I have not tried the Apogee, but do have the Benchmark with a PC set up. I am using an RME card with an AES/EBU balanced link and it sounds great. The Benchmark is so jitter resistant (and the RME has really good jitter specs) that I don't think I would gain anything going to USB. The balanced connection can also be run much further than a coax or toslink. Even the analog output of the RME card is surprisingly good.
- J
- J