Which sound card should I get?

[F1r3]

So I'm planning on getting a sound card for my logitech 5.1 speakers and also am planning to get the akg q701 along with the Audio Technica AT2020 usb mic. I'll be using this mostly for gaming and also movies/music. I don't really care for the music side. I'm not looking to spend over $700. This is mainly for audio upgrade on my current p.c. I've been looking at the creative's Zx, zxr, and x-fi titanium HD. Don't know what to choose yet. Any recommendations for sound cards?

[Aniallation]

So I'm planning on getting a sound card for my logitech 5.1 speakers and also am planning to get the akg q701 along with the Audio Technica AT2020 usb mic. I'll be using this mostly for gaming and also movies/music. I don't really care for the music side. I'm not looking to spend over $700. This is mainly for audio upgrade on my current p.c. I've been looking at the creative's Zx, zxr, and x-fi titanium HD. Don't know what to choose yet. Any recommendations for sound cards?

Honestly don't. If you really want good sound quality through headphones then a dedicated DAC and headphone amp is the way to go. But for Logitech speakers, don't waste your money on a sound card. 

 

[Mao_Zedong]

A mayflower O₂ is a great option.

[NannerBeans]

Monoprice dac/amp

[Guest]

Go with a DAC and amp. For $700, the best thing you could probably get would be the Schiit Audio Bifrost with USB input along with the Schiit Audio Asgard 2, however, this would be overkill for your set up. I would consider getting different speakers and headphones if you have this kind of budget for just the sound card.

 

Edit: Wait............. does the $700 hundred include the speakers, headphones, and mic? That's not clear to me. If it does, I would save your money and just go with onboard audio. If you are spending this kind of money on sound gear, I'm going to take a guess that you have a pretty good motherboard with really good onboard audio. Maybe put the extra money towards an SSD for RAID? Or a better GPU?

[SSL]

Go with a DAC and amp. For $700, the best thing you could probably get would be the Schiit Audio Bifrost with USB input along with the Schiit Audio Asgard 2, however, this would be overkill for your set up. I would consider getting different speakers and headphones if you have this kind of budget for just the sound card.

 

It'd be overkill for most setups, I doubt many people actually use the features of the Bifrost.

[Guest]

It'd be overkill for most setups, I doubt many people actually use the features of the Bifrost.

I totally agree it's overkill. But he said he had $700 to spend And what features? It's a pretty basic DAC, isn't it? Its just really high quality. I mean, it has digital input and outputs analogue, does it do anything else? I know the Loki can do pure DSD, but the Bifrost can't. Right?

[SSL]

I totally agree it's overkill. But he said he had $700 to spend And what features? It's a pretty basic DAC, isn't it? Its just really high quality. I mean, it has digital input and outputs analogue, does it do anything else? I know the Loki can do pure DSD, but the Bifrost can't. Right?

 

Supposedly it has upgradable daughter boards on the PBC. Other than that I doubt it's appreciably different in sound from DACs in the $100 range.

[Guest]

Supposedly it has upgradable daughter boards on the PBC. Other than that I doubt it's appreciably different in sound from DACs in the $100 range.

I've never used it, so I can't really say too much, but I'm sure it sounds a little better than that I've seen a lot of stuff from Schiit compared to things far more expensive than what they offer and supposedly, they stack up really well.

[SSL]

I've never used it, so I can't really say too much, but I'm sure it sounds a little better than that I've seen a lot of stuff from Schiit compared to things far more expensive than what they offer and supposedly, they stack up really well.

 

Price has little to do with performance in audio. People have had trouble differentiating between $100 and $1000 gear in blind testing, let alone $350.

[Guest]

Price has little to do with performance in audio. People have had trouble differentiating between $100 and $1000 gear in blind testing, let alone $350.

I want to learn more. Do you have a link about this test?

[SSL]

I want to learn more. Do you have a link about this test?

 

http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/05/subjective-vs-objective-debate.html

 

http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2012/03/odac-update.html

 

Most of the blog and comments are highly worth reading.

 

Edit: Also - http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-we-hear.html

[Guest]

http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/05/subjective-vs-objective-debate.html

 

http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2012/03/odac-update.html

 

Most of the blog and comments are highly worth reading.

 

Edit: Also - http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-we-hear.html

Skimmed through all three. Interesting stuff. I think it really depends on the type of gear you are talking about. Yeah DACs might all kinda sound the same at different price points, but other things (mainly headphones) really do have a noticeable jump with the money you spend. I've witnessed that myself. Maybe when you get into the headphones over $400 the difference becomes less obvious, I wouldn't know, I've never really used headphones that pricy before.

[SSL]

Skimmed through all three. Interesting stuff. I think it really depends on the type of gear you are talking about. Yeah DACs might all kinda sound the same at different price points, but other things (mainly headphones) really do have a noticeable jump with the money you spend. I've witnessed that myself. Maybe when you get into the headphones over $400 the difference becomes less obvious, I wouldn't know, I've never really used headphones that pricy before.

 

Headphones absolutely make the biggest impact on sound, after the original recording of course. Even then, things start to plateau around $300-500 and past that point you are really getting into the realm of diminishing returns. Sure a $5000 Stax sounds amazing, but so does a live concert.

[Guest]

Headphones absolutely make the biggest impact on sound, after the original recording of course. Even then, things start to plateau around $300-500 and past that point you are really getting into the realm of diminishing returns. Sure a $5000 Stax sounds amazing, but so does a live concert.

Like I said, I've never used anything that pricy before, so I can't really talk. I think the big issue is that so many people put money into the wrong gear or gear that is beyond their needs.

[EmoRarity]

Headphones absolutely make the biggest impact on sound, after the original recording of course. Even then, things start to plateau around $300-500 and past that point you are really getting into the realm of diminishing returns. Sure a $5000 Stax sounds amazing, but so does a live concert.

Thanks based SSL, this bucket of shit turned out to be a pie hiding in a bucket.

[F1r3]

Go with a DAC and amp. For $700, the best thing you could probably get would be the Schiit Audio Bifrost with USB input along with the Schiit Audio Asgard 2, however, this would be overkill for your set up. I would consider getting different speakers and headphones if you have this kind of budget for just the sound card.

 

Edit: Wait............. does the $700 hundred include the speakers, headphones, and mic? That's not clear to me. If it does, I would save your money and just go with onboard audio. If you are spending this kind of money on sound gear, I'm going to take a guess that you have a pretty good motherboard with really good onboard audio. Maybe put the extra money towards an SSD for RAID? Or a better GPU?

To clarify, I already have the logitech speakers already, and also an great ssd, cpu, gpu. Already completed your options Here's my P.c hardware:

 

| ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VI HERO |:Intel Core i5-4670K Haswell 3.4GHz| MSI N770 Lightning GeForce GTX 770 2GB |CORSAIR Hydro Series H80i High Performance Water/Liquid CPU COOLER | G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600|CORSAIR HX Series HX850 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified | ASUS VG248QE Black 24" 144Hz 1ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD 3D Monitor|HDD: Western Digital WD Black 640GB ___Samsung SSD 840 120GB|

Case: NZXT Phantom  Full tower, 1st GEN| Logitech G930|Logitech 5.1 surround sound speakers z506

 

 

TLDR: Currently my speakers can only use the 3.5 jack for surround sound. All other wires that comes with it does not work with the mobo due to it not being surround sound.

[xtroria]

I believe the on-board audio in asus ROG boards are very good?

 

I think if it gets loud enough with your on-board, you won't need additional amp, given that supreme fx chip are amongst the best in onboard solution

[F1r3]

I believe the on-board audio in asus ROG boards are very good?

 

I think if it gets loud enough with your on-board, you won't need additional amp, given that supreme fx chip are amongst the best in onboard solution

Its okay.. although for the akg q701 I hear that bass isn't that strong w/o dac/amp. Speakers sound pretty distorted with a lot of white noise.

[EmoRarity]

Its okay.. although for the akg q701 I hear that bass isn't that strong w/o dac/amp. Speakers sound pretty distorted with a lot of white noise.

Actually the FR/Ω graphs show that the treble is hardest to drive (Roughly 100Ω or so) and the bass is easiest (Roughly 50Ω)

[F1r3]

Actually the FR/Ω graphs show that the treble is hardest to drive (Roughly 100Ω or so) and the bass is easiest (Roughly 50Ω)

Ok, my next question is if  audio engine D1 would be great for general use and if I could hook my 5.1 speakers up to it. (noob question) Will this make it sound clearer?

[NannerBeans]

Ok, my next question is if audio engine D1 would be great for general use and if I could hook my 5.1 speakers up to it. (noob question) Will this make it sound clearer?

No. The D1 isn't a good dac /amp anyway.

[F1r3]

No. The D1 isn't a good dac /amp anyway.

any recommendation for dac's? and thoughts on this? http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Sound-Blaster-System-Preamp/dp/B004275EO4/ref=sr_1_57?ie=UTF8&qid=1419965378&sr=8-57&keywords=dac

[EmoRarity]

any recommendation for dac's? and thoughts on this? http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Sound-Blaster-System-Preamp/dp/B004275EO4/ref=sr_1_57?ie=UTF8&qid=1419965378&sr=8-57&keywords=dac

Just use onboard, there is no reason that it shouldnt work.

[NannerBeans]

any recommendation for dac's? and thoughts on this? http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Sound-Blaster-System-Preamp/dp/B004275EO4/ref=sr_1_57?ie=UTF8&qid=1419965378&sr=8-57&keywords=dac

You should use onboard. Your headphones won't benefit from a dac/amp. The monoprice dac/amp is good though.