Sound card (~220$) for music (help please).

I have the same headphones that you're using. I've heard that the E-mu card is good for pro-applications. For music? Well, I have an X-Fi and SB Live! ...both sound good for music and drive the headphones pretty well. I'd say, in your price range, look into these, they're all good cards (though most offer more than the 2-channel stereo you indicated to be your primary use, spelled "growth potential":

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en [...] -main.html

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en [...] -main.html

http://www.rolandus.com/products/p [...] rentId=114

http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/pr [...] cthome.asp

http://www.auzentech.com/products_xplosion.html

http://sounden.terratec.net/

http://www.chaintechusa.com/tw/eng [...] &PISNo=199

http://www.creative.com/products/p [...] duct=14066

...and for reference sake...(over your budget)
http://www.creative.com/products/p [...] duct=14064


Likely not a complete list and you don't need to spend $220 on a soundcard to get high-performance (try not to be influenced by Creative's marketing too much), all of the above cards will do more than justice to the HD595's and many other audio requirements you may develop.

That's good to know that analog out from the Auzentech is comparatively weak. It looks like they took nearly the opposite approach than that of Creative...all-digital with weak analog as opposed to Creative's all-analog with weak digital.

That's why I run them both..

Auzentech Xplosion and Creative X-Fi.

Effective, but not for those of the weak-wallet. Did you have do any troubleshooting to get them to play nice together? With that setup you've all the options available to you, but for those that may have a little less to spend wouldn't a Montego DDL do the trick, and if anything, mate it to an Audigy 4, for a roughly $160 solution? I've not toyed with 2 cards from different manufacturers but running a setup like yours may, indeed, be the best of all worlds for the enthused. ...overkill for the OP's needs, but great for gaming and music.

Tempting.

Xtreme Music. It costs significantly less and is the same audio card as the Platinum.

If the breakout box with the digital I/O, headphone output, etc. is REALLY important to you, only then would I recommend the Platinum. ...but I truly believe ~$50+ is too much to pay for the ROI.