I have 2 sound devices in my system. A RME Hammerfall 9632 (ADAT Card) for the serious audio work. 16 channels in and out of pure optical ADAT magic... And then I have a Creative Audigy II for the normal stuff - everything not jack, or jack aware goes this route.

Problem: The card, good is it promises to be is just not the same as the Hammerfall. It can't be. Where the Hammerfall only has one conversion from digital to sound - and than happens inside my digital mixer, the playback from the Audigy is converted D/A inside the PC case. Not a very quiet place to start off with. Then is goes out a very small mini jack and into an input of my mixer - A/D. Then it gets played out again - D/A.

Solution: The card has a SPDIF port, and so does my Mixer!
Now I can listen to music using Amarok (not jack aware at the moment) and still enjoy the excellent digital quality output my digi-mixer provides.

Nice to not have to listen to the slight hiss on my studio monitors anymore.

Cheers,