[shaolin95]

I think for $28 (no breakout box or remote), I scored a nice deal here. The sound is VERY nice to my ears on my Ascend 170SE monitors and Mission speakers as well. At first I wanted the entry level Z card but I think the deal I got was better overall.
This is for music and some gaming. For actual recording I got a Saphire Scarlett 8i6.
So unless  I go for the ZXR, I wont really get much better than this, right?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I think for $28 (no breakout box or remote), I scored a nice deal here. The sound is VERY nice to my ears on my Ascend 170SE monitors and Mission speakers as well. At first I wanted the entry level Z card but I think the deal I got was better overall.
This is for music and some gaming. For actual recording I got a Sapphire Scarlett 8i6.
So unless  I go for the ZxR, I wont really get much better than this, right?

 
The SB-Z comes with one CS4398 DAC chip.
I believe the X-Fi Elite Pro comes with 4 CS4398 DAC chips.
So audio quality wise, can't see any reason for getting the SB-Z, over the X-Fi Elite Pro.
$28 for the X-Fi Elite Pro seems like a good price.
 
If the future, for improving audio quality, you might consider getting an external optical input DAC and plug it into the X-Fi- Elite Pro's optical port.
or finding a SB-ZxR, for a really good price.

 

[Amish]

I've had many creative sound cards over the years and several X-Fi's and I have been very pleased with them. Good score dude

 

[sonci]

The Elite is an exceptional card, at the same level or better than the EMU cards,
it has not a colorful shields and other ******** marketing tricks, but it should sound even better than modern creative cards,
so, yes that's a very good deal

 

[shaolin95]

Thanks guys! 
I am very happy with the quality I am getting from it. I always had sound cards but on this build I was running the onboard sound and it was killing me!
Now everything just opened up with detail and better positioning. I was going to try hunting down the breakout box but from what I have read, the quality was not the best so I will just keep it as it is.
Regards!

 

[Eurobeat]

  Thanks guys! 
I am very happy with the quality I am getting from it. I always had sound cards but on this build I was running the onboard sound and it was killing me!
Now everything just opened up with detail and better positioning. I was going to try hunting down the breakout box but from what I have read, the quality was not the best so I will just keep it as it is.
Regards!

The I/O box is great quality, not sure where you heard it isn't..  It was fun to use, and seems to be a great unit.  Plus your nerd status goes up with something cool like this .