Help select Sound Card

[trickynick]

Hi experts,

My on-board sound is horrible and need to find a discreet card; that being said, I want to make sure that I can plug in my front panel mic/headphones into it and have it work.

My speakers are simple, 2.1. Can anyone make any suggestions? I need it as cheap as possible but still give good sound through speakers (mainly) but on occasions, headphones.

 

[audie-tron25]

If you're after the cheapest, a Xonar DG should do. It's about as good (or maybe more so, depending on your specific motherboard) as your integrated. It has connectors to the front of the case as well.