What sound cards is everyone using these days?

I have a Chaintech AV710 modded with blackgate caps. I wish I had some good headphones/speakers to go with them =(
 
For music: EMU 1212m coaxial out to an external DAC (only used with headphones, see my sig for details)
For games: onboard sound on a P5Q Pro to some cheap TDK speakers

I can't hear sound in games with the EMU (mostly Japanese games like DMC4, Pro Evo Soccer) so I have no choice but to use onboard :(. Good thing is I don't care much about gaming audio.
 
On my desktop I use a X-Fi XtremeMusic, at least until Auzentech releases the oft-delayed HomeTheater HD. On my laptop I use a Roland Edirol UA-1EX.
 
Been using a modded E-mu 0404 and modded Audigy 2ZS for a few years now.
 
asus xonar dx. it's much better than the audigy 2 i used to have.
 
I just upgraded to an Asus Xonar D2X last week from a Audigy 2 on recommendations from [H]ard peeps. I could tell an instant difference between the 2 cards, the Asus is just so much cleaner and better sounding wish I had changed to it long ago. Gaming still is great COD4 sounds awesome. I did a blind A/B testing with the same song on both sound cards and my dad liked the Asus better.

My .02$
 
Im using an auzentech prelude and a pair of sennheiser HD555's and love it. Games sound so good and music is awsome ever since I switched to this set-up
 
X-Fi Titanium. As much as I dislike Creative, I bought the card so I don't have to deal with all of the BS software and driver problems that other sound card companies have had with gaming. Had them hooked to a pair of Swan M10s, which I should've never bought. The M10's sounded worse than my X-540s, IMHO, for gaming, (not to mention everything else) and I'm sure the audiophiles around here, who remind me of coffee-sipping, snotty, quasi-knowitalls who are dying to be a master of something, will look down on that sentiment; however, having boomy bass for gaming is much nicer than my flat sounding M10's. I can only speak for my pair, of course; maybe other pairs sound more crisp than mine.
 
X-Fi Titanium. However after playing with my friends Xonar D2X tonight I'm ordering one of these too.
 
A couple things:

Some people like boomy bass in whatever sound they hear. Often, however, people like accurate sounds (i.e. sounds of a bass drum that sounds like a pedal hit a drum head and not a huge fart). So most people will recommend the more accurate sounding speakers. Boomy bass does NOT equate to crisp sound which is basically what your last couple statements were saying (i.e. you're complaining about lack of boomy bass but also lack of crispiness).

This is why most people who want to listen to music as it was recorded like to listen to home audio systems instead of boomy, sound polluted car audio.

If you like boomy bass, then get it. There's no need to insult people for liking something that should be liked.

Starcrossed said:
X-Fi Titanium. As much as I dislike Creative, I bought the card so I don't have to deal with all of the BS software and driver problems that other sound card companies have had with gaming. Had them hooked to a pair of Swan M10s, which I should've never bought. The M10's sounded worse than my X-540s, IMHO, for gaming, (not to mention everything else) and I'm sure the audiophiles around here, who remind me of coffee-sipping, snotty, quasi-knowitalls who are dying to be a master of something, will look down on that sentiment; however, having boomy bass for gaming is much nicer than my flat sounding M10's. I can only speak for my pair, of course; maybe other pairs sound more crisp than mine.
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I would like to know which card sounds the best in games with regard to positional cues, # of sounds, performance, and overall tonal quality or frequency response and accuracy. Essentially, which card offers the best real world gaming experience.
 
p997tt said:
For music: EMU 1212m coaxial out to an external DAC (only used with headphones, see my sig for details)
For games: onboard sound on a P5Q Pro to some cheap TDK speakers

I can't hear sound in games with the EMU (mostly Japanese games like DMC4, Pro Evo Soccer) so I have no choice but to use onboard :(. Good thing is I don't care much about gaming audio.
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Doesn't the P5Q have SPDIF? Couldn't you just route the audio to the 1212m's digital input or the external DAC?
 
Jodiuh said:
I would like to know which card sounds the best in games with regard to positional cues, # of sounds, performance, and overall tonal quality or frequency response and accuracy. Essentially, which card offers the best real world gaming experience.
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Any real X-Fi based card would suit that description.
 
Asus Xonar Essence STX.

I went from an X-fi Xtrememusic to a Xonar DX to my current Xonar Essence STX. Each card was an upgrade from the previous one. The biggest difference I could tell was going to the Essence. Since I am mainly a headphone user, the built-in amp on this card just blows the others away. The clarity of this sound card with a good pair of cans is amazing.
 
Using x-fi champion fatility series over my x-fi elite pro. I wanted to add my Physics card in PCI slot and Creative PCI-E so my case is full with (2) 280 GTX's as well. So I am happy with Creative for now. I didn't go Asus because of PCI-E issue with EVGA 780i FTW.
 
I busted my old elite pro and just couldn't justify the price this time. To my ears the vanilla titanium sounds a little brighter than I'd like, but far more detailed than the onboard sound card from the Maximus.

Also, positioning in games feels much improved. I may swing for the Auzentech Prelude here shortly.
 
Alien Dac for music, x-fi xtrememusic with upgraded op amps if I play any games.
 
I'm still using the X-Fi Xtreme Music I bought when the X-Fi's first came out.

The X-Fi Titanium is a good card and if your main concern is gaming its probably the best choice.
 
I had been using the same Audigy 2Zs from 2003 until a few weeks ago. The card was making my computer restart so I tossed it. Now I use on board 750i optical out. Can't tell any diff.
 
young wing said:
I had been using the same Audigy 2Zs from 2003 until a few weeks ago. The card was making my computer restart so I tossed it. Now I use on board 750i optical out. Can't tell any diff.
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Thats cos you are using digital.
 
I joined club of Xonar DX owners few days ago and wow this thing really makes diffrence compared to onboard realtek from DFI.
 
Wow, very little HT Omega love. I have the Striker and will work my way up to the Claro Halo at some point.
 
I got the X-Fi platinum when the X-Fi's first came out. It's always been great to me and I have to admit I've been missing the hell out of it since I moved to my laptop back in August. It's one of the main reasons I'm so excited to get my rig in my sig put together and running. Everything just sounds so bleh on my laptop, I've got all kinds of lossless music and it's all going to waste. :p

Only about 2 more weeks until I'll have my X-Fi and Desktop back. :D

Although, I have been thinking about trying out the Prelude but I'm not sure It'd be worth the cost of upgrading from my Plat.
 
X-fi extreme music. It's the oldest peice of hardware in my machine minus the case. wish I had the money to replace it. It is just causing to many issues lately with newer games and hardware, not to mention the SCP with SLI.
 
Auzen Forte.. just upgraded from the Prelude due to it's digital out limitations. Great card, also with the new X-fi 2 chip.
 
43st said:
Auzen Forte.. just upgraded from the Prelude due to it's digital out limitations. Great card, also with the new X-fi 2 chip.
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What digital out limitations does the Prelude have?
 
Nenu said:
What digital out limitations does the Prelude have?
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The digital passes before the chip, so no Alchemy, CMSS, etc. in Vista. I wanted to enjoy the higher quality of the digital out, but I also needed to use Alchemy. If you don't play games it shouldn't matter.
 
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