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Need help choosing a sound card.

post #1 of 26
Thread Starter 

This is the sound card I have now - 

 Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium

 

Card I'm looking into-

 

 

HT | OMEGA Claro Halo 

HT | OMEGA Claro Halo XT 

ASUS Xonar Essence STX Virtual 7.1 Channels PCI Express x1 Interface 124 dB SNR / Headphone AMP Card

 

If you guys have any recommendations lmk or if your selling any of these listed.

post #2 of 26

What are your listening habits? Music, games, movies? And what gear do you currently have?

post #3 of 26
Thread Starter 

My PC is used for gaming and movies. I have HD 598 and PC 360s.

post #4 of 26

Well, if gaming is part of what you're into, I strongly recommend you getting a X-Fi Titanium HD. Make no mistakes, it's a very different card than the previous X-Fi generation, like that X-Fi Titanium you have, having both a new DSP chip and higher quality components. Given that you have a pair of PC360, I assume you do your fair amount of gaming, and none of those cards you mentioned on the first topic will give you proper gaming performance, they just lack gaming features like full hardware acceleration, the whole EAX range support, audio engine offloading, etc.

 

Since you linked through Newegg, I link back: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102033

post #5 of 26
post #6 of 26
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roller View Post

Well, if gaming is part of what you're into, I strongly recommend you getting a X-Fi Titanium HD. Make no mistakes, it's a very different card than the previous X-Fi generation, like that X-Fi Titanium you have, having both a new DSP chip and higher quality components. Given that you have a pair of PC360, I assume you do your fair amount of gaming, and none of those cards you mentioned on the first topic will give you proper gaming performance, they just lack gaming features like full hardware acceleration, the whole EAX range support, audio engine offloading, etc.

 

Since you linked through Newegg, I link back: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102033


Lol don't know how I missed that card might as well go with creative I never had one problem with this card but I was thinking since I upgraded my gear its time for the sound card to get upgraded.

 

post #7 of 26
Thread Starter 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by tom2011 View Post

well from here is cheaper

 

ha ha

 

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Titanium-Internal-SB1270/dp/B0041OUA38

 

 



Yea I know I just use newegg to read reviews. The reviews on amazon give me a headache.

post #8 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyVIP View Post



Lol don't know how I missed that card might as well go with creative I never had one problem with this card but I was thinking since I upgraded my gear its time for the sound card to get upgraded.

 



Wait! :) If you don't have any issues with your X-Fi Titanium, then perhaps you would do better to try new headphones that match your listening preferences, or maybe get a headphone amplifier. Have you considered getting a PA2V2 or a Fiio E11? Both can be had for under $100, and would help drive both headphones a tad better.

 

What I'm saying is if you don't actually feel the need to upgrade for the sake of audio but rather for completing an upgrade wave, then I'd go more with getting new headphones or a headphone amplifier.

post #9 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by tom2011 View Post

well from here is cheaper

 

ha ha

 

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Titanium-Internal-SB1270/dp/B0041OUA38

 

 



You who don't know how to read what others post, learn that it was a link in kind of the same the OP posted.

post #10 of 26
Thread Starter 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roller View Post





Wait! :) If you don't have any issues with your X-Fi Titanium, then perhaps you would do better to try new headphones that match your listening preferences, or maybe get a headphone amplifier. Have you considered getting a PA2V2 or a Fiio E11? Both can be had for under $100, and would help drive both headphones a tad better.

 

What I'm saying is if you don't actually feel the need to upgrade for the sake of audio but rather for completing an upgrade wave, then I'd go more with getting new headphones or a headphone amplifier.



Haven't even received either of the headphones in the mail yet lol just thought it would be a good idea to upgrade I guess its not?

post #11 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyVIP View Post


Haven't even received either of the headphones in the mail yet lol just thought it would be a good idea to upgrade I guess its not?


 

Oh, that's a different situation. I honestly think you should get the headphones first, listen to both for some time, to get used to their sound, tweak them through the soundcard's own control panels (never through Windows audio control panel) and see how you feel about them.

post #12 of 26
Thread Starter 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roller View Post




 

Oh, that's a different situation. I honestly think you should get the headphones first, listen to both for some time, to get used to their sound, tweak them through the soundcard's own control panels (never through Windows audio control panel) and see how you feel about them.

That sound card you suggested wouldn't make the sound any better? My friend has the set and they sound great with some cheapy usb thing I just thought it would be a good idea to upgrade the sound card like I said before. I guess I'm just going to check them out with what I have.

 

post #13 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyVIP View Post


 

That sound card you suggested wouldn't make the sound any better? My friend has the set and they sound great with some cheapy usb thing I just thought it would be a good idea to upgrade the sound card like I said before. I guess I'm just going to check them out with what I have.

 


 

First of all, USB headsets/headphones are trash. They bypass any audio devices you might have to do processing of their own.

 

The Titanium HD is indeed more powerful. The reason I'm not recommending you to get it right now is because you have gear to get familiar with first. But you wouldn't go wrong by getting a Titanium HD, that's for sure. It's up to you if you decide on listening to both headphones first and know how they sound, deciding later on if you do need to upgrade or if you find the sound to be satisfying enough.

post #14 of 26
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roller View Post




 

First of all, USB headsets/headphones are trash. They bypass any audio devices you might have to do processing of their own.

 

The Titanium HD is indeed more powerful. The reason I'm not recommending you to get it right now is because you have gear to get familiar with first. But you wouldn't go wrong by getting a Titanium HD, that's for sure. It's up to you if you decide on listening to both headphones first and know how they sound, deciding later on if you do need to upgrade or if you find the sound to be satisfying enough.



The PC 360s are not usb.

post #15 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyVIP View Post



The PC 360s are not usb.



No, I know the PC360 aren't USB, I was talking about that USB set you said your friend has. But then I realized you were talking about your friend also having a set of PC360 that he plugged on a USB card. My bad redface.gif

 

But I stand by the fact that USB headphones and headsets are junk wink.gif


Edited by Roller - 7/16/11 at 3:43pm
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