sound cards/spdif question

I can't seem to find an answer to this question. If I want to send a spdif out signal to my stereo system pre/pro does it matter what kind of sound card I use in my computer. It seems to me a 500 dollar sound card would be no better than a 50 dollar card provided they both have spdif out. Am I missing something here, can there be different "qualities" of digital out.

If you're going to be using the SPDIF, then no, you're bypassing the DAC entirely, and all you need to watch out for is that the accompanying driver doesn't go through the kmixer, because that effs up the sound.

Of course, your stereo will need a digital input...
if that's the case, then there is no problem.

Keep them spinning,
Bert.