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Need USB Soundcard

post #1 of 6
1/17/12 at 9:01am
Thread Starter 

I am in the market for a USB soundcard for my laptop, and would like some advice from the audio geniuses at head-fi.  It will be used primarily for gaming, but also some music.  The most important feature is surround sound emulation for positional audio.  Initially, I will be using it with my Steelseries Siberia V2 headset (don't kill me!), but do plan to buy a higher quality pair of headphones to use it with (something like ATH-AD700 or Samson SR850),  I am currently looking at these two, but am open to other recommendations.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Soundblaster-Audio-System-SB1290/dp/B0044DEDC0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326819636&sr=8-1

 

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Recon3D-External-Enhancer/dp/B005FKT70O/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1326819653&sr=1-3

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post #2 of 6
1/17/12 at 3:46pm
Thread Starter 

Or what about this one??

 

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Sound-Blaster-System-SB1240/dp/B004275EO4

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post #3 of 6
1/17/12 at 5:46pm

You want either dolby headphone or creative's CMSS. Read over this http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1285726

 

The XFi Go you linked is probably going to have worse sound quality compared to a larger external system. The X-Fi HD isn't a gaming device and doesn't have CMSS.

 

I would recommend the Astro Mixamp. My friend has one and it looks nice, works well, and feel like it has solid construction. I use a desktop mic setup with IEMs now, but before I had a labtec mic that is mentioned in that link. People on voice chat said it was nice and clear. Here's another mic option that I recently stumbled upon http://www.modmic.com/

 


Edited by DrGroove - 1/17/12 at 5:47pm
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post #4 of 6
1/17/12 at 7:24pm
Thread Starter 

This review ( http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/09/20/creative_xfi_hd_usb_sound_card_review/ ) gave me the impression it did. :\

 

So that would leave me with the Recon3D and the Astro mix amp.  Recon3D seems like a shot in the dark since I haven't talked to anybody with it or read any good reviews.

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post #5 of 6
1/19/12 at 8:30am
Thread Starter 

I would like some more opinions/suggestions.  I'm sure both the Recon3D and the Astro mixamp are fine for gaming, but I'm somewhat concerned about how well they perform for music.

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post #6 of 6
1/19/12 at 10:14am

There is the Xonar U3.

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Xonar-Sound-Cards-XONAR_U3/dp/B0054L8GVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326996733&sr=8-1

 

There arent many usb gaming soundcards out there.

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