Looking for new sound card

[xdmag]

I need some recommendations for a new sound card. Not a high-end deal, just something better than the on-board Realtek crap. Good Linux support is a must. I also kinda like Creative's EAX and hardware acceleration, but will consider alternatives.

Right now I have the Creative Audigy Value. Sound quality is just fine in Windows, but it's a really low-end card and it doesn't have an official Linux driver. The open source driver is not so good: volume levels sometime reset (blasting my ears when restarting), constant crackling noises, etc.

Any suggestions? What are you using?

[h3%5kr3w]

last good card they made *that was not stupid expensive. hell no im not paying $150 for a friggin sound card as that is pure stupidity UNLESS you have it hooked up to surround sound thats the only reason to pay that much!* was sound blaster pci 512. they dont make them anymore. Go get a turtle labs card for cheap. that'll get ya going.

[silentknight329]

i find that most onboard sound cards are pretty decent... my board is a year old and it has 5.1 high def sound... i have compared my onboard to my buddies Fatality X-FI Titanium.. and there was hardly a difference... don't know if this helps but there you go

[xdmag]

Using speakers, I'd probably agree with you. But I mostly use good quality headphones, and with on-board sound I usually get annoying background static.

If no one has any insight, I'm going to buy the X-Fi Extreme Audio. The question is, how good is Linux support?

EDIT: I now see in Wikipedia that the X-Fi Extreme Audio PCI-E is basically the same card I have now, just more expensive and with surround and compatibility problems. Back to the drawing board.