A/V What Soundcard

Makes just donated me his Creative Inspire T7700 7.1 surround system for using on my HTPC

However am using a P5N-E SLI mobo so no onboard 7.1 and am resorting to a very basic USB 7.1 device, don't know if it's doing the job so am wondering what sound card to get.

Not looking to spend loads unless someone can explain why cadrs like £50 are worth it

Thanks

 

Asus Xonar DS...

 

I hear they're great, how much are they?

Just read a review that the Audigy 2 ZS is a perfect partner for the speakers

 

About £35 ish from scan I'm using one with a Corsair SP2500, and it's very good

 

m-audio 24-96 more balanced sound pretty cheap to.

 

In comparison to ASUS the Creative cards sound flat and driver updates equals nil! I have an ASUS D2X and the sound through 5.1 is deep and rich. Since upgrading from a X-Fi Titanium the difference is night and day, especially in games.

 

They sound better. Whether or not they're worth it depends on if slightly improved sound quality is worth £50 to you or not

For your needs, I'd say DS.

 

I spent £120 on mine :/

 

If you have a PCI slot spare and room definitely go for the Asus Xonar DS.

Think it has a front panel header as well that bizarrely the D2X lacks!

 

Would personally always recommend Creative myself with their audio pedigree

 

If this is some kind of joke then my apologies but Asus absolutely destroy Creative in the sound card world at the moment.

 

Used to be true but just look at the drivers page, haven't been updated in almost a year. Not because they're perfect so that excludes one excuse! Asus are not perfect either but a damn sight better in the here and now of 2011. Generally speaking my Creative Titanium was loud and brash, whereas my ASUS D2X is refined and I'm hearing a greater audio landscape in games, movies and music.

 

Nothing at all to do with the OP's needs (just bored atm), but what the Asus cards really need (imho) is a breakout box for useful things like midi, phono & optical input/outputs & line level volume controls & whatnot... ...maybe firewire as well as not all cases have the option.

Yeah, that's the one particularly good thing about the higher end Creative cards for those on a mid-range budget as there's the option.

 

http://brainbit.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/

Job done. However, with default sonar drivers, I've never felt the need to update them, been pretty much perfect.

 

Wouldn't update mine even if they did release new ones... if it ain't broke don't fix it - havent had any problems with these drivers

 

Did give them a try, really good sound but it has terrible problems whilst playing Alien Swarm.

 

Hmm really? I have been using the cheaper X-Fi card that was in CPC years ago are the Asus cards really that much better?

I have been thinking about upgrading since I got my Hi-Fi system:
Denon amp with Tannoy F1 Speakers. (V1s where not on sale at the time sadly)
No optical or HDMI on the Amp just the good old traditional phono (or are they called RAC?) plugs.

 

They're called RCA, but when they came out they were only used for phono stage inputs from turntables. Everyone will know what you mean :-D

 

i had x-fi extreme music, originally they were quite an expensive card but can be had now factory recon for around 16 quid which for the price is an absolue bargain

 

To my ears ASUS are qualitative whilst Creative is what I would refer to as quantitative, too much everything so it's a rather bland sound in comparison to the ASUS D2X! Although I am overly sound sensitive so likely over critical from my point of view.

I do have to pay respects to the Xtreme Music though that is a quality PCI card, especially if you get the one with a hardware X-Fi chip and not the cheaper models that only use software emulation.