Interface Support
Sonos III supports the native Windows sound interface (MME) and ASIO2.
Sonos II supports only sound cards with ASIO2.
Sonos I / MBL4 supports MME & DX the native Windows interface along with ASIO.
MBL4 standalone supports MME & DX.
RX uses the Windows DX interface.
Soundblasters
Soundblaster sound cards are designed for home use.Therefore interfacing to pro equipment might be problematical.No Soundblaster cards will support a stereo multiplex output.
As a general comment Soundblaster drivers have never given (me at least) problems.
Older sound blaster cards without ASIO support might be made to work using ASIO4All.But there seems to be problems with ASIO4All so it cannot be unreservedly reccomended.(It might work for you!).
E-MU 0404 USB
Pro standard sound adaptor using USB.MPX output works.But at moderate CPU load the sound is prone to sound interruptions (Buffer skipping).Therefore not reccomended for use with Sonos II or Sonos III.
ESI Jul@
Excellect pro sound card that includes 'Direct Wire' for interconnecting applications.
Supports 192kHz sample rate so MPX output is possible.
The card seems to have problems when there are other sound cards in the same computer.It may be particular pairings that upset it.The problem manifests itself as clicking on the output.
Echo Mia
Good pro sound card..
Does not support 192kHz sample rate so a MPX output is not possible.
The latest drivers (7.3) seem to have fixed the problems in the 7.2 drivers.
RME HDSP 9632
Good pro sound card with lots of opportunity for expansion.
Supports MPX output.
Expensive.
M-Audio Audiophile 192
Pro sound card.
Supports MPX output.
The latest drivers (v5.10.00.5065 / 17th December 2007) seem to have fixed the problems of previous drivers.
Terratec PHASE 22.
Not personally tested but looks like a promising pro sound card at a good price.
Probably not capable of supporting MPX output.
E-MU 0404
Semi pro sound card at a good price.
Has software mixing & routing to interconnect applications.
Reported to support MPX output.
There is a slight caution to using this sound card.The software takes a long time to load after the Windows logon.It is therefore necessary to delay by about 1 minute the starting of any application that accesses the E-MU sound card.
E-MU 1212
Pro sound card.
Has software mixing & routing to interconnect applications.
Reported to support MPX output.
Digidesign Digi 001
Pro sound card.Reported to work.
Does not support MPX output.