Which card for gaming on z5500 Logitechs

Larok · 30 Jan 2010 at 22:30

Looking at the Asus Sonars and Creatives, I'v read reviews on the D2 and Essence ST and wanted to ask for advice as to which card to get to go with Logitechs Z5500 speakers? It's primarily for gaming but music/video also.

(Btw I can only fit a PCI card on the P6T mobo due to the after market cooling on the GPU covering the PCI-E mount.)

Locke · 30 Jan 2010 at 22:33

Having used the D2 myself, I would recommend it, comes with all the connections and cables you'd need.

Shame the software support for it in Windows 7 sucks..

kylew · 31 Jan 2010 at 15:35

I would suggest any card that does Dolby Live 5.1 encoding and has a digital output.

Gaidin109 · 31 Jan 2010 at 15:47

I would get the Essence ST, I have the Essence STX and its excellent.

Larok · 1 Feb 2010 at 23:24

Thanks for the thought guys. Will get back to you when I'm finished installing the 5500's.

Uriel · 1 Feb 2010 at 23:37

The z5500s support DTS too. So DTS connect will work as well as DDL.

Most of those cards are complete overkill for the 5500s.

Xonar DS has all the features you need, especially if you'll be using an optical connection. I would advise differenly for use with headphones though.

Failing that see if you can turn up an OEM X-Fi with the optical ports (SB0770 or SB0772). They're fully featured X-Fis and don't cost much plus you can pay an extra US $5 to Creative to enable Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect. They'll probably be marginally better for gaming than the Xonar DS.

Larok · 2 Feb 2010 at 20:13

Thanks, I had been thinking about EAX for gaming and the optical connection. Does the Sonar DS have EAX?

Taking a look in the machine it's the PCI slots that are blocked with two free PCI express slots free. A PCIEX4 and PCIEX16. L

Checking out this card http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-001-AS and this one http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-065-CL&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

Larok · 2 Feb 2010 at 20:54

Seen this recent thread about the D2X v X-FI Titanuim Fatility Pro http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17971267

Uriel · 2 Feb 2010 at 21:51

The Xonars all use something called DS3D-GX to emulate EAX. When it works it's pretty good but it doesn't work all the time. Most newer EAX games were patched in by Asus in the drivers but I found several older ones wouldn't work.

Creative use Alchemy to get Directsound3D (including EAX) working in vista and 7. This seems to have a much better success rate from my experience.

Larok · 2 Feb 2010 at 23:08

Sounds good. I can't decide!