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Looking to improve computer audio

john917
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hi,

I am looking to improve computer audio to at least power a 300ohm headphone or better speakers in the future.
I am looking between the Creative Sound Blaster E5 or Creative Sound Blaster Zx, as there is a sale.

Should I get a internal or external sound card?

Thanks
 

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1 hour ago, 1kv said:

Internal. I'd always go for Internal. More power to the card, and it's usually able to pack better specs.

 

 no. External has more power and has better specs.

n0ah1897, on 05 Mar 2014 - 2:08 PM, said:  "Computers are like girls. It's whats in the inside that matters.  I don't know about you, but I like my girls like I like my cases. Just as beautiful on the inside as the outside."

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Higher impedance headphones generally require less power. The E5 is way too fiddly for a dedicated desktop audio system and I don't have a high opinion of Creative audio products in general. If your onboard isn't cutting it, an Asus Xonar DGX should take care of the matter. There's always of the Schiit Fulla 2 if you want to spend more money and have an all-in-one external solution.

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4 hours ago, 1kv said:

Internal. I'd always go for Internal. More power to the card, and it's usually able to pack better specs.

 

~LOL~

 

I'd go for the fulla 2 as well. No place for stupid creative products here. 

Gaming HTPC:

R5 5600X - Cryorig C7 - Asus ROG B350-i - EVGA RTX2060KO - 16gb G.Skill Ripjaws V 3333mhz - Corsair SF450 - 500gb 960 EVO - LianLi TU100B


Desktop PC:
R9 3900X - Peerless Assassin 120 SE - Asus Prime X570 Pro - Powercolor 7900XT - 32gb LPX 3200mhz - Corsair SF750 Platinum - 1TB WD SN850X - CoolerMaster NR200 White - Gigabyte M27Q-SA - Corsair K70 Rapidfire - Logitech MX518 Legendary - HyperXCloud Alpha wireless


Boss-NAS [Build Log]:
R5 2400G - Noctua NH-D14 - Asus Prime X370-Pro - 16gb G.Skill Aegis 3000mhz - Seasonic Focus Platinum 550W - Fractal Design R5 - 
250gb 970 Evo (OS) - 2x500gb 860 Evo (Raid0) - 6x4TB WD Red (RaidZ2)

Synology-NAS:
DS920+
2x4TB Ironwolf - 1x18TB Seagate Exos X20

 

Audio Gear:

Hifiman HE-400i - Kennerton Magister - Beyerdynamic DT880 250Ohm - AKG K7XX - Fostex TH-X00 - O2 Amp/DAC Combo - 
Klipsch RP280F - Klipsch RP160M - Klipsch RP440C - Yamaha RX-V479

 

Reviews and Stuff:

GTX 780 DCU2 // 8600GTS // Hifiman HE-400i // Kennerton Magister
Folding all the Proteins! // Boincerino

Useful Links:
Do you need an AMP/DAC? // Recommended Audio Gear // PSU Tier List 

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  • Author

Thanks all ... will take into all into consideration.
know creative isnt the best as compared to asus.
but their having a sale like 30-40%off for the Zx sound card haha.
so I am decided if it is worth it as compared to an external sound card.

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12 hours ago, john917 said:

-snip-

If you must get Sound-Card / DAC-Amp-Combo from Creative for whatever reason (I, for example, use it as a mixer between iPad, consoles and PC), only product from them I would advise is X7.

 

E series external DACs have very pronounce white noise issue, which is present in even their highest end model E5 (I have E5)

Zx series are shielded pretty ok from EMI, but it definitely is not free from occasional pops from now and then, which can get annoying. (I also have ZxR)

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On 1.6.2017 at 0:11 AM, john917 said:

Thanks all ... will take into all into consideration.
know creative isnt the best as compared to asus.
but their having a sale like 30-40%off for the Zx sound card haha.
so I am decided if it is worth it as compared to an external sound card.

Nobody here said Asus was any better lol

Gaming HTPC:

R5 5600X - Cryorig C7 - Asus ROG B350-i - EVGA RTX2060KO - 16gb G.Skill Ripjaws V 3333mhz - Corsair SF450 - 500gb 960 EVO - LianLi TU100B


Desktop PC:
R9 3900X - Peerless Assassin 120 SE - Asus Prime X570 Pro - Powercolor 7900XT - 32gb LPX 3200mhz - Corsair SF750 Platinum - 1TB WD SN850X - CoolerMaster NR200 White - Gigabyte M27Q-SA - Corsair K70 Rapidfire - Logitech MX518 Legendary - HyperXCloud Alpha wireless


Boss-NAS [Build Log]:
R5 2400G - Noctua NH-D14 - Asus Prime X370-Pro - 16gb G.Skill Aegis 3000mhz - Seasonic Focus Platinum 550W - Fractal Design R5 - 
250gb 970 Evo (OS) - 2x500gb 860 Evo (Raid0) - 6x4TB WD Red (RaidZ2)

Synology-NAS:
DS920+
2x4TB Ironwolf - 1x18TB Seagate Exos X20

 

Audio Gear:

Hifiman HE-400i - Kennerton Magister - Beyerdynamic DT880 250Ohm - AKG K7XX - Fostex TH-X00 - O2 Amp/DAC Combo - 
Klipsch RP280F - Klipsch RP160M - Klipsch RP440C - Yamaha RX-V479

 

Reviews and Stuff:

GTX 780 DCU2 // 8600GTS // Hifiman HE-400i // Kennerton Magister
Folding all the Proteins! // Boincerino

Useful Links:
Do you need an AMP/DAC? // Recommended Audio Gear // PSU Tier List 

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