Should I iupgrade my Sound Card?

[SPARTAN1630]

im currently using a crative labs sound blaster auidegy SE im thinking about an x-fi extreme gamer or x-fi titanium they bost cost the same on the egg but for the titanium you have to pay shipping what should i do?

[x88x]

Well, it depends what you want in a sound card. Personally I would recommend an Asus Xonar DX instead. I believe the biggest difference is that the Xonars have a sample rate of 192Hz versus the X-Fi's sample rate of 96Hz. This results in a much cleaner, clearer sound. Also, with the X-Fi's you mention, they are actually very different cards in terms of connections and interface, so it depends what you need. Here's a comparison of the Xonars and X-Fis below $100: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010290057&srchInDesc=X-Fi&bop=And&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&ActiveSearchResult=False&CompareItemList=N82E16829102024%2CN82E16829102006% 2CN82E16829132013%2CN82E16829132007%2CN82E16829132 006

[mtekk]

The X-fi's are 96KHz for 7.1 setups, 192KHz for 5.1 setups, newegg just lists the lowest number, which I can't blame them for. I love my x-fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional, though I've had some weird things happen, driver wise, when I switched motherboards. Suddenly the driver updater worked, and the advanced Dolby Digital and DTS output from the SPDIF options became available (very weird, but a welcome change :) ).

[SPARTAN1630]

Well, it depends what you want in a sound card. Personally I would recommend an Asus Xonar DX instead. I believe the biggest difference is that the Xonars have a sample rate of 192Hz versus the X-Fi's sample rate of 96Hz. This results in a much cleaner, clearer sound. Also, with the X-Fi's you mention, they are actually very different cards in terms of connections and interface, so it depends what you need. Here's a comparison of the Xonars and X-Fis below $100: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010290057&srchInDesc=X-Fi&bop=And&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&ActiveSearchResult=False&CompareItemList=N82E16829102024%2CN82E16829102006% 2CN82E16829132013%2CN82E16829132007%2CN82E16829132 006
i just want somthing that sounds better but i heard the sonars are better for movies and music

[Luke122]

Stereophile (http://www.stereophile.com) magazine reviewed the Asus Xonar Essence soundcards this month, and came to the conclusion that they are among the best of the best for music from a PC.

I've been drooling over the Xonar for awhile, so this just cements it. :) It's on the cover of the mag this month on newstands, but should be online in the reviews as of next month. :)

[xRyokenx]

I've had a XONAR for the last year and love it. Definitely worth the $100 I spent on it.

[Diamon]

Bought a x-fi titanium fatal1ty pro series recently and it's an awesome card, I only got onboard sound to compare to tho. The only drawback is that Creative drivers are a bit "random".

[DemonDragonJ]

I, also, intend to upgrade the sound card of my computer, but I am attempting to decide between either of these (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102019) two (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102033) sound cards here. Can anyone here offer their opinion between the two of them? Or, if a sound card from another manufacturer would be a better component, please suggest it to me, so that I may consider it (although I would prefer to remain with a Creative Lab sound card, if I can). The sound card must have a digital output and use a PCI-express interface, but, apart from those, I have no other requirements or limitations on what I shall use.

I also am hoping to upgrade my computer's speakers, as well, to take advantage of upgrading my sound card and truly experiencing awesome sound. My current speakers have only 2.1 channels and still use an analog connector, so I hope to replace them with speakers with 5.1 channels and a digital connector, but I have not seen too many of such speakers, and those that I have seen are very expensive. Therefore, are there any speaker modules with 5.1 channels and digital (S/PDIF) interface for no greater $200? If there are none, how about for no greater than $500? What assistance can anyone offer to me in that pursuit?

[Kayin]

The ASUS cards honestly are performing better, more compatible (as in don't cause ridiculous driver crashes) and simply sound better than the Creative offerings at the moment.

It really depends on how far do you wanna improve your sound. It sounds as though you're looking for positional audio, correct? Do your homework beforehand. If you want Creative, look at the Auzentech X-Fi cards. One other choice is to go third-party drivers.

[Cale_Hagan]

i had soo much bad luck with this.... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102021 first one right out of the box didn't work, exchanged and in two months it died, the refurb one has worked for almost a year now... lol but i love my asus xonar d2x, and will never go back, shown here http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132005 :banana:

[x88x]

Check the link for that d2x. It points to the X-Fi right now. ;)

[Cale_Hagan]

thanks. :facepalm: haha im an idiot...:whistler: any who, more info for your sound card choice.
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/8961/950desktopmain.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/836/950desktopmain.jpg/)

this is my main desktop.... not only does it sound a thousand times better, but when the volume is all the way up, and nothing is playing, you hear absolutely nothing in the headphones... with the other creative fatality flagship card with front panel 5.25 input output you hear hella background buzzing, interference, whatever you want to call it. and that's at half volume. full will drive you insane in half a minute. xonar has none. :banana: i bought this, xonar, because i was highly disappointed in the creative. i was actually wondering if on board sounded better. lol. :facepalm: http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/687/athlonbackup2ndcomp.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/823/athlonbackup2ndcomp.jpg/)

this is my backup pc, the one with it.
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/2549/img0220tf.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/824/img0220tf.jpg/)

another view of my backup

and another bit of street cred that im an audiophile...
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9946/img0229y.png (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/21/img0229y.png/)

yes, over 10 thousand songs. i have to go back through my library, and delete a few copies on some.
the holy grail of audiophile headphones. sterling te-400s. went out of business in the 80s. they cost 200 bucks in the 80s. highs. amazing. lows hit hard. so clear and crisp, its like angels singing. i no longer use my logitech z4's as they cant hold a candle to my headphones. :banana:
http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/7358/img0217t.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/853/img0217t.jpg/)

i hate creative, and will never buy a product from them again. i am going through a rma process for the 2nd one of the new ones i have had. my refurbished still works from them, though. go figure. :facepalm:

Xonar is the only way to go.

[Cale_Hagan]

Bought a x-fi titanium fatal1ty pro series recently and it's an awesome card, I only got onboard sound to compare to tho. The only drawback is that Creative drivers are a bit "random".

yeah, the drivers are crap. download from the site ONLY if you get a creative. don't use cd, i had issues that messed my comp from cd... :facepalm:

[DougieFresh]

I know this thread is over a year old and im not sure if its still open but i had to reply because i once had this card also...Creative point is garbage youd think by now they would have fixed there driver issues in all there cards...If you still have this card id just give it ways like i done and what ever you do dont make the same mistake and buy another Creative product...If you happen to have a half desent 5.1 system them go with one of the audiophile cards like Asus or HT Omega with these cards there no such thing as driver issues

[Cale_Hagan]

I know this thread is over a year old and im not sure if its still open but i had to reply because i once had this card also...Creative point is garbage youd think by now they would have fixed there driver issues in all there cards...If you still have this card id just give it ways like i done and what ever you do dont make the same mistake and buy another Creative product...If you happen to have a half desent 5.1 system them go with one of the audiophile cards like Asus or HT Omega with these cards there no such thing as driver issues

agreed. however, someone offered me 80 bucks for it with the front panel. so i said OK. :whistler: