So, really all your sound card is doing is transferring the MP3's to the output in a format that your pre-ins can handle? correct? Do I need to worry about digitial out on the card? Or is that the standard way the cards output it, then your DAC's on your receiver convert it to analogue? In other words, are there some soundcards with analog and some with digital? If so, which is the better one to get, and which pre-in should I use for the card's output?

Yeah, MP3's should never be recorded under 128, unless you're stricly using them on cheap PC speakers.

Thanks Randy,Daniel, Sean. This is definitely in my future... PC and HT integration! -Greg :-)