Dueler,
I have an M-Audio Firewire Audiophile and have been saying the exact same thing for nearly a year now. I only use the digital out, but there is a very obvious lack of dynamics and clarity. I have been quite disappointed by this thing because I essentially plunked down $300 for something that apparently can't even send a good digital out. I've heard that M-Audio's usb products are better--I have no idea why that would be--regardless, I'm done with that company. The Apogee mini-dac seems to get great reviews, but I don't need the dac and there's no way I'm paying $1000 for a digital out. I'm reluctant to just start picking up less expensive products to try because M-Audio is supposed to be right there at the top for the reasonably priced pc audio products. My other hang up is I really wanted an external with a separate headphone volume control and that severely limits my options (unless I want to throw down for the Apogee...) As it is, for convenience sake, I almost solely use my computer as a source now and at times I can almost forget how bad the M-Audio is--until I pop a cd in my player (Pioneer 47a--not even that great) and am reminded how completely the sound card sucks. Let me know if you stumble across any reasonably priced gems with the headphone out. Good luck.
I have an M-Audio Firewire Audiophile and have been saying the exact same thing for nearly a year now. I only use the digital out, but there is a very obvious lack of dynamics and clarity. I have been quite disappointed by this thing because I essentially plunked down $300 for something that apparently can't even send a good digital out. I've heard that M-Audio's usb products are better--I have no idea why that would be--regardless, I'm done with that company. The Apogee mini-dac seems to get great reviews, but I don't need the dac and there's no way I'm paying $1000 for a digital out. I'm reluctant to just start picking up less expensive products to try because M-Audio is supposed to be right there at the top for the reasonably priced pc audio products. My other hang up is I really wanted an external with a separate headphone volume control and that severely limits my options (unless I want to throw down for the Apogee...) As it is, for convenience sake, I almost solely use my computer as a source now and at times I can almost forget how bad the M-Audio is--until I pop a cd in my player (Pioneer 47a--not even that great) and am reminded how completely the sound card sucks. Let me know if you stumble across any reasonably priced gems with the headphone out. Good luck.