X-Fi or the HDA Digital X ?

underclocker

underclocker

underclocker

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Ok as usual my list of requirements out weighs my finances so really need some advice.
Im currently using the onboard audio on my MSI K8N Neo Plat from looking at the other posts here it would appear that by adding a sound card I should notice improvements in game play as the CPU (AMD 64 3700) no longer sorts out the audio.

When I can finally afford a total upgrade to a Conro rig I want to use the sound card in my HTPC, what card would you recommend for connecting to an external surround sound hi fi amp?

Im looking at the OEM X-Fi XtremeMusic or the HDA Digital X Mystique 7.1 gold
Which are similar priced I like the idea of the OPTICAL Toslink for high quality Digital Output and COAXIAL RCA output connector on the HAD but unless I spend the extra and get the X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS the X-Fi has no out puts.

Is the X-Fi a different type of card than the HAD or should I save up for the X-Fi Fatal1ty?

Cheers
 
This is the sort of question that starts flame wars between Creative fanboys, and Creative haters.
It all really depends on which you require most.
If you want true Dolby Digital Live surround sound while playing, you need the HDA card which is one of the few cards which can output gaming Dolby Digital and 5.1 through optical/coax.
If you want EAX4 effects in game and are able to output the sound via 3 3.5mm jacks to your amp, go with X-Fi as IIRC HDA card can only do EAX2 which IMO sounds worse than EAX4.
You can always buy the platinum drive bay seperately for the X-Fi, if you don't get it straight away.
 
Excelent, I did not realise you could get the drive bay seperately.

I think that its most important for me to have the conectivity to the amp as in the future I want to watch DVDs and movies stored on my pC with surround sound.
Thanks
 
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X-Fi is probably the better actual card in terms of quality and gaming, but it's essentially analogue only - it does have digital output, but it's just an 'as-is' output with no access to the upmixing features, defeating the point in many ways. Go for this if you don't mind using analogue, and do a bit of gaming. It does sound very good over analogue, really.

Go HDA Xplosion if you plan to connect digitally to an external amp.
 
Why are you getting a HDA?, if you buy any modern Intel 975X Chipset Conroe board from Asus or Intel you get Dolby Digital Live built in?...a little research goes a long way...
 
X-Fi > X-Mystique in practically every way.

Only time the X-Mystique is going to be better than the X-Fi is if you want 5.1 in games and have to use a digital output.

Remember Dolby Digital is compressed and it still has to be converted to analogue at some point, so if the DACs in your receiver aren't particularly high quality analogue will probably be better. And if you're that concerned about quality you're going to be using PCM not Dolby Digital, which kinda defeats the point of getting a DDL card...

For gaming: X-Fi all the way
For music: Nothing in it

The X-Plosion is so over-priced it's a wonder it sells at all.
 
Phil99 said:
The X-Plosion is so over-priced it's a wonder it sells at all.
Click to expand...

Sorry if this is slightly off topic. I was considering buying one of these (or maybe an x-fi platinum) and am interested in whats so bad about it, I would have thought the DTS encoding would be worth the price?
 
Zephran said:
Sorry if this is slightly off topic. I was considering buying one of these (or maybe an x-fi platinum) and am interested in whats so bad about it, I would have thought the DTS encoding would be worth the price?
Click to expand...

The card isn't bad, just a bit too much for what it does in my opinion.

5.1 analogue out of a card like the X-Fi will sound just as good as 5.1 encoded in DDL or DTS out of a card like the X-Mystique/X-Plosion but with the X-Fi you're getting all the other fancy effects for the same price.

If the X-Mystique was £30 and the X-Plosion £45-£50 then I'd say they were decent value, but £50 & £80 is excessive for what they do, which is essentially easy cable management.

I've used Audigy 2/X-Fi/TB Montego DDL/X-Mystique/Soundstorm and the X-Mystique doesn't really offer anything over Soundstorm*/X-Fi and I can't see the X-Plosion being any different.


*though the upgradable OP-AMPs/quality would be far better than the Soundstorm analogue output.
 
i recently purchased an HDA x mystique and its POO!! i have to have mic boost on permenatly for all games and ppl can still only just hear me. it mutes the mic everytime i load a game so i have to alt-tab out and enable it again. music wise its fine very crisp. but for mikes and headsets it sucks big time you wouldnt believe how quie the mic is with full volume and mic boost on
 
Psypher5 said:
My mate has never had a problem with his headset and an HDA :/
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its a huge, known problem for the hda's.

ichabod crane - try the latest drivers, they fixed virtually every software issue i have with the card, including the mic problem and the windows speaker settings resetting themselfs:)

Phil99 said:
*though the upgradable OP-AMPs/quality would be far better than the Soundstorm analogue output.
Click to expand...

anything's better than the soundstorms analogue outputs :p
 
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Basically...

If you have a A/V Receiver surround sound setup and you still want surround sound in Games and other apps get the HDA. You can also switch between Dolby encoding or just normal 2ch stereo.

If you have normal PC 5.1 speakers with the 3x 3.5mm jack inputs, get the X-Fi.
 
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