What's the Difference ?

[Simmonz]

What is the difference betweeen these two sound cards:

http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=17927

http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=17791

Is it the optical IO ? I am looking for differences in sound quality, anythign else comes secondary.

 

[ZDPhoenix]

They "should" sound exactly the same. They both seem to have the same specs in what would matter for your sound.

 

[spaceman]

Get the cheaper one. The extra $50 is for the shielding which only people with EMI issues need and even then I doubt it helps.

 

[phide]

Just to weigh in on what spaceman said, there's no data available to suggest that the EMI shield has any effect at all -- and similarly no evidence to suggest that it doesn't. But, naturally, it's better to assume that it doesn't make any difference