SB Live! PCI 16-bit vs. current onboard audio (Realtek 88x, Via1708)

Hello all. I'm touching on one of the few PC hardware topics that I have a good working knowledge of from experience, but not an *expertise* in, PC audio.

Putting together a new machine for general use (my own this time). I've been using an SB Live! 16-bit (5.1, digital out, EAX) for quite a while now (since initially procuring it for a P3 1.2Ghz/PC133/Dell Perc2 box) back in '01, and it has performed very well. Quite a bit has changed in integrated solutions since then, but some things appear to not have. I'm well aware that all of the integrated/onboard audio solutions now offer a decent sampling rate and surround sound features (I won't be using more than 2.1 stereo anytime soon) as well as some form of actual hardware acceleration (correct me if I'm wrong).

My experience with onboard audio has been this - it is usually 'good enough' for general desktop use. However, there are two things lacking with onboard audio that as far as I can tell when dealing with any new desktops have not changed - signal quality and amplification. The SB Live! offers decent amplification (that I do not use, since I have it connected to a powered amp that provides that much, much better, and as far as I know electrical noise is reduced when the PC-based volume is lower), as well as good sound quality all around. Currently I have a Sound Blaster 2.1 setup with a sub, which I've built a do-it-yourself housing for, increasing amplification and bass quality. It has performed well. As a dedicated contractor (lot's of tech with lots of experience, desktops, notebooks, all types of office machines, the occasional gaming machine, domain controllers, etc., you get the idea) most of the machines I deal with use integrated/onboard audio, and given the shitty speakers that are usually connected, the audio solution is not the weakest link in the chain.

My future plans are to move from the Sound Blaster speaker setup to a dedicated receiver with a 2.1 speaker (non-PC class speakers) setup better volume, bass, and clarity. I've used such a setup with the SB Live! card before with good results (this was circa '02). Obviously the integrated/onboard audio landscape has changed since then.

My core issue is this - if connected to a high quality receiver+amp, will a current onboard solution provide comparable or better audio quality than the SB Live! part? Performance (CPU usage) of the part is not really a factor in modern PC's as far as I can tell, even the lowliest dual-core CPU's have more than enough performance that the hit from onboard audio is minimal.

To be specific, I'm looking at solutions with Via1708b audio and Realtek 88x audio. AMD boards with AMD chipsets. If I'm feeling like splurging, I will go with a new Lynnfield system instead, which I think all them are equipped with IDC something-or-other audio.

So, with a good receiver+amp, with 2.1 stereo, what is everyone's opinion? Should I stick with the unit I know and love (SB Live! 16-bit), are the current onboard solutions superior, or out of concern for quality, should I opt for a newer PCIe audio card live the X-fi or Xonar?

On another note - I will be gaming to a limited extent with this machine, but I am not concerned with 4-channel or above audio, nor will CPU usage be a deciding factor. Sound quality and driver support are my main concerns.

Thanks for the input!