Ray do not confuse what happens re analog sound with digital.....it is all about digital processing and converting analog to digital.....a standard card is just not quick enough or good enough to do that to the standards required for good music production or the other specialist apps we spoke about. Now you can say nay or harumph or quote irrelevant figures and specs that apply to different bygone systems all you want...it is fact that the standard soundchip put in 99.9% of all domestic PCs and laptops is no good for music production...so try it out and see for yourself....you experience the probs we have all experienced trying to use these basic cards...... do not take our word for it....we have tried hard to explain why and given enough evidence to prove why...you just do not listen.