Yes, if you go for a decent soundcard. The 0404 is bare minimum or anything with a decent opamp, but after that differences are smaller as these are not the most detailed speakers money can buy. But they are very clean and flat ala monitors so a more linear source will help. Be sure to have...

Being an Audioengine A5 owner, I can verify that they're definitely source sensitive. They sound just like any other speaker when hooked up to an iPod, laptop, or plain Creative soundcard. But when you hook up a EMU 0404 or a DAC they start singing. Imaging, detail and seperation will improve...

Just my 2 cents: The sound quality gain from good soundcards/DACs so far outweighs the advantages of most X-Fi's, namely the EAX support and any processor offloading. Most games today don't use EAX, going instead with software sound engines (ex Source engine). And the trend keeps going...

I'd go with C, then if not, B. There are so many choices for C though. Ideally I'd get floorstanders + a good amp like the Trends Audio and a decent soundcard/DAC, 0404 would be minimum. Or bookshelves. Or if money is an issue, a receiver. Sample friend's setup: 0404PCI -> Trends Audio T-10...

Quote: Originally Posted by techniqu for anyone with the A2's; how do you guys switch between speakers and headphones (if you do at all)? I'm using a spare run-of-the-mill headphone splitter like this to allow me to have a line out close to the speaker. If you're running your...

Is it bad for the soundcard to have the line out going directly into 32ohm headphones? If it matters, they're Sennheiser HD485s. Thanks.

Quote: Originally Posted by indikator how bout the sound sig? is it as cold as XFi? I would say relative to the X-Fi the highs are much more prominent and present, resulting in a crisp sound. The Xtremegamer X-Fi has very weak highs in comparison, with the signature sounding...

Sorry about your wallet, but be sure NOT to use just any soundcard with the Audioengine A5. I just upgraded from a stock Creative X-Fi Xtremegamer to the EMU 0404 PCI. Wow Talk about a difference in soundstage, clarity and details. The EMU 0404 is a huge step up from the M-Audio...

Having owned the Audioengine A5s for a while and just now A/B'd them from a desktop and a Lenovo Thinkpad x60 Tablet, there are 2 areas that are I think equally important: Placement: I would put them on some makeshift stands. Phonebooks or textbooks would be good, definitely don't put them on...

College-student Audioengine A5 owner here giving his two cents... Loudness - It is excellent. It will fill a medium sized room at loud levels with no problems, especially if placed high enough. I wouldn't let them operate during packed rowdy parties as they have no grill and definitely are...

Quote: Originally Posted by OblivionLord You can always spend that lovley $250 on Bose LOLOL And get half a clock radio Though I wouldn't mind a B&W one =)

Kruder and Dorfmeister - Big Powder Dust Hey, you asked

I like 'Dark Blue' off that album. What are you favorites so I can try them out?

Whatever you do, don't buy yourself some nice headphones and then plug them into an onboard sound card

If you have good (120+ usd) headphones, I would take the plunge and get a DAC. Otherwise, if they're just merely decent, any soundcard AFAIK will eliminate the electrical noises you hear. I know my Revolution 5.1 does the job. The noise will go away and the music will be much much clearer. Your...

I was traditionally a Trance and Hip-Hop fan, but after my Sennheiser HD485s, I find myself also liking any songs with a clear acoustic guitar, piano or vocal. Usually Pop or Alternative. I just love being able to hear the extra details that aren't found in the usual Trance or Hip-hop songs.

First all, you don't want Logitech products in your audio equipment. Yes they make speakers that are on par with their price range, but any decent pair of headphones over 20 USD will outpace the speakers sound-quality-wise. As long as you stick with headphones under 50 USD, plugging them into...

Depends. What is the optical out going to be hooked up to? If the receiver is decent, using the receiver's DAC would be better.

Yes. Just type the folder path like this: "music\michael jackson\thriller" into the search field, select all the songs, send to new playlist.

Maybe you did this, but try hitting alt-L next time you're over. Of course if it's never been used, you gotta populate it by choosing a folder and letting the database update. The search field at the top is quite nifty. As with all things, it's a matter of what you're comfortable with. Foobar...

I used Foobar (properly set up with SSRC resampling and kernel streaming) for a full week. The Database/Playlist management gives me a headache compared to Winamp's Library (been using that for a few years now). But the sound quality was a step or two above Winamp .. until... I searched...

Headphones arrived and I'm quite happy. But I'm wondering how much better they could sound. Current source is the nforce2 motherboard, with it's AC97 chip. These are hooked up to my Logitech z-560s. I'm trying to decide between a AV-710 + cmoy amp vs. a Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro. Is the...

Looks like a AV-710 for me, hooked up to my logitech z560 for the amp. I am a gamer, but I'll just have to do without EAX. I'll have to start learning how to get foobar working, I'll miss Winamp, which I used for a good 8+ years now.

I've been reading about the Creative X-Fi series and how it upsamples the music with the Crystalizer gimmick. This would give it an advantage over the AV-710 if it were any good. Anyone have any experience with the products? Can you vouch that it actually does something and more than just a...

If the static is causing noise in your headphones, it may not be completely healthy. I would discharge by touching with your hands a metal part of anything grounded. In my case, my computer is encased in aluminum, but with a laptop you may have to get creative. A metal lamp grounded at the plug...