Advice on buying a new sound card

[fullinfusion]

I'm looking into getting a new sound card to replace my asus Xonar DX 7.1

Basically I know nothing about buying a great sound card but I do know one thing, I want one with a built in amp... I want the music hammering into my Sennheiser's.

Any advice on a card with a built in amp?

I've been looking into one so far but not sure if it has what Im asking.

Here's the Link

[TRWOV]

What about a DGX 5.1. It has a built in amp.
http://www.asus.com/Multimedia/Audio_Cards/Xonar_DGX/

[fullinfusion]

I like the price and I can get it locally.

I'd like some more suggestions before i make up my mind

[KingPing]

Do you want something similar to the DX or something better?



If you want it to listen music don't buy the Recon 3D, sound quality is barely better than on board, it's a gaming sound card nothing else.

[fullinfusion]

Originally Posted by KingPing

Do you want something similar to the DX or something better?

My DX sounds good but it just dont have the ball's to crank out the music. Id like something better.

[KingPing]

With headphone amp:

Asus XONAR DG (PCI)
Asus XONAR DGX

Not sure because i don't own them but my guess is that this 2 will deliver more power to the headphone but with slightly less quality.

High end with headphone amp:

Asus XONAR Essence ST
Asus XONAR Essence STX
Creative Titanium HD

Or you could buy an external headphone amp and keep the DX.

[fullinfusion]

Originally Posted by KingPing

With headphone amp:

Asus XONAR DG (PCI)
Asus XONAR DGX

Not sure because i don't own them but my guess is that this 2 will deliver more power to the headphone but with slightly less quality.

High end with headphone amp:

Asus XONAR Essence ST
Asus XONAR Essence STX
Creative Titanium HD

Or you could buy an external headphone amp and keep the DX.

The Asus XONAR Essence ST has some great reviews and $138 dollars and a 2hr drive to pick it up

[fullinfusion]

Asus XONAR Essence ST OR the Creative Titanium HD?

any input on the both?

[3870x2]

I didn't know that they had soundcards with built-in amps. I am not sure I would trust any soundcard manufacture with hi-fi headphone sound.

[fullinfusion]

I've been looking around and the ASUS XONAR Essence STX is the bomb from all the reviews.

Look at THIS video. Linus even explaines the features very well too.

[NinkobEi]

You might try an e-Mu sound card. the 1212m seems to be the mid-range. The 1616 seems pretty damned heavy duty though. Might be worth a look at least. Only downside is that apparently Creative bought them out.

edit link: http://www.creative.com/emu/products...laudiosystems/

[Kalevalen]

I'm going to toss out the Claro Halo by HT Omega http://www.htomega.com/clarohalo.html

[KingPing]

Originally Posted by fullinfusion

Asus XONAR Essence ST OR the Creative Titanium HD?

any input on the both?

I have the Titanium HD and i really like it, i listen with my Audio Technica ATH A700 with Foobar (with WASAPI plug in).

IMO which is better is a matter of personal taste, because both the STX and the Titanium HD are great sound cards.

[KingPing]

Originally Posted by Kalevalen

I'm going to toss out the Claro Halo by HT Omega http://www.htomega.com/clarohalo.html

Another nice card, someone know of any review about the Claro 2?

You could go for an external DAC and AMP to have the best quality, but then we are talking about way higher prices.

[BumbleBee]

what kind of Sennheiser headphones?

[fullinfusion]

PC 350's

[NinkobEi]

Originally Posted by fullinfusion

PC 350's

Ah yes those are 150ohm. You might want a card with some sort of amplification - or buy an amp separately is a good idea. Probably cheaper than replacing an expensive sound card.

[fullinfusion]

Originally Posted by NinkobEi

You might try an e-Mu sound card. the 1212m seems to be the mid-range. The 1616 seems pretty damned heavy duty though. Might be worth a look at least. Only downside is that apparently Creative bought them out.

edit link: http://www.creative.com/emu/products...laudiosystems/

I cant even find a price on the 1616... Im thinking 6 bills or better.

Originally Posted by Kalevalen

I'm going to toss out the Claro Halo by HT Omega http://www.htomega.com/clarohalo.html

Thats a nice card and going to study up on it. I can grab it for $200 which isn't bad.

Originally Posted by NinkobEi

Ah yes those are 150ohm. You might want a card with some sort of amplification - or buy an amp separately is a good idea. Probably cheaper than replacing an expensive sound card.

What kind of amp we talking about? a home stero amp? Im not into having a huge amp sitting beside me. Do they sell PC (small) amps to hook into the current sound card?

[Kalevalen]

Originally Posted by KingPing

Another nice card, someone know of any review about the Claro 2?

You could go for an external DAC and AMP to have the best quality, but then we are talking about way higher prices.

Speaking of DAC's you might like this V-LINK 192 + V-CANII by Musical Fidelity

http://www.musicalfidelity.com/produ...eries/v-canii/

[Kalevalen]

[QUOTE=fullinfusion;2781757]I cant even find a price on the 1616... Im thinking 6 bills or better.


Thats a nice card and going to study up on it. I can grab it for $200 which isn't bad.

$129 on newegg's cyber monday

[KingPing]

You shouldn't need an amp with the ST, Claro or the Titanium HD, since the ST and Claro support headphones up to 600ohm and the Titanium HD up to 330ohm.

[Completely Bonkers]

If you are serious about driving professional headphones, then a regular "consumer" soundcard won't cut the mustard, unless it has a separate and decent analogue amp section - which can be quite costly to implement.

This card might be a gimmick, but it has the right visual features... earthed cage to reduce interference, large caps, quality connectors. I'm not specificially recommending this product, just look at the picture to get an idea (ESI Prodigy 7.1 ). ESI do some pretty good external soundcards too.


Review of another model http://www.ixbt.com/multimedia/esi-juli@-en.shtml, an older card, but still good, and available cheap on ebay.

Nonetheless, you would probably get better sound with a dedicated amp like this: http://www.scythe-eu.com/produkte/au...-amp-mini.html

++++++++

Otherwise go PRO, and get yourself something interesting. There are many products to choose from. Look for M-Audio, ESI, MOTU Microbook. Here are 2 new things totally different from what you are currently thinking about... but who knows... might get you started:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov1...ra-preview.htm
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar1...pogee-duet.htm

Here is a review of some: http://soundcards.almeros.com/
And here is just one vendors selection to browse
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/catego...io-interfaces/

[BumbleBee]

Originally Posted by fullinfusion

PC 350's

why not buy a better headphone?

[fullinfusion]

Originally Posted by KingPing

You shouldn't need an amp with the ST, Claro or the Titanium HD, since the ST and Claro support headphones up to 600ohm and the Titanium HD up to 330ohm.

I miss read the sites stock. They don't have the ST so I'm thinking of going for the Xonar Essence STX... But I'm going to play the waiting game and see what sales come this weekend here in Canada. Retailers are trying to keep the Canadian moola here in our own country lol so they are having Canada's own version of Black Friday... It's going to be interesting

[fullinfusion]

Originally Posted by BumbleBee

why not buy a better headphone?

These are great headphones and personally dont think I need anything better.

For gaming there has been no complaints especially the mic... ppl cant believe how clear it is and how it cancels out back ground noise. It was a xmas present from my wife and am supper happy with them, and heck she did a hell of a job picking them out