[NoDigital]

Does anyone have some suggestions on a good quality sound card and headphone amp? Having seen the review of the Audigy on TomsHardware.com when pitted agains a Terratec its left me doubtful of the Audigys sonic ability. The Terratec EWX 24/96 looks on paper to be an excellent card with impecable audio ability though no support for headphone surround, EAX, etc.

I'm looking for a high quality card that supports EAX, D3D or whatever for gaming with headphone surround but primarily concerned with stereo playback.

Into the soundcard I'd like to plug a reasonable, sub $250 headphone amp. Creek OBH-11 or X-CanV2 are the current possibilities.

Anyone listened to the headphone out of the Extigy?

For PC listening I've got a set of HD580's listening through an old Technics amp and an Abit UA-10 sound USB sound module. Hi-fi cans listening is with a Cyrus Pre7.5 pre-amp.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Try looking here:

Hi-Fi PC sound guide

 

[Audio-Me]

Personally, I think 3D surround processing is pretty useless. The imaging achieved through high fidelty stereo is a much greater experience than perceiving surround sound of low-fi morphed sound.

FWIW, the EWX 24/96 should be very similar to what I use, the EWS88 MT. When I occasionally play pc games, the stereo sound is so real it's scrary.

As for the amp, the Creek amp is a great starting point (OBH-11SE was my first amp), but I think you'll end up wanting more. I haven't tried the X-Cans, but I think they'll tell you the same thing. Try either one out though.

(Both can be upgraded to a better power source = better sound)