Which USB sound card/DAC to replace my Sound Blaster X7?

Combat squirrel

Combat squirrel

Combat squirrel

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As title, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE my x7 - however its unreliable and ANNOYING AF.

It won't seemingly take any firmware updates anymore so I can't get any bug fixes and it often just cuts out and needs to be turned off/on again many times before it decides it wants to connect to my Mac mini OR PC.

I have a USB switch with the X7 and mouse plugged in so when I want to switch between machines I just hit it to move between - it is not this though, it behaves the same if its directly wired in to either machine.

So because of this iv had enough, it sounds incredible but it just can't handle being reliable - I need a sound system that just works no matter what.

Its hooked into a pair of KEF Q100 speakers so I will need a new USB soundcard/DAC to be able to handle that & handle speaker wire (not 3.5mm).

Must work with both Mac & PC

Suggestions ?
 
Timber said:
Its most annoying habit that it developed at the end was setting itself to 100% volume if it was disconnected and reconnected to a USB port on my PC.
I don't miss the X7's 'quirks' although I miss the ability to play multiple inputs at the same tim
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EXACTLY WHAT MINE DOES !!!!!!!!!!!! So it's not just me then - sounds like its on its way out then? excuse the pun!

It now won't change volume at all - just stuck on a low volume now - ill look into everyone's recommendations.

I want quality stereo sound - and it has to be USB input as I want to press a button to go between my Mac and PC, and it will connect to the KEF speakers - any info with those requirements, appreciated!
 
Just thought, I may have an amp already I can use to sort power to the speakers - now I just need a way of getting a 'USB Sound card' to send a signal to the amp - how do I do this?

Must work on Mac AND PC - I have absolutely no idea these how it's all done.
 
Timber said:
I think it's probably a software issue somewhere between the drivers and firmware - particularly as the X7 did have a few updates over the years. The latest driver notes mention an 'active' USB port so it probably doesn't do it for every device (or USB port). Not sure about the volume issue though unless it is something to do with running it in direct mode.

If the requirements are USB and just stereo then you'll have loads of options - depending on budget?

A separate DAC should be able to output a signal to an AMP via RCA or Optical Out.
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Yeah its annoying what it does, but yeah, had enough now! lol

Basically best value for money please is what I'd want, not mental money, but not cheap rubbish. Main use is video editing, music and gaming in equal amounts, im happy with stereo for gaming as I only play strategy games really or when I use VR it has its own audio.

Id also want the ability to use headphones as well as my pair of KEF speakers. I have some AKG headphones I use for editing audio in final cut.
 
Ok thanks for all the feedback folks - but, I am still non the wiser - I am dumb as mud with audio.

Can anyone list me what to buy if they were buying tonight:

1) Something to get from USB to a sound card or something or other

2) Something to get this audio coming out of my KEF speakers? :cry:

Just list the things I need to buy if possible, apologies I honestly do not know & I seek your collective higher wisdom.
 
JasonM said:
There should be a digital header on the motherboard you can connect a spdif out back panel to.

That said, it might be more easy to buy a amp with a USB interface on it.
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Absolutely none unfortunately - checked everything, the bazooka model doesn't, but the mortar does (MSI b550 boards)

PieEater said:
Topping D10S DAC for ~£90 will get you from USB to any amp of your choice via coax, optical or RCA.
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Ok got this ordered thank you ! hopefully its at least as ok as the creatives dac - but I assume it will just be forwarding a signal to the amp anyway.
 
PieEater said:
Could be the amp it could also be that the X7 was changing the sound profile either through the drivers or at a hardware level. Make sure you have the DAC connected to a USB header on the rear IO panel to ensure the best quality signal.
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Yeh the USB is in the back of pc.....but that shouldn't make a difference as it's digital at that point? No issues USB wise.

Just doesn't sound as good unfort, I may get another hour or two out of the x7 before it proper dies so if I can get it going I'll double check how it sounds tomorrow
 
Yeah so the sound basically sounds more basic, worse, lower quality, less definition.

I have plugged in my AKG 702 headphones directly into the D10s.

It sounds ‘fine’ i guess - but these headphones are meant to be flat response, i use them for audio mastering videos - but the audio clarity isn’t particularly any better, ill have to do it again - it does sound mushier going through the amp - i am connected phono (white and red) to the amp into the cd in input.

I would imagine doing that as its analogue out on the D10s then into the amp then out again from the amp, its essentially being processed twice and output twice in analogue - i have set all the amps settings to ‘0’ as possible, i.e. no bass, treble, etc gain to keep it as close to the D10s as possible.

But maybe the speakers just suck and I’m used to the x7 I don’t know to be honest.

I did get the D10s to be able to switch between PC and Mac mini, but i realise there is an optical audio out on my call digit attached to my mac - i may now go down the route of some sort of sound on the pc - and maybe buy a new modern amp, then use optical out the Mac mini and optical out the D10s and just feed them into an amp ???

I’d need an amp that can do 2x optical in though.

It’s a shame the audio from the D10s isn’t being ‘used’ but that device only processes out to the 2x phonos as i understand.

Have i gone about this all the wrong way ?

Edit: Seems the Denon PMA600NE has 2 optical in
 
JasonM said:
The amp might be ok, however without me listening to it, it's difficult for me to tell.

What speaker cable are you running, how thick, is it also pure copper? To thin cable will effect sound.

Your speakers should ok, the issue is most likely somewhere else.

How are the speakers positioned, have you done any setup for your speakers?
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Yeah cables are great, a good 1CM thick (total) 2 well insulated chunky rubber copper cable speaker cables each.

Same cables I had on the x7

Its not TOO BAD I guess it just could be a lot better IMO ,likely the amp?? its only £70 new.
 
Timber said:
From what I've just watched and read the Topping D10S (specifically the updated newer model which you have) is a very well regarded £100 DAC with a very clean output. It's a pure DAC with no controls for taking USB input and converting it into COXA, RCA and optical out to any AMP(s). What you 'might' be missing is the AMP.

One thing I understood is that headphone AMPs are generally considered better than HiFi AMPs for headphone use, and this is where it feels to me like you almost have separate requirements; to drive the AKG K702's, or any other headphones you use, and drive the KEF Q100 passive speakers. Something like the iFi Zen Can or Topping L30 AMP (working with your D10S) is going to do the former well, but not so much the latter. Hence my very early comments in this thread that the X7 was doing a lot in one box.

However as mentioned did you have the SBX features enabled on the X7?
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Thanks, I must have had them on as SBX was always lit up on the X7.

Im thinking if I got the Denon PMA600NE I could have the D10s from my pc - the call digit from the Mac mini and then just plug the headphones in to the Denon when I needed them.

I only use headphones for editing video - I use speakers 99% of the time.

Id wire it up so only optical was going from the d10s/calldigit into the Denon amp - so would this make all audio processing then be done by the Denon only? or is some still done in the D10s?

Is this what you would do ?
 
Timber said:
The big strength of the D10/D10S appears to be it can be used as a DAC for an AMP via RCA output.
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I think this is what im confused at - if I output from the D10s to an amp (currently 'cd in'), does the amp then PROCESS this information and change the sound again or does it purely just send the info to the speakers?

Id obviously want it to just send the signal to the speakers without any changes, but im not sure it is ?
 
Timber said:
If I understand things correctly, the DENON PMA-600NE has a series of inputs called 'Audio In - CD' which are RCA inputs. If using those inputs the D10S would be converting the Digital Audio to Analogue and therefore doing the DAC part. Then the Denon would be the amplifier and also powering the speakers. I think a DAC always has the potential to 'flavour' the sound from a source. That said the D10S has been praised for being very neutral, clean and transparent. So you should have an upgraded set-up than the X7 with the ability to change each component if and when required.

At some point in the chain you'd need a DAC, an AMP and in your case power those passive Kef speakers.

As mentioned the D10S can also send a digital signal via SPDIF (Optical/COAX) then it is just doing the job of a converter, not changing the source sound in any way. In this scenario the device receiving the digital signal would have to do the DAC duties (i.e. the Denon PMA-600NE). That's why there's potentially a place for it with even more expensive DAC/AMPS setups where there is no USB input.
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Ok great so were fairly confident the amp is not taking an analogue signal, then processing it into a different analogue signal then outputting ? just taking the input, amplifying it and putting it out to speakers?

I currently don't have the Denon amp but im going to order I think, right now I just have the Acoustic solutions - however an amp would solve a lot of issues using the speakers on 2 different computers for me, so ill go for it with that as well.

I appreciate you taking the time to bounce some ideas around and discuss it ! :)
 
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