Hardware Asus Xonar D2X - PCI-Express soundcard

Yea all slots get 75W afaik but from what I gather it's 12V only (?) so the amount of amps crossing the slot is kept as low as possible (6.25). Plus, the 12V is run from the additional 4/8-pin connector making it more stable.

This could be crap - I couldn't find a PCI-E white paper on it.

 

the back-lit audio jacks look sweet! That's one expensive soundcard though...

 

The reason to get this is sound quality. I upgraded from a X-Fi Elite Pro to the Xonar D2M and have now upgraded to the D2X. The D2M sounded much better than the X-Fi Elite Pro (more detailed better imaging and bass) and the D2X sounds better again. I guess it is probably due to the pci-e bus being less noisey that the pci bus ?

Its a great card ! I would highly recommend it. I use it to feed a digital signal to a Cambridge Azur 840C to Linn pre/power amps feeding Monitor Audio GS60 speakers. The sound card is cheaper than even any 1 of my power plugs but great quality.

 

In the interests of sound quality, an extra step-up DC-DC conversion would be an inferior solution. There's +12V on that bus too, using that would be an arguably better solution. I guess this was a cheap, quick & dirty approach to converting an existing board; stick a floppy socket on it.

 

Is there any reason for me to get the PCI-E over the PCI card?

 

well I managed to get my hands on one of these for half off so just waiting for it to show up in the mail and I will give my thoughts on it, Im hoping to be blown away compared to my onboard audio. I have games, movies, blu-rays and various music to try out.

 

Really??? is this like a UK thing or Europe thing where Power Supplies over there dont have a floppy power plug? because here in the USA, I have never seen a PSU, new, old, modular whatever the wattage, they ALL had at least one floppy power plug.