Looking for a new sound card - please advise...

G

Garret Jax

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
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I currently own a Creative Audigy 2 ZS, which I've kept for gaming (hardware EAX). However, I am retiring from the PC Gaming world, and I HATE Creative drivers and software apps, so I want to buy a new sound card.

I need a sound card for:
1. Watching DVDs (eventually I'm going to HDDVD or BluRay, so future proofing would be great)
2. Listening to CDs and MP3s

I do NOT need any recording capabilities or crazy features - my CHIEF concern is...

SOUND QUALITY (FTW!)

My speakers are the Logitech z-680 5.1 system that has Coax In, Optical In, and Analog In. The head unit can perform DD and DTS decoding. (I know - these speakers aren't the best, but I'm a poor student. :)

What sound card should I buy?

AND how should I run the system for DVDs: (1) let the sound card do the decoding and use Analog In mode on the z680s, or (2) pass an S/PDIF signal directly to the z680s and let that unit perform the decoding?

THANKS!!!

-G.J.
 
Auzentech X-Meredian / Prelude might be a good choice...
so might be M-audio ( i think )
Creative X-Fi of Auzentech Prelude ( no out yet ) for gaming.

But i might be wrong... but can't you use the digital-out from the onboard and use that to connect the speakers? might be wrong...again
 
As much as I'll agree that Creative's driver installations are bloated, the drivers are pretty stable now days. Honestly, the only things you need to install are the drivers and the console launcher. At least that way you can set up your speakers, set spdif options, and have access to the equalizer.

I believe the logitech 680s are like the z5500d speakers in that your control pod will decode dts/dolby digital signals right? I have the z5500ds and whether I've used my M-audio revolution 7.1 or one of my X-Fi's, it's been via digital coax. So for movies, it's not like you need decoding capabilities from a soundcard right?

I agree also that Auzentech cards seem to be pretty good. They've gotten decent reviews and they use good quality components. I almost bought one, but after hearing the X-Fi it was a leap over the audigy series and even a little better than the revo (which i loved), I decided to try Creative. Plus I was building a gaming system, so I figured why not.

SO. If you're not gaming, I'd say try out one of the auzentech cards (x-fi based or not), and then tell us how you like it. It's all very subjective, honestly.
 
The Auzentech X-Meridian is quite a leap over a X-fi. Some prefer X-fi for gaming standards etc, For straight sound quality a X-fi cannot stand up to a X-Meridian....
If you are interested it would be better to wait for the Prelude... For lack of components the X-Meridian has been discontinued.
 
I would recommend the X-Fi Elite Pro specifically (mmm, DACs) if you could get a massive deal on one. Not impossible, but not likely either.

Apart from that...the Auzentech line in general gets good word of mouth, as folks have already said, as does the HT Omega line to some extent (both lines use the C-Media Oxygen HD chip).
 
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