Sound Blaster Audigy 2 NX

I'm a recent PC switcher too, so I feel it is my obligation to answer this one. I was looking in to pretty much exactly the same thing before I got my powerbook. As of the last time I checked the Creative USB sound cards did not have mac drivers. For an alternate solution, check out m-audio. They have 2 devices that might meet your needs. The cheaper one (and it's only marginally so) offers basically only digtial out, which is great if you are hooking up to a stereo or something with optical input. It's also relatively small. Then there is also this product, the Sonica Theater. It's a 7.1 card that has the outputs for 7.1 computer speakers, or optical I believe for a stereo. And at with an MSRP of about 120 dollars you should be able to find it for a very comprable price to the Creative product. I hope that all works out for you, and let us know if it does. When I get a bigger appartment I was looking to do the same thing for a bedroom surround sound system. Good luck.

I just looked at the products again and the 7.1 card only has coax out not optical. Only the smaller transit offers optical, and that's pretty much the only thing it has.