Sticking point on Audigy 2 Review

(Quoted from the Audigy 2 Review)

"When Creative decides to go for 24-bit sound, they don't do it by halves."

I would consider this statement a little off-base. Creative did "do it by half" the first time, the product was called the SoundBlaster Audigy. While the Audigy box heavily touted 24-bit/96KHz sound, many purchasers (myself included) found much to their dismay that the card only handled 24-bit/96KHz sound internally. To quote from an earlier review (the Terratec DMX6 Fire comparison to the SB Audigy):

"But be warned, the Audigy's ability to support 24-bit/ 96-kHz sound is very relative. Unlike the DMX 6Fire 24/96, the Audigy Platinum is not a "true" 24/96 and cannot play or record a file of this quality, nor even work on it. Actually, the only task it does in 96 kHz is a linkup with another device via the S/PDIF input. The card and rack components are all supposed to be 24-bit/ 96-kHz-compatible, but, in practice, the card is limited to 16 bits/ 48 kHz. Analog recording and restitution is possible in 24 bits/ 48 kHz, but, in fact, the processor downsamples in 16 bits and then upsamples. The card also has to be used with the sample rate conversion (SRC) software provided in order to work in 44.1 kHz. It's just a pity that Creative has not given this product an automatic SRC hardware option by using, say, a Cirrus Logic CS8420 chip. And it's really a pity that the card is not completely 24-bit/ 96-kHz-compatible."

Creative for the most part, makes a pretty good product. But, their tendency to overhype the features on said product makes it difficult for me to just go out and buy one anymore, and tempts me to look at other manufacturers more inclined to be honest about their card's actual capabilities. The Audigy 2 looks beautiful on paper --but the misleading marketing CL used the first time may just be what keeps one from making it into my computer this time around.