That seller will be lucky to get even $50 for that card. These will sell for $30, though. I do think that the MX300 commands a premium over the OEM versions of the Vortex 2, which is usually a Turtle Beach Montego II. Those sell for $10-$20, often less.

Maybe it has something to do with wanting a retail card over an OEM (even thought the Montego II had a retail version). I think the MX300 just looks better with the full-size PCB, gold connectors, and black slot cover.

Maybe it is also because of the brand Diamond Monster {something} ?
I'd be a good companion card for a Diamond Monster 3D based system..

I don't know anything about the card, but I see 3 completed sales searching from US eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/112528246297
$34 + 3.80 ship (auction)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/162565111841
$55 + "free" ship (fixed price, sale was 2wks after the only revision date, don't know if it was posted long before that)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/182685183950
$108 w/ an SPDIF daughterboard including ship from Russia (fixed price)
The only failed listings I see are 2 others from Russia at even higher prices - the same ones that are still posted now.

So I think $80 for the bare card in that listing is higher than the recent sale history supports. However, there are apparently not a lot of them on the market anymore, so prices are bound to be erratic from listing to listing.
The $80 listing is set to receive offers. If you're after the card, then I would make a lower offer, or maybe let him sweat it out a while before doing so. Other than that, I'd just wait for more to show up.

Prices seem all over the place for Aureal cards in general.

Because people can ask for what ever they want.
look at what things sold for, and not what people are asking for.

Like this one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Diamond-Monster-Sound … MwAAOSwSWtZlNxo
They tend to sell for around 20-40$

Jo22 wrote:

Maybe it is also because of the brand Diamond Monster {something} ?
I'd be a good companion card for a Diamond Monster 3D based system..

I think you're right about the brand-name appeal. I can see a person with a pair of Diamond Monster Voodoo 2s in SLI wanting a "matching" sound card.

Kahenraz wrote:

Why has the Diamond Monster Sound MX300 (Aureal) suddenly gone up so much in price? I don't remember this being a particularly exciting card:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/152719283374

Best offer of $45 accepted (not from me).