Fragtek....HELP me!! :)

[[Ins]]

Frag (or anyone else for that matter),

I need some advice.

My current audio setup is a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS with Sennheiser PC 150's. Now this, I think, sounds really great, but I'm wondering if I can get it to sound any better, especially in gaming.

I bought a pair of Speedlink Medusa headphones (5.1) and to be honest, they're not a patch on my Sennheisers. The PC 150's have better bass and treble, are clearer and give a much better "punch" in the game, especially CSS.

So my question is this, with only using headphones, is it worth upgrading my soundcard?

I spoke to Jim who recommended I go for an X-Plosion card? (see link)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_HiTeC_699.html

I think these are made by Bluegear in the States but HDA over here.

Anyway, how good are these cards compared to my Audigy?

Remember I'm only using the soundcard with headphones, so this is why I'm unsure as to whether it'll actually improve my "gaming experience" or not.

In addition to this, I'm thinking of getting the Sennheiser PC 160 headphones as an upgrade to my current 150's. Is this worth doing? Has anyone had experience with these?

Any help / comments would be appreciated!

Cheers,

Ins.

 

[Hyper]

Well I own a Creative X-FI XtremeMusic and I must admit "its the dogs *beep*'s :yumyum: "

It pairs up great with my Logitech Z-5500 speaker setup and gives all games including css another form of awareness about them. Another good thing about the X-FI is that a few games like Battlefield 2 have their own special "X-FI Mode" designed for this soundcard

I payed £80 for mine but that was when they first came out so I dont know if they have dropped in price at all now but it was worth every penny.

Hope this helps.

Sam

 

[[Ins]]

Cheers Sam

Well I've never had any other soundcard apart from Creative and I've nothing bad to say against them. However I'm wondering if I should now move away from Creative and onto one of these Bluegear jobbies?

I can understand there may be a benefit to having a really decent card with a full speaker setup, but I'm unsure as to how much benefit I'd get by just using headphones?

 

[llwyd]

depends on the headphones, its more likely that the headphones will be the item limiting you, not the card. obviously you can get crap cards that dont fully utilise the headphones around today but i think anything fairly recent would suffice

 

[FragTek]

Steer clear of any of the new Creative products mate... They're overpriced sh*t.

There has been a great deal of company switching with the HDA cards recently. They started as HDA, switched to BlueGears, and now have once again switched to a new company named Auzentech.

Quite simply put... THE best sound cards on the market at a fraction the cost of other cards by different companies, namely Creative.

Just keep in mind. My first card in my last comp was an X-Fi XtremeMusic and it was t3h ub3r suc|<. The best thing I ever did to that computer was put the X-Fi out of its misery and install my X-Mystique (which was then later upgraded to an X-Plosion). The X-Plosion is going to give you the best of both worlds (music & gaming). The X-Mystique is an awesome card for music if using the analog outputs, but using Dolby Digital Live or equivalent optical outputs gives you great mids and highs but the bass is subpar (too be expected as DDL isn't a music standard). Now the X-Plosion incorporates DTS which is straight up pimpin' in the music department via optical/coaxial. Both cards will also rock your socks off in games, great sound dynamics that really put u in the center of action.

I highly recommend either of the cards, but for only a bit more the X-Plosion is your best bet.

Cheers mate!

 

[[Ins]]

Cheers for the responses

So if I go for an X-Plosion and Sennheiser PC 160's this will be a noticible difference from my current Audigy 2 ZS and PC 150's?

I think I might have to order them if so!

 

[FragTek]

Cheers for the responses

So if I go for an X-Plosion and Sennheiser PC 160's this will be a noticible difference from my current Audigy 2 ZS and PC 150's?

I think I might have to order them if so!

I think you'd probably hear a quite decent improvement in quality with the setup you're lookin' at mate!

 

[FarFarAway]

I doubt the 160's would make much of a difference in all honesty. I have an audigy 2 ZS and the fidelity is pretty decent - especially if your only using headphones

I say save your money

 

[[Ins]]

Oh Mr Frag, you're going to cost me more money lol

I'm VERY tempted in ordering this.....heck I'm hovering over the order button now lol...

 

[[Ins]]

I doubt the 160's would make much of a difference in all honesty. I have an audigy 2 ZS and the fidelity is pretty decent - especially if your only using headphones

I say save your money

Nooo now I'm hovering away from the order button....oh what to do :banghead:

 

[Ham]

Try it. If it was a pointless buy sell it on?

 

[[Ins]]

I would but I've got other stuff to pay out for this month and don't want to waste my money.

Bottom line is that I really only play CSS (and a few other games) so I'd want any changes to really make the difference.

I went from a Soundblaster Live 5.1 to the Audigy a few years back and I can honestly say that I really didn't notice any difference when using my headphones, which is why I'm being careful this time around before buying.

 

[FragTek]

If you're tight on cash I wouldn't buy it right now mate. Wait till you have some spare reserves to spend. The difference isn't going to be like OMFGWTFBBQARSOMZ!! But there will definately be a noticable difference in the fidelity. Auzentech makes an absolutely amazing card.

 

[[Ins]]

No I'm not tight on cash, but I don't like blowing money for the sake of it

I'm going to see if Overclockers will let me return my Medusa's and if so, then I think I'm just going to go ahead and order the card and headphones!

 

[FragTek]

No I'm not tight on cash, but I don't like blowing money for the sake of it

I'm going to see if Overclockers will let me return my Medusa's and if so, then I think I'm just going to go ahead and order the card and headphones!

That's deffo what u should do

 

[WC Annihilus]

I'm going to be wanting a sound card soon but I'm going to wait until Razer's set of card and headphones come out and see how they fair first.

 

[jiffz]

I don't understand how the medusas didnt impress you. I'm using a £20 creative soundblaster audigy 7.1 jobby and it works for me :wiggle:!

I can hear in proper 5.1 and good sound quality and decent bass.....

 

[[Ins]]

Well I guess it's cos I'm comparing them to my current setup as my Sennheisers are really basey and rumble!

It just sounds as if the Medusa's are tinny...like listening to a war time wireless lol

 

[llwyd]

i really need to get some sound on the go, im using the onboard-sound and £5 headset from Game

 

[Ham]

How much you pay for those Ins?

Im wondering if i them off your hands for the same price you payed.

Edit: Assuming you did make your mind up to send them back... If not ignore me