Best sound card for headphone listening under $60?

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SenorBeef

Weaksauce
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May 20, 2008
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Looking to get a decent soundcard. I don't need anything high end, just something that will drive a decent set of 32ohm headphones like HD280s or HD595s. Mostly I'd like music to sound good, and really, sound cards these days don't really have any gaming-specific features anyway, right?

Xonar DG/DGX seem to fit the bill. They say they have a built in headphone amplifier - is that not a typical thing in a sound card, or is that an unusual feature? The price is right. Is the only difference between the DG and DGX pci vs pci-e? Because right now on neweggg the DG can be had for half as much.

I have no need for digital out, surround sound, any of that - just regular 3.5mm headphone jacks. I just want something with good/non-intrusive drivers, no added delay to sound, and good quality for headphones.

Would it really be worthwhile to bother spending above the $50-60 tier, or is that adequate for my needs?

Are the DG/DGX good? Should I be looking at something else?

Thanks.
 
I think you need to stretch your budget to around $100 if you want good quality. Unless you can score a cheap receiver on craigslist.

The only sound card I would consider is the creative z.

Asus is ok but nothing like the z in terms of sound quality. Asus drivers are also hit or miss.

Creative has the best drivers going atm. I literally can't believe it but I have had zero issues with mine. Plus, the Z does gaming sound better than any sound card I have ever used. There is an actual improvement there.

You other option is a usb dac/amp or receiver.
 
How useful is the mic that comes with the Z? I might be able to talk myself into $100 if I'm springing for a good mic too.

I generally don't like creative products that much - their software/drivers are usually bad and they drop support for things very quickly.
 
Mic works fine. This round creative has it right. No issues. A miracle I know.
 
I'd get the Z if you want a well-balanced card. The DG is a great card but moreso for video gaming on a budget because it gives you Dolby Headphone. The Z uses CMSS, or whatever its successor is called, which is a preference thing.
 
I'm going to make an order soon, would anyone else like to chime in to say the Z is worth the extra cash?
 
A cheap USB DAC/Amp is going to give you better music quality than an equivalently priced soundcard, and won't take up a slot in your computer. Obviously you won't get any special hardware game support, but that stuff is kind of questionable these days anyway.
 
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If you're gaming, get a soundcard. If just for music, you can entertain the option of going external. However, I'd never game without DH or CMSS--much better virtual surround for competitive and non-competitive gaming.

DG is the cheapest way to get DH. Z gives you CMSS and much better DAC and amps. CMSS (or whatever its called in Z) vs. DH is preference.
 
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