Soldato
I'm in the same boat. The lack of pro reviews is a bit off putting. I'll probably order one tonight when I get home from the pub though
Last edited:
Xonar DG - ultimate budget headphone card?
- Thread starter Uriel
- Start date
I'm in the same boat. The lack of pro reviews is a bit off putting. I'll probably order one tonight when I get home from the pub though
Soldato
Yeah, I bought one.
Cheers for the response.
Exactly though d brennen, I couldn't wait.
I got a pair of DR50's yesterday, so looking forward to hearing the difference to the onboard of my P5Q Deluxe. Which I have been perfectly happy with for my desktop 2.1 Inspire T10's, just doesn't have the oomph for my headphones.
Cheers for the response.
Exactly though d brennen, I couldn't wait.
I got a pair of DR50's yesterday, so looking forward to hearing the difference to the onboard of my P5Q Deluxe. Which I have been perfectly happy with for my desktop 2.1 Inspire T10's, just doesn't have the oomph for my headphones.
Soldato
Well I have been using mine for a week or so now.
I am no audiophile and I purely bought this as I game and I normally always use headphones (Creative Fatality Mk2's).
I was using a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio earlier this year until I built my new rig. I found that the onboard on my Crosshair IV sounded a hell of lot better than the creative card, so started using that.
The ASUS DG, in my opinion, is a bigger step up from the above. I was amazed when I started using the onboard as I started hearing things in BC2 that I had not heard before.
The same has happened again. I am hearing yet more that I never knew was in the game.
For the money, this is probably one of the best upgrades I have made. I installed it no problems on Win7 64 and the driver programme is a doddle to use. It has so many different things you can tweak.
My mates have said that I sound a lot clearer in Vent, and I can also hear them a lot better.
My only gripe is that a couple of the capacitors were a little crooked on the board (I have put pics up in this thread), but the card is working like a dream.
I am no audiophile and I purely bought this as I game and I normally always use headphones (Creative Fatality Mk2's).
I was using a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio earlier this year until I built my new rig. I found that the onboard on my Crosshair IV sounded a hell of lot better than the creative card, so started using that.
The ASUS DG, in my opinion, is a bigger step up from the above. I was amazed when I started using the onboard as I started hearing things in BC2 that I had not heard before.
The same has happened again. I am hearing yet more that I never knew was in the game.
For the money, this is probably one of the best upgrades I have made. I installed it no problems on Win7 64 and the driver programme is a doddle to use. It has so many different things you can tweak.
My mates have said that I sound a lot clearer in Vent, and I can also hear them a lot better.
My only gripe is that a couple of the capacitors were a little crooked on the board (I have put pics up in this thread), but the card is working like a dream.
Soldato
That's sealed it for me. Going to order one tonight
Very happy with this. Drives my Carcharias headset quite easily and really brings out the depth in them. Gaming was a whole new experience coming from onboard. I find the HiFi setting to be just right for music listening, where the dolby headphone tends to send the whole thing off balance music-wise. Chuffed for £25 though!
EDIT: I actually quite like DH3 setting in the large concert hall for classical
EDIT: I actually quite like DH3 setting in the large concert hall for classical
Last edited:
Soldato
Ordered Amazing what a few pints can do to tight purse strings!
I will post up findings probably Wednesday evening
Amazing what a few pints can do to tight purse strings!I will post up findings probably Wednesday evening
Ordered
I will post up findings probably Wednesday evening
Good choice
I didn't have to be drunk for my purchase 
Last sound card I ever bought was a Soundblaster live 5.1. Been using onboard sound since those days. I took this purchase cos it was cheap, but also cos it was a Xonar with DH and a heaphone amp. I really couldn't resist such a price for all that.
Its was a great decision and price. Sound feels better and more layered than the onboard sound. No regrets.
Associate
- Joined
- 18 May 2010
- Posts
- 30
I'm currently in the market for a sound upgrade so this is top of the list (I barely ever use my speakers).
Also a lot of you seem to be going on about the Goldring NS1000 headphones. However i've been recommended the JVC HA-RX700 headsphones elsewhere and i've seen so many great reviews for them. Plus they're £35 compared to the £50 price of the NS1000s.
Which headphones would you recommend?
Also a lot of you seem to be going on about the Goldring NS1000 headphones. However i've been recommended the JVC HA-RX700 headsphones elsewhere and i've seen so many great reviews for them. Plus they're £35 compared to the £50 price of the NS1000s.
Which headphones would you recommend?
Soldato
Hi guys i havent read this whole thread just flicked through it.
Im currently using a XFI music card which is great but not that good when using earphones.
Would i be better buying a Asus Xonar DG PCI Sound Card to get the dolby headphone sound which i used to have and it sounds great compared to the XFI,dont get me wrong Xfi is good but for headphone the Xonar is superior.
What is the Asus Xonar DG 5.1 PCI Sound Card like for normal music games compared to what i have now which is a XFI music,i know it uses dolby headphones which is want i want but also decent sound when playing music without headphones?
Im currently using a XFI music card which is great but not that good when using earphones.
Would i be better buying a Asus Xonar DG PCI Sound Card to get the dolby headphone sound which i used to have and it sounds great compared to the XFI,dont get me wrong Xfi is good but for headphone the Xonar is superior.
What is the Asus Xonar DG 5.1 PCI Sound Card like for normal music games compared to what i have now which is a XFI music,i know it uses dolby headphones which is want i want but also decent sound when playing music without headphones?
Last edited:
Been following this thread since page 1 and finally put the money down for one (gotta find something PCI to remove now...).
Anyway, I discovered my front panel audio is shielded so I'm planning to use my 'phones through there, does the amp work with front panel audio too or only through the back?
Anyway, I discovered my front panel audio is shielded so I'm planning to use my 'phones through there, does the amp work with front panel audio too or only through the back?
Front and back.
NS1000's are without a doubt the better headphone. The JVC's cost £35, but the NS1000's normally sell for £100+. It's just a certain island based site seems to be able to sell them for £50. The JVC's are certainly good headphones, but I very much doubt they offer the sound quality of the Goldring's.
I don't know how much you know about the NS1000's. They are noise cancelling headphones, so they use a battery. You can use them with the NC off, but the NC circuitry acts as an amplifier, so with it off they need to be amplified to get the best out of them. The Xonar DG has a headphone amplifier, but it doesn't provide enough juice to drive the NS1000's effectively with the NC off. With the NC on, the NS1000's will work fine with whatever they are connected to. You will need to replace the battery every few months, depending on usage. They have a short cable, only 1m, because they are designed to be used in noisy environments, on planes etc, where a long cable isn't desired. You would probably need to buy an extension headphone cable.
I have both the NS1000s and HA RX700. Would certainly recommend the Goldrings over the JVCs.
Soldato
Looks like Xonar put out a card for gamers/music lovers with a headphone amp and performance compared to £100 sound cards for under 30 quids
I'll tell you at the end of this week, I have one on the way for my NS1000s.
Looks like Xonar put out a card for gamers/music lovers with a headphone amp and performance compared to £100 sound cards for under 30 quids
In a way yes. It's certainly a buy and a half at £27, considering the X-Fi Xtreme Audio is inferior and costs more, and doesn't have CMSS 3D that the 'true' X-Fi's have. With the DG you get Dolby Headphone, just as you do with the Essence. Looking at Creative's budget offering, the Audigy SE at £4 less, it's god knows how many years old now, and looks pitiful. If Creative had any sense, they would pull it. I doubt they do though.
Performance cannot be compared to the Essence though, or even the D2/D2X. The Essence and D2/D2X have superior components, and the Essence has a superior headphone amp. However, given what the DG costs, it's a steal. It's a shame it's headphone isn't beefy enough to drive the Goldring NS1000's with the NC turned off. If were able to, it would be one heck of a combo, with no external headphone amp needed.
Soldato
Sterling effort from OcUK as usual Ordered at gone midnight Saturday night arrived first thing today, Northern Ireland no less! Looks like a class product for the money. I second someone else in this thread who said the bracket just rattling around the box is a little off putting 
Can't wait to try it with BC2 and CSS tonight
Ordered at gone midnight Saturday night arrived first thing today, Northern Ireland no less! Looks like a class product for the money. I second someone else in this thread who said the bracket just rattling around the box is a little off putting Can't wait to try it with BC2 and CSS tonight
Soldato
Sterling effort from OcUK as usual
Can't wait to try it with BC2 and CSS tonight
Look forwards to your thoughts, I was playing BC2 last night and again thinking how much better the sound was than my previous, both onboard and a much more expensive Creative card.
Are all the capacitors straight on yours? Also, what is that bracket for exactly?
