If you're not on Windows, IMO you should just get the native ports of EE (if you wish put in original movies for 1, the mod that turns off/makes the Beamdog NPCs passive, a UI mod, and turn off the outlines/turn on Nearest Neighbor). Yes there are Wine-backed versions existing here of the original, but it's a lot more painless for modding. I believe Beamdog's site has a link to an OSX frontend for mod installers at least as well as a tutorial. If you just want to play the unmodded original it's a tossup. All this also goes for Icewind Dale.

If you're on Windows, well it depends... no doubt you've heard of all the negatives of the EEs by now. If you haven't, take a look at a video. If you're really worried about them/think they're absolutely horrid and want nothing to do with these versions, go use the tutorials in the stickies. If you're not but are still concerned about playing the game without Beamdog's stuff, take a look at the parenthesis of the above paragraph, don't install SoD (it's just meh in general; if you want the new soundsets and plan on playing it later go for it, but I'd hold off on playing it until all of the original content is beaten. Also keep in mind that the awesome Jovial sound can't be used in BG2 yet, sadness), and don't use the new kits.