Can you get reasonable quality with mp3s?

[samson]

So from responces here and elsewhere it seems to be a toss up between an M-Audio soundcard and a USB extrernal soundcard device like the Edirol UA-1A. Basicly the same price (55 GBP), does anyone know what the relative sound quality would be like? The other factors are -

The convenience of the USB device, I could swap it between my desktop and my laptop, and use other peoples if they came round with music.

The proccessor demands of the USB device. I belive that the USB protocol makes significant demands on the CPU. I would offen be compiling or playing games with the computer at the same time as playing music. Would this cause problems?

Thanks for the help, I think I am getting there.

BTW, my mp3's are downloaded (legaly) so I cannot rip them again.

 

[MDS]

The other factors are -

The convenience of the USB device, I could swap it between my desktop and my laptop, and use other peoples if they came round with music.

The proccessor demands of the USB device. I belive that the USB protocol makes significant demands on the CPU. I would offen be compiling or playing games with the computer at the same time as playing music. Would this cause problems?

You have a good handle on the trade-offs between the two choices. Yes, USB is 'host based' and will use more CPU than an internal card. I would choose the internal card if it is for the desktop.

I don't play games, but I frequently play music (streamed from my other 'media hub' computer) while I work and the soundcard never uses more than 5% CPU. If by 'compiling' you mean compiling code at the same time, that will not be a problem - I do it every day.