7. Creative Audigy 2 NX: Top Range With No Concessions

We have published a review entirely devoted to this device. You can refer to it if you want all its details and performances. To sum up, the Audigy 2 NX is a top-range USB sound card which can run in 24 bits and 96kHz and decode sound in 7.1. But it requires a USB 2.0 interface and, of course, a pretty powerful computer. Moreover, you can only use all its features if you have a recent OS: WindowsXP is practically indispensable.

With a raft of sockets, the Audigy 2NX offers just about all you could want. It's only short of a coaxial S/PDIF input (digital only) and a separate earphone output (the one it has is shared with the "Side" surround output). On the upside, volume control on the card itself, mike input with level adjustment and an infrared remote. But you do need an external power supply.