I have a Creative Audigy Platinum; I regret not having purchased the EX version (with the external box), because with the bay fitted inside the computer I tend to collect all kind of electrostatic noise (I hate when I listen to a track I just recorded with a lot of effort and, just towards the end, I hear that dreadful little "crack").
I have even considered to replace it with the new Audigy 2 EX, but after listening to recordings made on digital recorders have chosen to follow that route instead.