There is no Spoon
Features and Specifications - Let’s check in with Creative’s PR for a moment.  Simply because the Audigy2 has so many features I’m going to give you Creative’s link for the Audigy2 feature set, here and here.  I advise strong caution for Creative’s PR shtick.  With its audio products at least, Creative tends to push the boundaries between ‘best possible light and ‘obfuscation.’

For those who like numbers, I quote the specs, also thanks to Creative’s website.

Audio Performance

• Signal-to-Noise Ratio with AES17 filter (A-Weighted)

• Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1kHz (A-Weighted) = 0.004% (1V, 2V Rated Output)
• Frequency Response (+/-3dB, 24-bit/96kHz input ) = <10Hz to 46kHz (1V, 2V Rated Output)

High Definition Audio Quality for Playback and Recording

• 24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion during playback with sampling rates of 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz in 5.1 mode and up to 192kHz in stereo mode
• 24-bit Analog to Digital conversion during recording in 8, 16 or 24-bit at sampling rates of 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz
• SPDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) input at up to 24-bit/ 96kHz quality
• SPDIF output up to 24-bit at 48 or 96kHz
• ASIO drivers for low latency (=2ms) multi-track playback and recording at 16-bit/48kHz)

Wave-Table Synthesis and Midi Features

• Creative Hardware synthesizer (2x16 Channels) with 64-voice polyphony featuring E-MU®'s patented 8-point interpolation technology for accurate sample reproduction
• Creative Software synthesizer - multi timbral wave-table (16 Channels)

SB1394 Connectivity

• IEEE® 1394 / FireWire® / i-Link® compatible interface with up to 400Mbps transfer rate

Sound Blaster Audigy 2 On-Board Connectors

• Line level out (Front / Rear / Center / Subwoofer /Rear Center)
• Digital Out for 5.1 support (6-channel SPDIF Output)
• Line in
• Microphone in
• SB1394™/ FireWire® port
• Telephone Answering Device in
• Analog / Digital CD Audio in
• 15-pin MIDI / Joystick port extension header
• Internal SB1394 header to Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Internal Drive (Upgrade Option)
• AD_EXT extension header to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Internal Drive (Upgrade Option)

Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum Internal Drive Front Panel Connectors
(Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum ONLY)

• Headphone Out (1/4" Stereo Jack with Volume control)
• Line In 2 (1/4" Stereo Jack, shared with Microphone In 2)
• Microphone In 2 (1/4" Jack with Gain control)
• MIDI In (mini DIN)
• MIDI Out (mini DIN)
• Optical SPDIF In and Out
• Coaxial SPDIF In and Out
• Stereo Auxiliary In (2 x RCA/Coaxial Jack)
• SB1394 port
• Infra-red Receiver

The basic card (!) has connectors for 6.1 surround speakers, a 1394 port, microphone in, line-in, and a digital output jack, for AC-3 or other digital connections.  As for internal inputs, I still wish for two CD-ROM/DVD audio connectors.  Most people nowadays have both a CD burner and a DVD drive, and it would be excellent to support both.  Otherwise the Audigy2 is pretty much like all the other sound cards on the market.

The only thing that sets the Audigy2 cards from all the other consumer level cards (besides price, ha) on the hardware level is the support for 24 bit/96KHz in both playback and recording.  This is a great feature for those with an aging vinyl collection they’d like to digitize.  The Audigy1 could only handle 24 bit precision in the output direction, which pretty much made the Audigy1 a fancy 16 bit card.  The Audigy2 can handle playback of as high as 24 bit/192KHz audio, no problem.