Need help choosing a sound card

[bdog720]

Hey guys

 

I need help choosing a sound card to replace my onboard audio. This setup will be used mainly for gaming

 

currently I have logitech z506 as my main sound system and kicker hp541 as my headphones (not the best setup i know)

 

Normally I'm pretty good with putting together pc's but when it comes to audio I have no idea what's good and what's not. Linus always says go for anything "xonar" so I'm going to assume asus is the main way to go but I have no clue what I should be getting

 

I'm hoping to not spend more than $200(Australian) but i can push my budget a little higher if needed. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks guys

 

links

z506: http://www.logitech.com/en-au/product/surround-sound-speakers-z506

PC parts retailer: http://pccasegear.com

[sabot]

I would recommend an external one so that it can be used with other machines.

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Soundblaster-Surround-System-SB1095/dp/B0044DEDCA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394073131&sr=8-1&keywords=external+sound+card

[Dmon]

Maybe a Fiio E10.

[helping]

Spending your money on better audio equipment is a better idea. You're not going to make the Logitechs sound any better, the Kickers? Maybe louder.

 

Those kickers are likely low impedance too, in such case a sound card might make it sound worse. 

[ShearMe]

I have one of these and really enjoy it: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Hi-Fi-USB-Audio-DAC-24-bit-96-KHz-digital-to-analog-converter-Coaxial-/200995285833?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item2ecc40ab49&_uhb=1

 

Like helping suggested above, however, you'd hear the biggest difference in getting better speakers/headphones. Unless your onboard as static, EMI, pops, crackles, etc, there's not going to be a big difference switching to a new source.

[bdog720]

Spending your money on better audio equipment is a better idea. You're not going to make the Logitechs sound any better, the Kickers? Maybe louder.

 

Those kickers are likely low impedance too, in such case a sound card might make it sound worse. 

Thanks, that does sound like a good idea. I'll do some saving and get better headphones first

[fenix67]

For a internal ASUS Xonar Essence STX the only problem there it is 2 channel not 5.1, but arguably the best internal sound card for the money. Or you can go for an external Dac, but personally i would invest in some nice headphones to go with them like Audio-Technica ATH-M50 then you'll really enjoy the sound.

 

i run ASUS Xonar Essence STX with Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and the sound is very impressive.

 

But if you have a good Motherboard with good onboard sound sound, which most of the current gaming motherboards will have. then go for good headphones or speakers first.

 

Spending your money on better audio equipment is a better idea. You're not going to make the Logitechs sound any better, the Kickers? Maybe louder.

 

Those kickers are likely low impedance too, in such case a sound card might make it sound worse. 

 

no for the money they sound ok, and yes they will sound better with the right sound Dac, granted not as good as if he had better hardware. Me i use headphones mainly as i said above, but for external i only use the 2.1 version of the opps speakers and the sound card did improve the sound quite a bit. granted I'm in the market for better hardware myself but for now. my setup will do.

[EmoRarity]

For a internal ASUS Xonar Essence STX the only problem there it is 2 channel not 5.1, but arguably the best internal sound card for the money. Or you can go for an external Dac, but personally i would invest in some nice headphones to go with them like Audio-Technica ATH-M50 then you'll really enjoy the sound.

i run ASUS Xonar Essence STX with Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and the sound is very impressive.

But if you have a good Motherboard with good onboard sound sound, which most of the current gaming motherboards will have. then go for good headphones or speakers first.

no for the money they sound ok, and yes they will sound better with the right sound Dac, granted not as good as if he had better hardware. Me i use headphones mainly as i said above, but for external i only use the 2.1 version of the opps speakers and the sound card did improve the sound quite a bit. granted I'm in the market for better hardware myself but for now. my setup will do.

Varible levels of laughably wrong.

[mr moose]

For a internal ASUS Xonar Essence STX the only problem there it is 2 channel not 5.1, but arguably the best internal sound card for the money. Or you can go for an external Dac, but personally i would invest in some nice headphones to go with them like Audio-Technica ATH-M50 then you'll really enjoy the sound.

 

i run ASUS Xonar Essence STX with Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and the sound is very impressive.

 

But if you have a good Motherboard with good onboard sound sound, which most of the current gaming motherboards will have. then go for good headphones or speakers first.

 

 

no for the money they sound ok, and yes they will sound better with the right sound Dac, granted not as good as if he had better hardware. Me i use headphones mainly as i said above, but for external i only use the 2.1 version of the opps speakers and the sound card did improve the sound quite a bit. granted I'm in the market for better hardware myself but for now. my setup will do.

Um, just no, read the FAQ.

[NannerBeans]

For a internal ASUS Xonar Essence STX the only problem there it is 2 channel not 5.1, but arguably the best internal sound card for the money. Or you can go for an external Dac, but personally i would invest in some nice headphones to go with them like Audio-Technica ATH-M50 then you'll really enjoy the sound.

 

i run ASUS Xonar Essence STX with Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and the sound is very impressive.

 

But if you have a good Motherboard with good onboard sound sound, which most of the current gaming motherboards will have. then go for good headphones or speakers first.

 

 

no for the money they sound ok, and yes they will sound better with the right sound Dac, granted not as good as if he had better hardware. Me i use headphones mainly as i said above, but for external i only use the 2.1 version of the opps speakers and the sound card did improve the sound quite a bit. granted I'm in the market for better hardware myself but for now. my setup will do.

 

Using a DAC with a sound card?? Is that even possible? I'm pretty sure if it is, you're just bypassing the sound card completely and it's actually not doing anything. 

 

Edit: JK I think I'm just misinterpreting his bad english. 

[fenix67]

Um, just no, read the FAQ.

 

ok what is wrong? enlighten me

 

Using a DAC with a sound card?? Is that even possible? I'm pretty sure if it is, you're just bypassing the sound card completely and it's actually not doing anything. 

 

Edit: JK I think I'm just misinterpreting his bad english. 

 

useing a external Dac instead of a internal soundcard

 

Varible levels of laughably wrong.

 

Again enlighten me instead of flaming me.

[NannerBeans]

ok what is wrong? enlighten me

 

 

useing a external Dac instead of a internal soundcard

 

 

Again enlighten me instead of flaming me.

 

A DAC wouldn't improve the sound in a very noticeable way. Also, surround is usually terrible or does not matter for audio quality and the output impedance of sounds cards is usually high and the impedance of the M50s is too low to get over the high output impedance of the sound card. I think this is also in the FAQ and it explains this better. Lastly, almost every motherboard in the past 5 years has fine audio not just gaming motherboards. 

[ShearMe]

Varible levels of laughably wrong.

>arguably

[fenix67]

A DAC wouldn't improve the sound in a very noticeable way. Also, surround is usually terrible or does not matter for audio quality and the output impedance of sounds cards is usually high and the impedance of the M50s is too low to get over the high output impedance of the sound card. I think this is also in the FAQ and it explains this better. Lastly, almost every motherboard in the past 5 years has fine audio not just gaming motherboarwell said 

 

well said and i agree with your comments, the only thing i found the m50's sound incredible with my Xonar Essence STX, granted i had to set the impedance  level to low impedance  but the quality of the headphones do show through.

[EmoRarity]

well said and i agree with your comments, the only thing i found the m50's sound incredible with my Xonar Essence STX, granted i had to set the impedance  level to low impedance  but the quality of the headphones do show through.

Thats the gain, output impedance is set....

And you will still get wicked damping factor and it will kill your whole frequency response range. 

[mr moose]

well said and i agree with your comments, the only thing i found the m50's sound incredible with my Xonar Essence STX, granted i had to set the impedance  level to low impedance  but the quality of the headphones do show through.

And the Asus marketing team strikes again:  the output impedance of every amp, dac, sound card, etc is a set value, you cannot change it, the software that controls your sound card only adjusts the gain (most likely only the volume) to drive a little harder if you have higher impedance headphones.  It does not change the output impedance.

 

As for the rest, please read the FAQ at the top of the page (or linked in my sig), there is no point in me re writing it as H264 has done a great job explaining it.

[fenix67]

And the Asus marketing team strikes again:  the output impedance of every amp, dac, sound card, etc is a set value, you cannot change it, the software that controls your sound card only adjusts the gain (most likely only the volume) to drive a little harder if you have higher impedance headphones.  It does not change the output impedance.

 

As for the rest, please read the FAQ at the top of the page (or linked in my sig), there is no point in me re writing it as H264 has done a great job explaining it.

 

Fair enough and i did look at the FAQ, but i will say these headphones are definitely better than other headphones I'v listened to. especially gaming headsets.

[mr moose]

Fair enough and i did look at the FAQ, but i will say these headphones are definitely better than other headphones I'v listened to. especially gaming headsets.

 

I would expect them to be far better than gaming headsets, I would also expect that many people actually like how they sound as sound is subjective. 

 

The funny thing in audio, the thing that many people can't get their head around is that it is not the subjectiveness of audio that makes one product better or worse (E.G a ferrari is not a bad car because I don't like them), neither does it make it hard to recommend a particular product (e.g I like the sound of HD280 because they are fairly flat, so you might like them for that reason too). The thing that makes it hard is that people use subjectiveness as the reason to recommend or excuse a certain product rather than the merits of the product itself. I.E would the m50 still be a good recommendation if they were $80 more? or if the HD650 and the he500 and the lcd2 etc were all a bit cheaper than the m50 would the m50's still be worth recommending? 

 

 

This is why we tend to avoid recommending anything with a high output impedance, not because it will sound absolutely shit of the bat (that depends on preference and headphones) however we know from experience it has a higher chance of sounding perceivably worse than not.

[ShearMe]

you will still get wicked damping factor and it will kill your whole frequency response range. 

 

Hmm, me wonders if this makes the shit-50's sound not-shit  :rolleyes:  :lol: 

[EmoRarity]

Hmm, me wonders if this makes the shit-50's sound not-shit  :rolleyes:  :lol: 

Would still be shit. 

Me thinks because would bring highs and lows to the same level of the mids. You feel? 

[ShearMe]

Would still be shit. 

Me thinks because would bring highs and lows to the same level of the mids. You feel? 

 

exactly though, ya feel?

[EmoRarity]

exactly though, ya feel?

But the mids are mediocre...and mah mid range.....

 

[TheProfosist]

For sound cards I think the Creative ZxR is probably the best available at the moment.

[EmoRarity]

For sound cards I think the Creative ZxR is probably the best available at the moment.

Has like...35ish ohm output impedance (Winging it, and don't want to fact check, but I do know its WAY up there)

So not the best for anything short of DT's...

(Edit: Is using speakers, so a soundcard is super wasteful, unless we are aiming to be shit consumers here)

[h264]

Has like...35ish ohm output impedance (Winging it, and don't want to fact check, but I do know its WAY up there)

So not the best for anything short of DT's...

(Edit: Is using speakers, so a soundcard is super wasteful, unless we are aiming to be shit consumers here)

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/86313-whats-with-the-creative-sound-blaster-zxr/?p=1173987

 

Moose already answered this before.  Seems combining "soundcard" and "output impedance" sure hits a lot of LTT threads on Google these days.