Need a new sound card + possibly speakers

cHk4

cHk4

cHk4

Soldato
Joined
21 Jun 2005
Posts
9,223
Well my Auzen X-Fi™ Forte 7.1 died so I'm looking at getting a new card. I only used headphones before but I'm thinking about getting speakers etc now.

Ideally want to spend no more than £300 for a new card and speakers.
Speakers are a bonus I guess so I'm happy just to get a card as I have really good headphones. Happy to also just get a 2.1 set of speakers. Maybe a sub-woofer thing too. I don't really know much about sound :(

I mainly game and once in a while play music.
 
Last edited:
Ok, so you will need a headphone amplifier, to get the best from them. I have read comments that the PC350's are pretty average, considering their price, if they are used without a headphone amp. A headphone amp improves them quite a bit, going by others comments. As the Forte has an amp, you could either get a sound card without one, and buy one separately, or get a sound card with a headphone amp.

You could have course, buy an external DAC/headphone amp. Possibly the Zero DAC/headphone amp. See Global Inferno's thread on it.

Do you, or did you use CMSS 3D? ie, virtual surround sound.
 
Marsman said:
Ok, so you will need a headphone amplifier, to get the best from them. I have read comments that the PC350's are pretty average, considering their price, if they are used without a headphone amp. A headphone amp improves them quite a bit, going by others comments. As the Forte has an amp, you could either get a sound card without one, and buy one separately, or get a sound card with a headphone amp.

You could have course, buy an external DAC/headphone amp. Possibly the Zero DAC/headphone amp. See Global Inferno's thread on it.

Do you, or did you use CMSS 3D? ie, virtual surround sound.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply mate. I think I did use CMSS 3D - sure I had the option on my old sound card and had it enabled.

I think maybe getting a sound card with an amp built in might be a good idea. What options do I have? Do you know if the quality of a on board one will be better than that of an external one?

Thanks
 
Last edited:
The Essence is a great sound card, I have one in my HTPC. The headphone amp is very good, much better than the amp in the DG. Understandable really, when you consider the price difference between the 2 cards.
 
Marsman said:
The Essence is a great sound card, I have one in my HTPC. The headphone amp is very good, much better than the amp in the DG. Understandable really, when you consider the price difference between the 2 cards.
Click to expand...

Brilliant mate, thank you :D Guess this is going to be my next card!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom