[SupaAPE]

Hello everyone. I've had a ZxR for a while now, but i've been wondering what's the best way to get the best sound quality out of it for headphones ? What's the best headphones to buy for 3d positional audio in games and for the best music quality ?  And yes I use the creative crystalizer, i've always used it on each and every creative card and for me it improves music quality.
 
for external surround audio i'm using optical out with an onkyo reciever and some speakers (need better speakers though).
 
edit: oh and should I remove and replace the default amps in the ZxR to higher quality ones for use with better headphones?

 

[franzdom]

  Hello everyone. I've had a ZxR for a while now, but i've been wondering what's the best way to get the best sound quality out of it for headphones ? What's the best headphones to buy for 3d positional audio in games and for the best music quality ?  And yes I use the creative crystalizer, i've always used it on each and every creative card and for me it improves music quality.
 
for external surround audio i'm using optical out with an onkyo reciever and some speakers (need better speakers though).
 
edit: oh and should I remove and replace the default amps in the ZxR to higher quality ones for use with better headphones?

 
Need a better amp and a better DAC too. BEST? That is a HUGE ask!!!

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Hello everyone. I've had a ZxR for a while now, but I've been wondering what's the best way to get the best sound quality out of it for headphones ? What's the best headphones to buy for 3d positional audio in games and for the best music quality ?  And yes I use the creative crystalizer, i've always used it on each and every creative card and for me it improves music quality.
 
for external surround audio i'm using optical out with an Onkyo receiver and some speakers (need better speakers though).
 
edit: oh and should I remove and replace the default amps in the ZxR to higher quality ones for use with better headphones?

 
Did you disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS, when you installed the SB-ZxR?
Small chance that active on-board might effect the add-on sound card (SB-ZxR),
 
We can assume you have enabled DDL (Dolby Digital Live) in the sound card settings, so the sound card can send up to 6-channel (5.1) of digital audio to the Onkyo?
(DDL limits digital audio to 24-bit/48K, which is still fairly good)
 
Do you have an over all budget for your audio improvement/upgrade?
 
Are open headphones OK, or do you need closed ones?

 

[SupaAPE]

What Amps do you recommend? I wont be changing DACs for now.

I disabled onboard audio and i installed the latest ZxR drivers with the proper settings for optical out audio through the onkyo reciever. It's been a while since I've used the onkyo receiver and i really miss the sound quality.

Anyways i got about 600-900 dollars i guess i could spend on headphones. I am an audiophile even though others may disagree with me.

Sorry i didnt quote your posts im using my phone because i spilt bong water on my razer keyboard

 

[PurpleAngel]

What Amps do you recommend? I wont be changing DACs for now.

I disabled on-board audio and i installed the latest ZxR drivers with the proper settings for optical out audio through the Onkyo receiver. It's been a while since I've used the Onkyo receiver and i really miss the sound quality.

Anyways i got about 600-900 dollars i guess i could spend on headphones. I am an audiophile even though others may disagree with me.

Sorry i didn't quote your posts I'm using my phone because i spilt bong water on my Razer keyboard

 
If you used a vaporizer instead of a Bong, you would not be spilling water on your precious computer equipment

 
Currently for music and movies, I like using my Beyerdynamic T90 headphone, new $470.
 
For FPS gaming, make an offer on these used Audio Technica ATH-AD700X headphones ($90 or best offer).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/122193451729?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 
A Darkvoice 336SE tube headphone amplifier ($213-$250), plugged into the SB-ZxR's Front Speaker jack, might improve audio quality for music.
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/dark-voice-366se
Using the Front Speaker jacks bypasses the SB-ZxR's SBX Heedphone surround sound feature, but SBX is not needed for music anyway.

 

[SupaAPE]

If you used a vaporizer instead of a Bong, you would not be spilling water on your precious computer equipment

Currently for music and movies, I like using my Beyerdynamic T90 headphone, new $470.

For FPS gaming, make an offer on these used Audio Technica ATH-AD700X headphones ($90 or best offer).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/122193451729?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

A Darkvoice 336SE tube headphone amplifier ($213-$250), plugged into the SB-ZxR's Front Speaker jack, might improve audio quality for music.
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/dark-voice-366se
Using the Front Speaker jacks bypasses the SB-ZxR's SBX Heedphone surround sound feature, but SBX is not needed for music anyway.

Vaporizers are the best. I had 2 volcanos but my last one got stolen.

Ill check out your headphones man, thanks 4 the fast response

 

[Omerovich]

Am i going to get any benefits from the Op-Amps in Stereo Direct mode?I bought quite expensive Op-Amps and know this question is bothering me .Thanks!

 

[thuNDa]

  Am i going to get any benefits from the Op-Amps in Stereo Direct mode?I bought quite expensive Op-Amps and know this question is bothering me .Thanks!

Stereo direct = bypassing the soundprocessor, everything else is like before.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Am i going to get any benefits from the Op-Amps in Stereo Direct mode?I bought quite expensive Op-Amps and know this question is bothering me .Thanks!

 
Assuming your outputting an analog audio signal thru the sound card's headphone jack or line-output jacks, you will benefit from the expensive op-amps.
If the card is outputting digital audio thru the S/PDIF (optical or coaxial) output, then the op-amps are bypassed.

 

[paresser]

x7007
Quote:

I found my self going crazy about the settings, I'm not sure what to use for gaming / movies / music

Hi! I use the same combination - G5 + 990PRO. Did you find the optimal settings?

 

[mindbomb]

So, when you use the soundblaster z's main rear panel jack, are you always using the 4556 opamp? What is this talk of the maxim headphone amp? Is that built into the soundcore 3d chip? When is that used? The front panel connector? never?

 

[thuNDa]

  So, when you use the soundblaster z's main rear panel jack, are you always using the 4556 opamp? What is this talk of the maxim headphone amp? Is that built into the soundcore 3d chip? When is that used? The front panel connector? never?

can't see a max97220 chip anywhere on the board, dunno who came up with that.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91PlSB6GetL._SL1500_.jpg
 
here u can see this chip(it's on my smsl sd-793II -  the chip close to the potentiometer)
http://imgur.com/oRG8XXI

 

[PurpleAngel]

  So, when you use the soundblaster z's main rear panel jack, are you always using the 4556 op-amp? What is this talk of the maxim headphone amp? Is that built into the Soundcore 3D chip? When is that used? The front panel connector? never?

 
The Maxim headphone amplifier chip is separate from the Creative Labs Soundcore3D audio processor

 

[thuNDa]

   
The Maxim headphone amplifier chip is separate from the Creative Labs Soundcore3D audio processor

It's nowhere to be seen tho.
Would have been nice if they actually used this chip, because then the card could have an ~1 Ohm outputimpedance instead of 22 Ohms, and the output power would be higher aswell(and that from a 5V single supply).

 

[mindbomb]

I actually prefer if they didn't use it (which seems to be the case here). Then you would have lower distortion when using a separate external amplifier.