Which Sound Card to Get - Sound Blaster AE-5 for $119 or AE-7 for $195?

I know sound cards have become a rather esoteric concept in recent years, but I didn't realize how esoteric. There aren't many places that carry them any more, and they very rarely go on sale for decent discounts.

But I gotta get one. The onboard audio on my otherwise solid computer is killing me. The best deals right now are directly from Creative. The older AE-5 is on sale for $119, while they're offering a 15% upgrade coupon for former Sound Blaster owners to use on the newer AE-7 or AE-9. The AE-7 comes to around $195 after the coupon, and the AE-9 comes to around $297 (too much for me for a sound card right now).

So, which is the better deal, the AE-5 for $119 or the AE-7 for $195?

Thanks for any info or advice.

Link to the cards:
https://us.creative.com/p/sound-b...lters=1194