Question re: HT Omega Claro sound cards vs SB X-Fi

[Serpico]

I currently have an older Sound Blaster Fatality X-Fi card with the front panel (TOSLINK and SPDIF inputs/outputs, etc). I'm looking to clean up the front of my case with my next build so I'm thinking of ditching the X-Fi and getting an HT Omega Claro instead because of all of the connector options it has at the rear of the card.

I've read a lot about the Omega's high quality, etc. That said, my PC is mainly for gaming (its basically another game console for me, really) so compatibility is the absolute #1 priority for me. The Sound Blaster card has worked with everything I've thrown at it and I wanted to make sure the Omega works just as well, especially with Valve's games. Creative might have bloated software but I have yet to run into any issues with any games working with them. If the HT Omega works as well with any game I can throw at it and it has a lighter driver package, great.

Aside from that, I would also like to know from anyone who has owned both cards how the presumably better sound quality of the HT Omega works in games. In my experience, what works well for music and movies, well balanced and "flat" sound, isn't necessarily the best for games where a relatively compressed audio range that emphasizes the lows and highs actually helps to pick out footsteps, gunshots, etc, and give it more artificial punch. "Game sounds", basically.

Thanks very much in advance.

 

[obobski]

go with Auzen or Asus, you'll have better feature support with games, like EAX and DS3D (both have emulation for WinVista/7), and both have offerings with plenty of rear panel outputs

 

[Serpico]

go with Auzen or Asus, you'll have better feature support with games, like EAX and DS3D (both have emulation for WinVista/7), and both have offerings with plenty of rear panel outputs

Good to know. How do the Auzen cards compare with the HT Omega as far as audio quality? While game compatibility is important to me, being able to run EAX 5 or whatever isn't since it is being replaced by OpenAL anyway, so having X-Fi isn't ultra important to me unless it yields better audio or better system performance.

Thanks

 

[jtm55]

Hi All

I just went from the same card to the Omega Claro, however I primarily listen to Music but do game as well.

For me the claro is fine for gaming but you won't have the benefit of Hardware Acceleration.
In addition, you may or may not notice a slight dip in your frame rates.

That being said the only game that I Play that uses EAX IS Battlefield 2 and I really don't notice a big difference.

Musically this card is Tops in my book.

 

[Serpico]

go with Auzen or Asus, you'll have better feature support with games, like EAX and DS3D (both have emulation for WinVista/7), and both have offerings with plenty of rear panel outputs

Based on reviews and comparisons between the Creative, Azuntech, and Creative cards, the Auzentech Forte seems like it will do nicely. I won't be buying any parts for another two weeks but for now it is at the top of the list. Thanks

 

[obobski]

Good to know. How do the Auzen cards compare with the HT Omega as far as audio quality? While game compatibility is important to me, being able to run EAX 5 or whatever isn't since it is being replaced by OpenAL anyway, so having X-Fi isn't ultra important to me unless it yields better audio or better system performance.

Thanks

Auzen, Asus, and HT Omega are comparable in terms of quality, as long as you're comparing quality parts (for example Claro Plus alongside X-Fi Prelude alongside Xonar D2x), the EAX/DS3D features may not matter for FUTURE games, however PRESENT games and PAST games DO USE DS3D (which is separate from EAX), and having drivers that can emulate this functionality, parsing into OpenAL (like ALchemy), is going to be a benefit

hence the suggestion for Auzen or Asus, for better compatibility with games, especially since the quality is comparable (and features may be better, such as the Asus HDAV or STX)