Note that the X-Fi titanium HD soundcard does in fact have a headphone amp that is suitable to drive up to 330 ohm headphones. Not quite the 600 ohms of the Xonar STX card but will still drive most high impedance phones. I still would not take the Titanium HD over the STX card though as my experiance in the past with creative X-Fi based cards are good for 1-2 years of good service where as my xonar cards have so far given no issues in I believe over 2 years on the Xonar D2/PM & close to it on my STX card. In the mean time all my X-Fi cards have failed & started to cause computer errors in so doing.
I have the STX in my compter with only one minor mod (D.C. coupling output of line out which I use to drive all my speaker ampswhich are also moded in the same way) & i have no further desire to upgrade as I find the sound neutral & very dynamic with a natural soundstage that can extend very deep behind the speakers when called on to do so.
Edited by germanium - 4/17/11 at 8:54pm
