Best sound card money can buy

Define best. Quality wise? Probably the RME HDSPe AIO, maybe the Lynx E22. Those are pro cards, of course.

For general consumer gaming, probably a Soundblaster ZXR. Not overly expensive and good support for games n' such.
 
I'll probably go for the Soundblaster X7 when it releases later this year so I can finally free up some space that my PCI X-Fi Titanium is taking in my case. Hate using that extra slot, need more room for GPUs.
 
Aside from true pro-level creation gear (and not counting things like external tube amps etc..), I'd say the Asus Essence STX II 7.1 . For a PC sound card, it is known to be a popular audiophile companion to even high end headphones and complex sound systems. It even comes with additional MUSES op-amps to swap in. The "7.1" version comes with an additional board for 7.1 analog connections; it seems that this is not listed on te Asus US site, but there are 2 versions - one with just the main card and one with the daughter board as well.

Here's a review - http://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/asus-essence-stx-ii-7-1-sound-card-review.html

If I was going to buy a PC sound card today and wanted versatility and quality for listening, damn the expense, the Asus Essence STX II 7.1 would be it.
 
I have the original Asus Essence STX, and it has been fantastic. I haven't even thought of replacing it since 2010.

It has a great built-in amp for headphone use and I'm sure the new Essence is even better than the one I own.
 
I have a spare ZxR sitting in my desk collecting dust since I moved back to my old X-Fi Titanium HD.
 
Personally have the Xense, which is basically a slightly downreved STX with the 3.5 ports on the host card. Very good card all in all.
 
I've been using the HT Omega Claro Halo for almost a year now, and it gets the job done very nicely, with swappable op-amps as needed. Granted, the Sound Blaster Z is probably a better option for gaming (it was my previous card), but the Claro Halo is just wonderful for movies and music; I hear all these nice little details that the Z doesn't pick up on.
 
You know, I haven't had a sound card since 2003ish, but this new board I got (Maximus VI Formula) has some decent sound onboard, and the difference is amazing. I am sure it pales in comparison to top end cards, but I am impressed.
 
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