Soundcard for ATH-A700

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lethal_dosage

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Aug 21, 2004
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So picked up some ATH-A700 (replacing Senns HD-485) after much reading (in the mail currently), since i heard they are pretty good all-arounders, good for classical, and comfortable.

Now I've been using onboard sound for years now since i'm cheap, however summer job = money. I listen to music (lots of genres, classical 60%), game, anime and movies on the computer. EAX and positional audio would be nice to give a better edge in games, but I've lived without it fine. I do have the Z-5500 which i only use for some gaming (no mic) and movies sometimes, 80% time is headphones.


So far I've been looking at:

AuzenTech AZT-FORTE
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional (Dell [H]otdeal)
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer (saw one in FS)


TL:DR Need soundcard for ATH-A700 for music, gaming, anime, movies. EAX and positional would be a plus.

Guess i should also add that I'd like to keep it cheap as possible, $150 most I'd like to spend. If the Forte is worth the extra $75-60 (from FS and deals) then so be it.
 
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I'd prefer the Prelude to the Forte as far as Auzentech cards go. Of the X-Fi cards, it's what I'd get if music playback is a concern.
 
I've tried both the Xonar d2x and the xonar d2 and they are AWESOME with this set of cans.

Wait till newegg has the xonar d2x open box for like 120 and get it
 
The Forte has a headphone amp, so with using headphones it is the obvious choice (if you don't have an amp). Neither of the Creative X-fi's you mention have this, and neither does the Prelude. The line-out of these cards will make a sound in headphones, but that's about it. :p
 
you can't miss out Xonar Essence STX when talkng about headphone amps.
Check out the incredibly long thread in head-fi.org for more reference.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/xonar-essence-stx-sneak-peek-380717/index101.html#post5668514

"I am listening to WIUX out of Bloomington, IN, the college station of IU as I type, which streams 256kbps audio, and I'm listening through the Xonar Essence STX on a new computer that I had specifically configured and custom built with this sound card in mind (robust power supply, card directly routed to PSU) and the sound coming out of my Denon D2000s is beautiful, as good as I could have wished for. I have a high end audiophile system at home, and I would rate the sound I am getting through my computer as equal to the sound I get through my home rig and full sized headphone amp. In fact, I would say that in terms of sheer enjoyment-the hedonism that can not be attributed to any particular sound quality, the level of joy is higher with this sound card than my CDP to headphone amp rig."
 
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