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whats the best pc sound card

msi_mpower_z77

hey i have a msi mpower mobo the bulit in sound is pretty good but i want something that is really good what would be a good sound card i know asus makes good ones but idk what brand to go with

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asus for music, creative for gaming.

ok would u have a link and are corsair hed phones any good like there top of the line ones
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thx is just a certification, means nothing imo.

if you plan to use the 3d sound stuff go with something from creative's z line.

The major difference is the accessories. the z is basic, zx has a volume control that sits on your desk, and zxr has a daughter board with optical out and rca.

if you won't use the 3d sound stuff, go with asus or external dac/amp.

Will work for electronic components and parts


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I personally would recommend the Asus Xonar STX for any high end PC sound card. This card has great components (Burr Borwn DACs, headphone amp, shielding, etc) and brings forth some decent surround simulation (DSP) similar to what creative offers. After my experience with creative on Windows 8, I can't really recommend it. However, it does improve sound quality over built in sound cards. Also, I find the Creative's prowess comes with software processing and not the hardware. If you listen to music these software DSPs can lessen your experience whereas Asus offers better DACs for sound processing. For example, my Creative USB sound card only really "improved" my audio when I turned on the crystallizer setting. However, all it did was increase the amplitude of the sound waves. If you listen to metal, dub step, or hip hop, it accentuates the extremity of the bass and treble. But, for most other genres, it will lessen the mid range or cause distortion. This is pretty much the same wizardry used in Beats headphones and any software audio enhancer.

My personal rule for audio is hardware > software.

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I personally would recommend the Asus Xonar STX for any high end PC sound card. This card has great components (Burr Borwn DACs, headphone amp, shielding, etc) and brings forth some decent surround simulation (DSP) similar to what creative offers. After my experience with creative on Windows 8, I can't really recommend it. However, it does improve sound quality over built in sound cards. Also, I find the Creative's prowess comes with software processing and not the hardware. If you listen to music these software DSPs can lessen your experience whereas Asus offers better DACs for sound processing. For example, my Creative USB sound card only really "improved" my audio when I turned on the crystallizer setting. However, all it did was increase the amplitude of the sound waves. If you listen to metal, dub step, or hip hop, it accentuates the extremity of the bass and treble. But, for most other genres, it will lessen the mid range or cause distortion. This is pretty much the same wizardry used in Beats headphones and any software audio enhancer.

My personal rule for audio is hardware > software.

how about the ASUS ROG Xonar Phoebus Sound Card is that any good idk prob would not go with my mpower mobo
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The Phoebus is a gaming oriented card. As long as you have an unobstructed PCIE x1 slot you will fit pretty much any sound card out there. The Phoebus' strength com is its included dongle, and when matched with the card it will provide some microphone noise cancelling. This is a nice feature if you play on a headset or use a microphone with external speakers in the background. I took a look at the DAC and its a second rate DAC when compared to the one in the STX. However, you may only notice it if you are an avid music listener. The quality of sound in gaming usually won't require top end DACs to get the best sound.

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The Phoebus is a gaming oriented card. As long as you have an unobstructed PCIE x1 slot you will fit pretty much any sound card out there. The Phoebus' strength com is its included dongle, and when matched with the card it will provide some microphone noise cancelling. This is a nice feature if you play on a headset or use a microphone with external speakers in the background. I took a look at the DAC and its a second rate DAC when compared to the one in the STX. However, you may only notice it if you are an avid music listener. The quality of sound in gaming usually won't require top end DACs to get the best sound.
well i have a mpower msi mobo i just want the best sound card that can be used for music and gameing and i want a good head set 2 maybe corsair or asus head set idk
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