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

Combat squirrel said:
I have no idea, I just checked and my board doesn't have spdif out. Only a standard stereo aux.

This is infuriating tbh, I don't know how audio hasn't moved forward.

My only way to get digital out the pc is via USB.
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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.
 
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.
 
Combat squirrel said:
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.
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Really well regarded DAC it should be just as good as the creative. It converts the digital signal from the PC to an analog signal that the amp can send to your speakers. Let us know how you get on.
 
Combat squirrel said:
Got the D10S running now with one of dad's old amps.

Sadly doesn't sound anywhere near as good as the X7 yet - but I'm presuming this old acoustic solutions amp is the issue.
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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.
 
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
 
Combat squirrel said:
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
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It can make a difference where you connect the DAC, any kind of hub or shared bus can introduce interference with the signal from other devices and audio is probably the one area where this is most evident. When you say it doesn't sound as good what do you mean is this listening to music, playing games, watching videos? You could look at a graphic equalizer app to tweak the output, most music players have an equalizer built in. I'm not sure if there is one that applies globally to audio out but you could maybe investigate that option. I have a G6 which by default applies SBX to audio output which does change the sound profile and makes it a bit more impactful but this isn't the natural sound that the music was recorded to reproduce. If you're used to hearing the sound presented via SBX then 'normal' sound may seem a bit flat until you adjust to it.

/Edit: from WhatHifi's review of the X7 "The ‘SBX’ switch on the front panel improves clarity and punch but unbalances the sound tonally, adding an unnatural amount of bass to the proceedings." If you have SBX turned on this would definitely explain the difference in sound when listening to the natural unmodified sound from the D10.

/Edit2: If you particularly want that SBX sound you could potentially send back the Topping and get a G6 instead, if you still wanted to feed the output to an amp and speakers you could use a 3.5mm to RCA lead.
 
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PieEater said:
/Edit: from WhatHifi's review of the X7 "The ‘SBX’ switch on the front panel improves clarity and punch but unbalances the sound tonally, adding an unnatural amount of bass to the proceedings." If you have SBX turned on this would definitely explain the difference in sound when listening to the natural unmodified sound from the D10.

/Edit2: If you particularly want that SBX sound you could potentially send back the Topping and get a G6 instead, if you still wanted to feed the output to an amp and speakers you could use a 3.5mm to RCA lead.
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The SBX settings on both are similar where you can adjust the Surround, Bass, Crystalliser etc. (either via PC, or mobile app for the X7) which obviously has the potential to distort the sound, albeit add features for gaming.

I would guess the weak link in the chain is the 'old' amp. Although I don't know if @Combat squirrel means the new setup sounds worse with speakers, headphones or both? Although I could imagine that a HiFi amp will sound weaker when used with headphones.
 
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
 
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?
 
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.
 
Combat squirrel said:
Its not TOO BAD I guess it just could be a lot better IMO ,likely the amp?? its only £70 new.
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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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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 ?
 
I'm going totally off base here...

You may have been better with studio monitors.

For example I have some Prodipe Pro 5 V3, these can be picked up for under £100 each (other week did see them under £90), there pretty good considering what they are. They would certainly be more honest then HiFi speakers for sound editing. I can almost guarantee the twin amp inside each Prodipe monitors would be higher quality then the Creative X7 amp.

The downside to monitors however is they can be to honest. For example if I listen to a YouTube video and someone has messed up the editing, then the Prodipes really expose this. However if you listen to music that's normally mastered good, then there is no issues with the Prodipes.

I have my monitors setup on height adjustable stands with isolation foam, my source is an Asus Essence ST, no DSP effects, everything pure from the card, I listen using Amazon Music HD. The only adjustments is speaker position and the monitor top-end roll off setting (on back of each monitor).

Then of course you would need some clean analogue input to connect to the monitors.

After that still not sure how you would power your headphones.

Just putting above out there as it's something else to consider.
 
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