Some not so simple sound card advice please

[Treble20]

Ok as the Title suggests I am in need of some advice on what sound card to purchase. but here is the parts that are making it a little hard to decide.

Ideally I would like it in theme with my build White/Blue/Black

and not so simple as just a PCI card that looks like a PCB.

I have generally always had creative cards but im not stuck on that and I am considering Asus. I dont own a Head set or quality headphones worth talking about. But I do own a Logitech Z906 Speaker set. The use of headphones/set is not out of the question as I share a study room with my wife So not having my sound blasting out in the room would help her study for her medical degree.

Currently using on-board sound as I last tried a Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion and could not keep it as the red lights could NOT be changed with my knowledge and skills. There is a blue version out but finding it somewhere that will ship to the UK is impossible without adding way to much £££££ just for shipping.

Imo there is to much red in the new sound blaster Z range so they are out. Now onto the Asus ones I have been checking out

The most appealing ones so far seam to be the Xonar Xense. Nice looking no glowing red lights anywhere Headset included also. 5.1 capable and optical out. I have looked at the ROG Xonar Phoebus but ROG is RED and not really keen on that or the desktop control station.

This just leaves the Xonar range from Asus. from the reviews I have seen most of the higher end ones have Red/orange lights underneath ... now i know they can be disabled but has anyone had any experience in changing the led's to Blue? (or other colour)

So failing so bad to make up my mind and getting closer to xmas Im kinda in hope of laying my hands on a blue recon3d proffessional. A result on the query of the light colour on the Xonar range or Xonar Xense.

Please feel free to advise or suggest were appropriate

Thanks in advance

 

[jamesriley94]

I use the Xonar STX, and it's a wonderful card. The Creatives are more meant for gaming as is the Xense and Phoebus, whilst the Essense STX is for proper music listening.

As for the lights, I haven't even noticed them if they are there. The only light I've noticed is the one coming from the optical out, which isn't at all visible unless you either look directly into it, or put your finger within 2cm of it.

You need headphones - not a headset. Headsets are poor quality, whereas headphones are for proper music listening and will beat headsets in pretty much every scenario.

I'd recommend the STX completely. Although I do understand that due to your speakers you'll want something with 5.1 out...
So - you'd be best getting the ST with the H6 add on card.

You can go for the D2, or D2X as you've pictured but bear in mind, neither of those have a headphone amp built in, so if you do intend to buy some headphones, you're going to need to get an external headphone amp, such as one of the Fiio offerings.

What are you using it for? Music? Films? Gaming?

 

[SuB]

Try and pickup an X-fi from somewhere, the fatality card has as shroud you could easily remove and repaint.

My biggest piece of advice is avoid the Recon3D cards like the plague, they're completely crap, rebadged pieces of trash!

 

[Treble20]

I use the Xonar STX, and it's a wonderful card. The Creatives are more meant for gaming as is the Xense and Phoebus, whilst the Essense STX is for proper music listening.

As for the lights, I haven't even noticed them if they are there. The only light I've noticed is the one coming from the optical out, which isn't at all visible unless you either look directly into it, or put your finger within 2cm of it.
...
What are you using it for? Music? Films? Gaming?

Well I use my Rig for a little of everything but Mostly gaming, I have about 60gb of music but its mostly MP3's so I wouldnt consider myself an audiophile or any like that. The headphones/set was appealing mostly to help out my wife so she cant hear Stuff while she is studying. Also maybe to block out the sounds of our kids on the weekends for some gaming. This is why the Xense was appealing and from what I have read yes headphones are better then headsets but the Sennheiser Headset is at the top end of the Headsets.

Im a little picky about what is going in this build as its a work in progress and currently sits 2 foot to my right so I can see in the window. So its more the underglow on the Xonar cards that will catch my eye then the rear. ( this is why I was asking about the changing colour LED's)

Try and pickup an X-fi from somewhere, the fatality card has as shroud you could easily remove and repaint.

My biggest piece of advice is avoid the Recon3D cards like the plague, they're completely crap, rebadged pieces of trash!

Any particular X-fi card I should be looking for So far have checked out the Fatality and the Titanium HD ?

As for your coments regarding the recon 3d I had one before and was not to bad ( as mentioned before im not really an Audio freak) but was wondering what did you mean by rebadged ?

 

[SuB]

From what i've researched on the cards it's believed they are older audigy cards with a new 'badge' on them. They don't have the same quality, engineering or power of the X-Fi based cards which were Creative's best output tbh. If you're after gaming X-Fi is the way to go really.

As for which version I've personally had the X-Fi Media version from the first wave, the Auzentech X-Fi Prelude which was an amazing card, and now I have the X-Fi Fatality version (because that's the only one I could get at the minute) Only reason I've moved from the auzen card to this is that I needed Pci express.

The Titanium HD only has Coax/Digital outputs for Digital surround I believe and is setup for use with an external decoder. There is a Titanium that has all the standard 3.5 jacks as well, either of those is great.

If you're using it with Speakers, or headphones I'd go for the fatality, but don't get any fancy bells and whistles, you can get one in a jiffy bag with a driver disc and bob's your uncle

As for the Recon, it's just a crafty way for creative to overprice something, just look at the PCB's compare a Recon3d to an x-fi or asus xonar.. the recon3d board is pretty much bare.. which is quite striking for something so 'high end'.. Trust me, avoid if you can matey. You'll notice a difference!

 

[Treble20]

Bonus

So still not able to make up my mind I have decided to try a little trial and error.

Stilll looking around on the net for the ONE I want, I finally decided to go for the Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series

I tried to hit a few people up on ebay to see if they was willing to day cash on collection to end bidding early but no dice.

A quick Google and my local PC World/ Comet ( normally Avoid that place)had them in stock for £79 Not feeling patient Took a trip to pick one up.

Get there and get the usual blank faced expression when asking for any item and was generally pointed away from the Assistant. eventually find them and they only had the Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion Series Version. Now I didnt really want the break out box as When I go water cooling I want the front bays for the res , But I thought re-sell value and It was the same price.

Still not set on the card I have a little look around and see the Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD Thinking that it is suposed to be the better out of the cards I say F$%*& it and go for it. Dam no price.. Oh well Ill ask and hope. Scanned the card in and had a nice suprise £69 ! So score for me I think.

So now downloading the latest drivers etc and will have it up and running soon and will give it a blast. Thanks to the peeps that helped me choose, Sub and Jamesriley. (even thou im still not 100% set yet)

Thanks again

 

[SuB]

That looks like the card with the coax outputs instead of the 3.5 jacks?

 

[Treble20]

Yeah as the Logitech Z906 has a built in THX decoder I thought why the hell not and just connect it via optical. Lets face it if I don't like it I can ebay it and break even and try another card.

Thanks again for the help

 

[SuB]

Ah cool, sounds perfect then Glad you found what you wanted.

And good luck

(FYI, you can only push 5.1 surround over optical so far as I know, just in-case you were after 7.1)