Should I get a better soundcard?

[Dom_k]

I'm currently using my nforce2's onboard soundstorm on some old speakers. Hopefully within the next 2 weeks these will be replaced by my first proper 5.1 setup in the form of the Acoustic Energy Aego5's.
From what I've heard these are really good speakers and superfi have a great offer on at the moment.
My question is since I would not be getting the decoder with them would there be significant improvements using say an audigy2's analog outputs compared with the onboard soundstorm. Ideally I would get a fairly cheap av receiver something like a Sony STR-DB 780 and use the digital out on the soundstorm.
This would give me a 5.1 signal to the reciever would it not? What do you guys think would be the best solution: Soundstorm analog, optical out soundstorm with a av receiver or audigy2? Give reasons to your choice.

Thanks in advance

Dom

 

[KraGorn]

Optical out to a dedicated receiver. Reasons:

1) quality .. the SoundStorm is okay for PC sound but IMHO is weak at the bottom end for HT, Audigy is better but ...

2) DTS .. you don't get DTS decoding with SoundStorm, not sure about the Audigy but don't think so, and then ...

3) Cost of Audigy goes a good way to getting a far better, more configurable a/v receiver.

 

[Dom_k]

Thanks Kragorn.
I thought as much to just cough up the money and buy the receiver a little after. The sony str-db 780 is only a bit more than an audigy 2 and I think it also has pro logic 2 which would make a nice addition to tv viewing once I get my next pointless gadget a nebula digitv card!