Replacement Sound Card Advice

ICEx21 · 15 Dec 2013 at 15:36

Hey folks,

Currently I have a X-FI Fatality edition sound card which has been annoying me for a while now with driver issues, sound probs etc..
I'm looking for a replacement now but I don't want to go any lower in quality than what I currently have.
My main usages are for gaming and movies and I use a set of Sennheiser PC350SEs while sometimes switching to my 7.1 speakers.
Any advice is appreciated

crazy8s · 15 Dec 2013 at 16:15

What's your budget?

ICEx21 · 15 Dec 2013 at 18:30

About £150 although I don't necessarily want to spend that much if I don't have to. As long as it's superior to what I have I'm happy, also I forgot to add I'm using Windows 8.1.

crazy8s · 15 Dec 2013 at 18:38

I had an Asus Xonar Essence STX before I upgraded my system. Would highly recommend it though I cannot comment on the gaming performance as I have just changed my system to try PC gaming

Marsman · 15 Dec 2013 at 19:14

Essence is no good, as it's a stereo card. Essence ST + H6 add on board will give 7.1, but that is some serious overkill unless the speakers are decent full size home cinema speakers, not the tiny little satellite speakers. Even then, anyone with such a speaker system will be using HDMI or SPDIF, making such a sound card rather pointless. For PC speakers far better to go with one of the cheaper cards, possibly a Xonar D2X.

I was going to suggest a Soundblaster Z, but that's got 5.1 output, not 7.1, which the OP requires.

ICEx21 · 16 Dec 2013 at 21:04

Ok so I've had a bit of a look around but I'm hoping someone can let me know if I'd notice a difference between the Soundblaster ZX and what I've currently got the X-FI Fatality

Marsman · 16 Dec 2013 at 22:34

Soundblaster Z cards are 5.1 though, unless you have a 7.1 system that uses digital input rather than analogue?

ICEx21 · 20 Dec 2013 at 19:22

Ah sorry I read specs wrong, well tbh I don't really use the speakers anymore. I'm mostly just using the headset due to using TS3. Any recommendations?

neuk · 21 Dec 2013 at 18:46

Buy a good external DAC instead, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1rXcJuEsy0&feature=c4-overview&list=UUNovoA9w0KnxyDP5bGrOYzg

ICEx21 · 23 Dec 2013 at 16:07

I thought DACS weren't the best option for gaming as they only do stereo sound?

neuk · 23 Dec 2013 at 17:03

They discuss that in the video I linked(Skip to 13:40). Headphones have two speakers, one for each ear. So, for surround sound they have to simulate in software the way the human ear hears and it ends up sounding crap.You don't need it to be simulated, your ears can do it on their own http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA If your using headphones and the game has a headphone setting that is what the game developers recommended using not surround sound. Some companies put multiple drivers in their headphones which makes everything sound terrible. Avoid them is all I can say. If you really want surround sound use speakers not headphones. External DAC is a better option when using good headphones. I'm using DT770's with a FiiO E10

Marsman · 23 Dec 2013 at 18:38

OP has 7.1 speakers, so a DAC isn't going to be much use in this instance.

neuk · 23 Dec 2013 at 19:04

Marsman said:
OP has 7.1 speakers, so a DAC isn't going to be much use in this instance.

But, he said he didn't use them anymore.