Best sound card for gaming

[BumbleBee]

there are friendlier, less neurotic places than AVSForums and Head-Fi.

Marantz has a warm sound signature. it's very musical. hardly lifeless.

[Wile E]

Speakers play a major role in the life of your music as well.

[LAN_deRf_HA]

Originally Posted by BumbleBee

try removing the shield on your sound card and tell me if you hear a difference.

I wouldn't. You'd need a card like a 670 that's known to give off enough EMI to screw with soundcards.

[BumbleBee]

sorry baby I was being sarcastic

people have already done it.. lol

[Garage1217]

I use an E-MU 0204 pluged into a Project Sunrise II hybrid tube headphone amplifier. Headphones are Sennheiser HD650's. Same setup I use for Music

[BumbleBee]

awesome

[Frag Maniac]

Implying price paid for gear = knowledge is kinda silly really, esp when you admit you've yet to get any schooling on the subject and are obviously brand biased. I only mention Pioneer as being less flat sounding in the lower price ranges, not as an across the board superior brand. I'm not here to dispute the $600 plus units because I don't shop in that range, nor do most.

The mainstream, esp in a stressed economy is the under $600 units, and that's where Pioneer's DSPs definitely breathe more spaciousness and depth into the midrange, and that is largely, despite outsourcing, what's kept them one of the largest selling brands in that price range. Marantz units start at $400, and at that price you aren't going to get the quality of sound their higher priced units have, or much power for that matter. Their Slimline models have a mere 50 watts per channel.

I take what so called "audiophiles" say about sound coloring with a grain of salt, because what they don't get, and aren't familiar with, is how muted, muffled and constrained midrange is in most lower priced AVRs, because they never shop in that price range. Coloring or not, subtle DSP programming can considerably open up the detail and spaciousness of the midrange in lower priced AVRs, where it would otherwise sound almost non present in some respects.

The "audiophile's" answer of course is to throw money at it, often considerable amounts. Not everyone can or wants to do that depending on their budget and/or needs. I'm sure some spend far more than it's worth to get schooling on sound design only to end up just getting knowledge that serves those that buy expensive gear, while the majority go on being the mainstream and ignore them and their holy than though attitudes.

[KingPing]

Why this is in the General hardware section?, shouldn't this be in the Audio section or i am missing something?

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by Frag Maniac

Implying price paid for gear = knowledge is kinda silly really, esp when you admit you've yet to get any schooling on the subject and are obviously brand biased. I only mention Pioneer as being less flat sounding in the lower price ranges, not as an across the board superior brand. I'm not here to dispute the $600 plus units because I don't shop in that range, nor do most.

The mainstream, esp in a stressed economy is the under $600 units, and that's where Pioneer's DSPs definitely breathe more spaciousness and depth into the midrange, and that is largely, despite outsourcing, what's kept them one of the largest selling brands in that price range. Marantz units start at $400, and at that price you aren't going to get the quality of sound their higher priced units have, or much power for that matter. Their Slimline models have a mere 50 watts per channel.

I take what so called "audiophiles" say about sound coloring with a grain of salt, because what they don't get, and aren't familiar with, is how muted, muffled and constrained midrange is in most lower priced AVRs, because they never shop in that price range. Coloring or not, subtle DSP programming can considerably open up the detail and spaciousness of the midrange in lower priced AVRs, where it would otherwise sound almost non present in some respects.

The "audiophile's" answer of course is to throw money at it, often considerable amounts. Not everyone can or wants to do that depending on their budget and/or needs. I'm sure some spend far more than it's worth to get schooling on sound design only to end up just getting knowledge that serves those that buy expensive gear, while the majority go on being the mainstream and ignore them and their holy than though attitudes.

I wasn't aware we were referring to the lower end of the spectrum. I was referring to the "budget for an enthusiast" part of the spectrum.

I can't comment on most low end, as I don't buy there. I've only heard some Sonys, Onkyos, and one Pioneer. Sony was a joke. I still preferred the Onkyos, but I did only hear the one Pioneer. The thing about that is, however, at the new model switch you can typically get the mid range Onkyos for the low range prices. The moral of the story here is, wait until you can get a deal.

I, also, can't comment on most true high end, because I just haven't heard most of them, other than a handful in a couple showrooms . (Which is how I found out about, and fell in love with, Paradigm speakers. Man I want some.)

[KingPing]

Originally Posted by Wile E

Sony was a joke.

May i ask why?, it may be useful in the future

[m1dg3t]

Originally Posted by BumbleBee

Audyssey is more advanced. it has more filters and listening positions. I only use it after I measure and treat my rooms.

I have this in my living room http://ca.yamaha.com/en/product_arch..._b/?mode=model and this in my bedroom http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio..._u/?mode=model but the Canadian version >> HTR 6290

Neither of them are lacking and i would easily put them against your Denon/Marantz or any other AVR for that matter. I don't need 3D capability.

Originally Posted by BumbleBee

I have $4500 in HiFi on my desktop. I got 2", 4" 703 and 705 traps in my office and a 6" 705 cloud above my head. I assure you i'm committed to the cause. a lot of people in my family are audiophiles and home theater enthusiast. it goes back to the Victrola. i'm going to school to take audio production and technology and electronic engineering in hopes of starting my own company one day.

yes I think the Creative Sound Blaster ZxR is interesting. don't shop at Best Buy.

You sure you want to play the numbers game BumbleBee?

Originally Posted by Frag Maniac

Implying price paid for gear = knowledge is kinda silly really, esp when you admit you've yet to get any schooling on the subject and are obviously brand biased. I only mention Pioneer as being less flat sounding in the lower price ranges, not as an across the board superior brand. I'm not here to dispute the $600 plus units because I don't shop in that range, nor do most.

The mainstream, esp in a stressed economy is the under $600 units, and that's where Pioneer's DSPs definitely breathe more spaciousness and depth into the midrange, and that is largely, despite outsourcing, what's kept them one of the largest selling brands in that price range. Marantz units start at $400, and at that price you aren't going to get the quality of sound their higher priced units have, or much power for that matter. Their Slimline models have a mere 50 watts per channel.

I take what so called "audiophiles" say about sound coloring with a grain of salt, because what they don't get, and aren't familiar with, is how muted, muffled and constrained midrange is in most lower priced AVRs, because they never shop in that price range. Coloring or not, subtle DSP programming can considerably open up the detail and spaciousness of the midrange in lower priced AVRs, where it would otherwise sound almost non present in some respects.

The "audiophile's" answer of course is to throw money at it, often considerable amounts. Not everyone can or wants to do that depending on their budget and/or needs. I'm sure some spend far more than it's worth to get schooling on sound design only to end up just getting knowledge that serves those that buy expensive gear, while the majority go on being the mainstream and ignore them and their holy than though attitudes.

Agreed, as with many of your comments regarding this topic. The most important thing i have learned in my AudioQuest (Shameless plug of Elitist gear lol) is that there are more AudioFools than Audiophiles in the world

[m1dg3t]

Originally Posted by KingPing

May i ask why?, it may be useful in the future

Not all Sony is crap, Japanese made Sony ES gear is highly sought after by some enthusiasts

[Kalevalen]

I use the tX-USBexp made by SOtm but then you still need a DAC like the dX-USB HD.
http://sotm-audio.com/english/products/dx-usb_hd.php

Or for a more budget HT-Omega, ASUS Xonar

[SaltyFish]

Any real internal X-Fi sound card would do you good for gaming. Creative's XtremeAudio line, the Auzentech X-Fi Bravura, and Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 are some of the false ones, as they're software emulated. The USB cards are meh. An interesting note is that Gigabyte's G1 motherboards (except the lowest end one) comes with an X-Fi chip on-board.

After that, you'll need some decent speakers or headphones.

Even if you get a nice sound card and output equipment for gaming, the biggest roadblock is Vista's killing of hardware audio. It means that games since then don't really take advantage of sound cards anymore. Windows 8 is supposed to have restored that, but I've read conflicting reports on that. Regardless of that, it's great for older (pre-Vista) games.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by m1dg3t

Not all Sony is crap, Japanese made Sony ES gear is highly sought after by some enthusiasts

Sony = crap was in reference to their bottom line units.

[Dent1]

Originally Posted by SaltyFish

Any real internal X-Fi sound card would do you good for gaming. Creative's XtremeAudio line, the Auzentech X-Fi Bravura, and Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 are some of

The Auzentech X-Fi Bravura is better than the X-Fi Xtreme Audio. Ok the Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 is average, granted.

Originally Posted by SaltyFish

It means that games since then don't really take advantage of sound cards anymore. Windows 8 is supposed to have restored that, but I've read conflicting reports on that.

I doubt that, Microsoft made a firm decision to remove Direct Sound hardware support in support for OpenAL which allows fair competition for soundcard manufacturers and less of this Creative Lab monopoly jacking up the prices for subpar and buggy hardware.

Originally Posted by SaltyFish

Regardless of that, it's great for older (pre-Vista) games.

What is the point in that? It's not like we are going to be running windows XP.

[Garage1217]

Originally Posted by RejZoR

I'm also waiting for the Sound Blaster ZxR/ZxG. They at least look like a proper flagship soundcard compared to current crappy cheapo Core3D...

I see Nichicon FG caps... very good caps. I use them in my own amplifier designs.

[KingPing]

It's a shame the only card worth buying is the flagship one. Still i don't like the 3D core, i will keep my Titanium HD for now.