FiiO E7/E9, Xonar STX, or X-fi Titanium HD?

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Originally Posted by haejuk 
I have been reading around these forums for quite some time and am sure that I will be purchasing one of the setups listed in the title.  I don't know which one will work out best for me, so I thought I would ask for some opinions.

I will be using a pair of DT770 Premium 32 ohm headphones.  I play games, but about 75% of my gaming is done with a PS3 feeding sound to my computer's line in (an old Audigy 2 ZS Platinum), so EAX is not a big factor for me.  I also enjoy music and movies on my computer.

My current impressions from reading around:

E7/E9: I like the idea of this the most, but I am reluctant to move away from sound cards.  I especially like the fact that I can take the E7 to work with me to use as a DAC for my iPod and ATH-ES7 headphones that I use as portables.  I want to know that this will sound as good or better than what I am currently using, especially from the PS3, which I have heard isn't the best pairing.  And there is also a "preamp output" on the E9 that I can plug my Klipsch Promedia 2.1s into when I am not using my headphones, right?

Xonar STX: I have heard this is the best card out there for headphone amplification and music listening.  I also heard that it wasn't the best for gaming.  Is this only because it doesn't do EAX?

X-fi: This sounds like it is a good card, but not quite as good as the Xonar STX.  I have heard this is the best for gaming and was wondering if, again, that is just because of EAX?

I am not super concerned with competitive gaming and locating enemies based on their footsteps.  I just want an immersive gaming experience.

Any suggestions?  Will the E7/E9 combo work for me and convince me to ditch PCI sound cards all together?  Thanks for any replies.

As the PS3 does not use EAX, EAX does not really matter.

A Turtle Beach Earforce DSS or Astro Mix-amp comes with an optical digital input, hooked up to the PS3 you can then get Dolby Headphone 5.1 for gaming with the PS3.

The $20-$30 Asus Xonar DG (PCI) really has the same gaming features as the $175 Essence STX (PCI-Express)

And the Dolby Digital (Headphone) 5.1 would improve DVD movies on the PC.

The gaming talk is, indeed, mostly because of EAX 3/4/5 support. Otherwise, for headphone use, it's a toss-up as to whether you prefer CMSS-3D Headphone (X-Fi) or Dolby Headphone (everything else). Some people actually prefer neither and just play in pure stereo. Regardless, you clearly won't get too much use out of them if you're mostly a PS3 gamer (unless you keep your PC close enough that you can somehow use it as a makeshift Astro Mixamp).

EDIT: In the meantime, I actually got to test Dolby Headphone with the help of an SU-DH1. Long story short, CMSS-3D Headphone works out far better with DirectSound3D and OpenAL-based games, while games with software audio engines like XAudio2 and FMOD result in a roughly even performance.

As to which is best, I won't say until I've tried them all, and it's very unlikely that I will. I've only owned X-Fi cards (for the gaming features, of course)-a Prelude, a Forte, and as of today, a Titanium HD (which I traded the Forte for).

Quote:

Originally Posted by haejuk 
I see!  I am also not really concerned with dolby sound or anything.  I have always just used stereo speakers and headphones for gaming.  My PS3 is just output as stereo through the component (?) cables for sound and hdmi for video.  This makes me wonder if a DAC/Amp combo really would work for me just as well as a sound card, but be more versatile and receptive to higher impedance headphones down the line.

I thought with the 5.1 virtual surround sound coming from the headphones, you would get the immersive game experience

And play blu-ray movies and get great 5.1 surround sound from the headphones.

But, it sounds like you would like to get the DAC/amp combo, cool.
 

You can get a X-Fi Titanium HD and use a External amp like the Fiio E9 thru the X-Fi HD RCA's out like how I did my setup.  that way you still have the gaming features if you want them while having a external amp. Btw the Fiio E9 uses machine Dip-8 op-amp sockets so you can swap the op-amp directly behind the 6.3 plug to change the ones for the headphones out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by genclaymore 

You can get a X-Fi Titanium HD and use a External amp like the Fiio E9 thru the X-Fi HD RCA's out like how I did my setup.  that way you still have the gaming features if you want them while having a external amp. Btw the Fiio E9 uses machine Dip-8 op-amp sockets so you can swap the op-amp directly behind the 6.3 plug to change the ones for the headphones out.

so the best way to connect an HD to the Fiio e9 is L/R (RCA) out on the HD, into line in on the Fiio? would the headphone out to line in not work? or is the way you suggested better?

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Originally Posted by XenatR 
so the best way to connect an HD to the Fiio e9 is L/R (RCA) out on the HD, into line in on the Fiio? would the headphone out to line in not work? or is the way you suggested better?

Contact Fiio, see what they have to say.

If you do not need the components of the E7/E9 combination separately, then using the Xonar STX instead of that may be a better choice (it is technically the same amplifier with a better DAC, and even cheaper overall). Note that you could use the E7 as an amplifier for the iPod, but not as a DAC. The X-Fi is not as good as the STX as far as general audio quality is concerned, but it is not bad either, and has a better DSP chip for gaming (hardware EAX support). So, combining that with the E9 - since the X-Fi does not include a dedicated headphone amplifier - is another good option. Obviously, with the E7+E9, you will get no hardware 3D audio support at all.
Unless you want to save the cost of the E9 or STX, or already have the DT770-32, it may be preferable to buy a higher impedance version instead, since you would have enough voltage for those too, and the 250 and 600 Ohm drivers are slightly better.

I would get this for gaming. http://www.astrogaming.com/mixamp/mixamp-usb yeah just get that. It is what Shin uses for all of his reviews and it works with the ps3 and PC without all of the interconnecting stuff... http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envy-aka-shin-czs-guide-to-headphone-gaming-particularly-with-dolby-headphone

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Originally Posted by Danthrax 

I would get this for gaming. http://www.astrogaming.com/mixamp/mixamp-usb yeah just get that. It is what Shin uses for all of his reviews and it works with the ps3 and PC without all of the interconnecting stuff... http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envy-aka-shin-czs-guide-to-headphone-gaming-particularly-with-dolby-headphone

No EAX support at all, but the OP said he didn't care about it, so it's okay in this case.

What I don't know about the Mixamp is how good and clean its analog output is, and if there are more revisions between the older A40 Mixamp (which seems to lack some USB functionality) and the newer Mixamp Pro.

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Originally Posted by NamelessPFG 

 

No EAX support at all, but the OP said he didn't care about it, so it's okay in this case.

 

What I don't know about the Mixamp is how good and clean its analog output is, and if there are more revisions between the older A40 Mixamp (which seems to lack some USB functionality) and the newer Mixamp Pro.

In windows 7 EAX is all processed in software anyway and it isn't much better than dolby headphone and it isn't supported as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danthrax 

In windows 7 EAX is all processed in software anyway and it isn't much better than dolby headphone and it isn't supported as well.

More like "outright lost unless you use ALchemy or GX2.5, since the software audio modes obviously can't use effects meant for hardware acceleration". Thankfully, ALchemy does work fairly well, and it's only needed for DirectSound3D-based games. Some games tap into EAX or EFX through OpenAL, which still works fine (hence why you don't need ALchemy for games like UT 2004, UT3, Battlefield 2, and so forth).

Also, you shouldn't be comparing EAX (environmental effects) to Dolby Headphone, but CMSS-3D Headphone instead...which curbstomps Dolby Headphone in the positioning department if used with DirectSound3D or OpenAL, in my experience. But with the industry at large using software audio engines that downmix everything to 7.1 at the most, that edge is pretty much lost on anyone who only cares about newer releases, since the two will perform about evenly and no hardware-accelerated sound features are being used in the first place.

Heajuk,

Please let us know how you find the setup. I am in the market for a portable DAC that I was looking to use on my gaming PC also. 

Wormwood