Sorry but..another spec me thread

[AMG]

Hi guys well as you can see this is another spec me thread, well times two to be honest.

Sound card, I m after a sound card for less than £50 which can power a 5.1 system ( they are only logitech x530) as well as a headset without me having to mess about disconnecting anything. I use my front panal to connect the headset. So dobly and EAX support, headpone amp is optinal but if its going to make it better than you know.

second the headset, as its getting old and starting to sound a bit quiet ( I used to have to turn it down) I think its time to replace it, althrough its not really high up on my list, as they work fine. I want something that sound stunning but won't break the bank so to speck. I m not looking for 5.1 or anything like that, just a decent gaming headset. which sounds good.

now it depends how much its going to come to as I wanna replace my copperhead with a RAT3 as my copperhead is wanted by my parents for another PC, so bare that in mind.

 

[Sighn]

Have you not seen this thread http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18178647?

 

[AMG]

Hi there.
Yes I have, very interested in it. For headphones use it looks good but what about the 5.1 system can it handle that as well.

Also I read its EAX is a bit patcy that goes with all said xonars through on further through if I have to pay more than 50 I am willing to do so.

It's just really asus vs creative really considering I do use my 5.1 s for gaming as well.

I will check the it over later as I have 4 which looks good for me

 

[Marsman]

Also I read its EAX is a bit patcy that goes with all said xonars through on further through if I have to pay more than 50 I am willing to do so.

That is true.

I have an X-Fi for gaming, and a Xonar in my HTPC. I don't use EAX, but wanted to try EAX with the Xonar and X-Fi, to see if I could get it to work, as a test. Put the Xonar in my gaming PC, and tested FEAR, which is one of the very few EAX games I have.

I tried FEAR with my Xonar, and using the GX emulation, FEAR allowed me to enable EAX. The sound kept cutting out, and some lag too.

Trying FEAR with the X-Fi, given the much flouted line 'X-Fi is much better for EAX', FEAR would not let me enable it. Followed Creative's advice on setting up Alchemy, so that was correct. Quite funny really, Asus' GX emulation which has gotten flak from people for not working properly, at least half worked.

Of course, that is one game. If one game's EAX wont work with an X-Fi and Alchemy, how many others wont? Some people go for a X-Fi, because of it's better EAX support, not much good though is it, if there are games that wont play ball. Uriel, another OcUK member, also had trouble getting some games to work with EAX, with his X-Fi powered Auzentech card. Seems FEAR is not a one off case.

I'm not really surprised that EAX is patchy with Xonar's, as it's emulation. I am surprised there are probably more games than I thought where EAX wont work with an X-Fi

 

[AMG]

Yeah, I notice some EAX games work well with the xonar. Some don't. So pointing me at the dx when its not up to it is just not right for me is just pointless as I will only return it under distance selling.

Another point.. I do like mass effect now I run into problems with sound after a while with my on board

I be checked the xonars over, they are well up for it. It's mostly the eax that's the put off really. Creative have dobly headphones and what not as well and full eax 5 support.

I'm not too fused with a amp I be only got a creative gaming headset, which I got with my old x fi which I booted out due to the drivers rendering it useless. I'm planning a new sound card will put life back in to them as they sound "flat" I think I should use

 

[Marsman]

Yeah, I notice some EAX games work well with the xonar. Some don't. So pointing me at the dx when its not up to it is just not right for me is just pointless as I will only return it under distance selling.

Yes some do, some don't. To say a Xonar isn't up to it, as far as EAX goes, is fair enough. The fact I could not get FEAR to work with EAX using my X-Fi, makes me wonder how many other games also wont work with EAX.

Creative have dobly headphones and what not as well and full eax 5 support.

Creative don't use Dolby Headphone, they use their own CMSS 3D. It's very similar to DH, but it should be better for gaming. I say should, because it's down to preference, some prefer DH. CMSS 3D does have elevation though, something DH doesn't. Also, CMSS 3D is better when using team speak. DH turns other people's voices you are chatting to, into surround sound, which is a little weird.

 

[AMG]

Well creative are not going to let asus have the edge by letting them have Eax 5 tbh the xonars only have 2 max. But asus have all the dobly support and what not.

I didn't really say xonars are not up to it its only in that point of few I think they offer better bang over creative imo but not in a gaming point. Due to the dodge EAX

 

[AMG]

Hello sorry to bump, but I still can't make upy mind so I will play it like this, since I now have around £70 to play with I now have 5 options some are creative some asus. The one with the most support is the card I will get.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-004-AS&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat= asus xonar d1


overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-011-AS&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat= asus xonar dg

overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-002-AS&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=asus xonar dx if I got the links right

overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-065-CL&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=
Creative x fi titaium oem

overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-045-CL&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat= lastly creative x fi.gamer. I none I missed a few I'm on my phone here.. these are the once I was concerning but which one would you guys go for?

If it helps I am gaming but I do use my pc for multimedia, chest and what not as well gaming. I do use my headset for gaming..most but I do use my 5.1 as well. So yeah there we go should have done this in the first place.

Cheers

 

[Marsman]

Well I think given that Creative cards have better EAX support, if you want to use EAX, either an Xtreme Gamer or Titanium. I did say in a previous post that with my X-Fi, I could not get EAX to work with FEAR. It appears the reason is, if you have had a Xonar installed at the same time Alchemy does not work correctly. So it's likely EAX would work fine with my X-Fi, if I had not installed the Xonar.

Asus do update EAX support for more recent games, it appears, but older games like FEAR have been forgotten. If EAX support was of no interest, I'd say, get a Xonar. If EAX support is important, then X-Fi. I don't think it greatly matters which one, both Gamer and Titanium are good and will have the features you require.

 

[Uriel]

I'll mention the OEM X-FI SB0770. It's a pci version of the titanium and can often be had for under £30 new on the popular auction site. OCUK used to sell them but haven't done so for a few years.

 

[AMG]

well if asus have good EAX support with newer games like mass effect than I don't mind so much...also asus seems really good on paper compared with creative plus they are more expesnive thats why there are a lot more xonars on my hit list so to speck....

is there a difference between the D1 and the DG? I m also interested in the DX

 

[Telltale Boy]

The D1 and the DX are pretty much the same card but the DX is the newer pci-e version.

However the DG is a much cheaper card which is more based on headphone use & gaming - It had a headphone amp but doesn't use the Xonar Audio Processor and instead uses aC-Media CMI8786 chip and Cirrus Logic converter, which generally results in slightly worse music performance.

 

[Uriel]

When I last tried Mass Effect on my Xonar D2 it wasn't quite working properly and there were a few unpleasant audio issues. That was a year or two ago so they may have sorted it since then.

 

[AMG]

Not as bad as what happens to me with ME with my on board sounded fine to start with than started skipping than I started having performance issuse.

So by the look of it I wanna be going for the d1 and dx for asus audio engine. Considering I'm using it for more than gaming.

 

[Uriel]

Dunno, if you want Mass Effect to run.at its best I'd say think about X-Fi.

 

[AMG]

I ll have to look into it, as creative seem quite expesnive for what they really are imo.

a quick google should find what others have expiranced with the xonars see if I can pull up a recent one

*edit* can't see any issues with ME not on the first few pages at least.

I wish there was a compare button on asus's website -.-

I guess if there is a issue i could return it something which I don't wanna do, but I don't really wanna pay more just for EAX support ethoir just in case what happened last time when I had the XFI, that was the drivers rendering it useless

 

[AMG]

i ve made my choice

Sorry to bump.

however I have made my decsion...and its a asus xonar DX, it looks like a lovely card ( simlier to the D1 fact it is ) it got some good reviews in fact they all was, and the reviews seemed to like it more than the creative counter part, and is cheaper.

I have done my reserach, asus can do up to EAX 5.0 however its a emulation, but apprnetly its as good as the real thing, so shouldn't be too much bother. Also I made my choice based on the companys support for drivers, since we all know creative are touchy on that, you know thats why I decided against them. This is not my first sound card I used to have a X FI but I booted it out due to driver issues.

while I m here can any one recommend a headset WITH MIC or I would get the goldrings everyone loves here at OCuk.


as I m using a creative headset is getting on a bit.

 

[Telltale Boy]

If you're getting a soundcard then you're completely wasting it by using a headset. Go get those goldrings.

 

[AMG]

So there is nothing on the market with a Mic which would go nicely with the dx? With that said would those holdings need a amp I am a noob for sound... lol

 

[setter]

Using the DX here with ns1000's, fantastic combo. If you want to add a mic, a clip on job would be good. As for an amp, the FiiO E5 is highly reccomended if using the ns1000's in passive mode.

This mic would suit you well

SPEEDLINK SL-8691-SBK Spes Clip-On Microphone