IS the ASUS Xonar DSX 7.1 a good sound card

[Slypuphound]

So  right now im using the on board audio and is not loud enough and i have some extra money i was wondering if the Xonar DSX 7.1 Good 

[Lauen]

It's an alright card, sure, but if you can find the FiiO E10, I'd rather get that. or when just need more volume, you could also check out the FiiO E6. 

 

EDIT: I don't know what output impedance it has, but if it's like most ASUS cards, it has a 10 ohm or more output impedance, so it could be worse sound quality if you're using headphones that are under 80 ohm. 

Edited February 20, 2014 by Lauen

[Slypuphound]

It's an alright card, sure, but if you can find the FiiO E10, I'd rather get that. or when just need more volume, you could also check out the FiiO E6. 

 

EDIT: I don't know what output impedance it has, but if it's like most ASUS cards, it has a 10 ohm or more output impedance, so it could be worse sound quality if you're using headphones that are under 80 ohm. 

thats a lil bit more that im willing to spend

[Lauen]

thats a lil bit more that im willing to spend

Then I'd rather take a look at the DGX soundcard, as it has a headphone amp, which definately will get loud. but what headphones do you have? 

[hawaiims]

Then I'd rather take a look at the DGX soundcard, as it has a headphone amp, which definately will get loud. but what headphones do you have? 

most people don't need amps. Dacs on the other hand can be quite useful for most. 

[Slypuphound]

Then I'd rather take a look at the DGX soundcard, as it has a headphone amp, which definately will get loud. but what headphones do you have? 

The TTe Sports Shock and on my mac they sounded fine but ever since i made my pc they sound really low 

[Lauen]

most people don't need amps. Dacs on the other hand can be quite useful for most. 

It doesn't get loud enough for the OP, a DAC wouldn't change anything about that. and if you don't need an amp, I assume you're deaf? 

[Lauen]

The TTe Sports Shock and on my mac they sounded fine but ever since i made my pc they sound really low 

Might be some settings that are wrong in the audio thing on your PC? what motherboard do you have? 

[Slypuphound]

Might be some settings that are wrong in the audio thing on your PC? what motherboard do you have?

MSI-FM2-A55M-E33 kinda a cheep motherboard to be honest but its doing fine for gaming but not for audio

[Lauen]

MSI-FM2-A55M-E33 kinda a cheep motherboard to be honest but its doing fine for gaming but not for audio

Well the DAC on that is alright, but check levels and settings, if you can't find anything to make it louder, get the DGX, might as well. Also, make sure you're using the right ports, the green one on the back of your PC. 

[creatip123]

Then I'd rather take a look at the DGX soundcard, as it has a headphone amp, which definately will get loud. but what headphones do you have? 

 

I actually use the cheaper one, the xonar DG (I think the cheapest of the xonar line), and the built-in headphone amp in this thing is great. When set to 'headphone' as output, it presents 3 levels of amp power, that is: for headphone <32ohms, 32-64ohms, and >64ohms

 

Previously I was using onboard realtek ALC887 (which died, so I replaced it with the DG). I have to crank up the volume to get a good volume from headset. Now I have to crank DOWN the volume to get a good volume (amp set to 32-64ohms, using 34ohms headphone, master volume set to 50%)

[EmoRarity]

I actually use the cheaper one, the xonar DG (I think the cheapest of the xonar line), and the built-in headphone amp in this thing is great. When set to 'headphone' as output, it presents 3 levels of amp power, that is: for headphone <32ohms, 32-64ohms, and >64ohms

 

Previously I was using onboard realtek ALC887 (which died, so I replaced it with the DG). I have to crank up the volume to get a good volume from headset. Now I have to crank DOWN the volume to get a good volume (amp set to 32-64ohms, using 34ohms headphone, master volume set to 50%)

Gain is not the same as output impedance, and the very high output impedance of that card (27 or 37ohms can remember which) is very very high, and very detrimental to a low impedance pair of headphones. 

But in your case where you have low impedance headphones, and a low budget, your choices are slim. 

[creatip123]

Gain is not the same as output impedance, and the very high output impedance of that card (27 or 37ohms can remember which) is very very high, and very detrimental to a low impedance pair of headphones. 

But in your case where you have low impedance headphones, and a low budget, your choices are slim. 

 

Yes, I was talking about gain (not output impedance), as the OP said something about 'headphone not loud enough'

 

And yes, since my onboard sound died, I have little choices. It's either get a dedicated sound card, external DAC, or change mainboard. I've read that external DAC have very low output impedance, which is good. But to get 5.1 or 7.1 channels (I use the PC audio mostly for gaming) meaning I'd have to get an external DAC with built in DSP for 5.1 or 7.1 channels, and those might be a bit pricey. Changing mainboard solely because of dead audio onboard sounds like an overkill. So yeah, I went with the most reasonable (not best) choice

[hawaiims]

It doesn't get loud enough for the OP, a DAC wouldn't change anything about that. and if you don't need an amp, I assume you're deaf? 

didn't even read the OP lol. Sorry.