I don't know if you are a gamer, but I would recommend X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty pro series sound card, along with a NICE noise-canceling headset from either Logitech, Razer, or sennheiser, so you won't bother anyone who might be sleeping, along with keeping out unwanted noise disrupting your music. Like I said if you are a gamer, you will get nice PRECISE, clean sound, and wall people in Left 4 Dead, CS + other games so precisely, they will call you a wall hacker. So if you're looking for clean and crisp sound, stick to a good sound card+headset. Plus the so called onboard sound with "HD" drivers from realtek and such are just straight garbage, it sounds disgusting. Every person I recommended to a nice sound card and headset were always happy with the choice. Don't forget you need good quality music too if you want songs to sound good. I'm using the sound card i mentioned above and a decent Razer Barracuda headset with lots of good adjustments and sound features, awesome surround sound. I went and listened to that Virtual barber shop thing with real 3d sound y00t00b.com and I did what they said to do, close my eyes and listen, and the entire time I seriously thought I was getting a haircut and felt like he was moving around me in the diff directions the sound moved in my headset, and is only amazing when you have a good headset+ sound card. Make the wise choice *wink* and good luck =)