is a bit better for gaming then revo.And looking on your post it looks like that for you the gaming is eqyally important as audio,so imho getting either of these two will fit you perfect as its really the best bang for the buck
Btw,revo7.1 is really good card and im very happy with it

If you can stretch your budget a little bit, I would recommend E-MU 0404.