Current 'Trident' drivers will not meet PC 2001 specs. Drivers may require a second installation. Select highest allowable Wave Sample Set. Volume control is better than SB Live cards.
Good speakers can make anything sound better.
If you're looking into higher end audio 'Prosumer' selections and can't make up your mind now, start here. A3D may be superior to Sound Blaster EAX, but everything depends on marketing. As of Press Deadlines, Aureal has not responded to repeated requests for comment. Since everything is going digital, quality can only get better. Win98 Device Manager sees ' General purpose USB Hub' .