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this gets asked about once a month, and I reply about the same once a month (and get senselessly flamed about once a month by someone who shows up late to the party)
the Audigy 2 will offer a number of advantages over your onboard audio:
- EAX support for EAX 3 and 4
- DDL encoding for 5.1 output (it can do 6.1, but not via DDL)
- reduced issue of EMI/RFI (if you have no problem with this with the onboard, strike this point)
- more inputs/better inputs (very likely to have a better mic preamp/in, as an example)
- CMSS
- MIDI/game port (with a breakout cable or front bay)
so if giving up a PCI slot isn't an issue, I honestly don't see a reason not to have the Audigy 2 installed, there isn't anything bad about the ALC889, but the Audigy 2 has a number of advantages, so if you've already got the thing on hand, costs you nothing to make the upgrade
bobdole:
the realtek is not the entire solution, its just the codec, some mainboards could make use of this and have it end up as total garbage, and others it may sound just fine (just like any other integrated solution)
HP Slimline Motherboards do pretty well with the 888 Realtek.
(mostly I use the S/PDIF, however, but headphones work just as well).
HP Slimlines use a custom ASUS motherboard (they used to be Mini-ITX, but are now mATX).
Is there a low profile version of the Audigy 2?
I used to have a soundblaster 24, but it's too big for my case.