[Shark00n]

Hi guys!
I'm about to purchase a SB ZXR for my desktop PC.
I considered some other soundcards but the ZXR looked as good as the Xonar Essence ones (for my needs) and it has the ACM which I love and use a lot for the great mic and easier connecting/disconnecting of audio devices.

My setup is:
-Beyerdynamic DT990 250ohm headphones
-Logitech Z623 2.1 200W speakers

I have a few question:

1) Can I connect my 250ohm headphones to the ACM without issues? Will they be correctly driven and sound pretty much as good as connected straight to the ZXR? Should I turn on the 'high-gain' switch on the software? Will this work thru the ACM?
2) Is there any way to make the software nicer to use? Or a replacement? Profile switching and set up is a pain. I'm no audiophile and just enjoy surround sound gaming with my headphones and ear-popping bassy music on my speakers. A way to quickly change from music to games, movies to spoken word would be awesome. (For instance I have Creative's XFi software on my laptop and it works wonders with it's profiles on the built in speakers)

Thanks!

 

[3stun]

  I would expect Creative Labs to take a fair amount of the Trustudio Pro functions and add it to the newer Z series (Z, Zx, ZxR) cards and integrate with SBX.

No offense, but I'm not interested in speculation here, just opinions of those who tested both technologies with their own ears.
Or some solid info why one tech is better than the other (from strictly technical point of view).

 

[NCSUZoSo]

  No offense, but I'm not interested in speculation here, just opinions of those who tested both technologies with their own ears.
Or some solid info why one tech is better than the other (from strictly technical point of view).

Do you expect someone here to have insider knowledge of technology covered under NDA and if so, share it publicly?

Creative doesn't usually leak much info and there isn't enough of a PC soundcard community anymore for them to even bother (unlike with GPU/CPU). I love dedicated PC sound cards, but it feels like audio hardware is moving more and more onto the motherboard (again) or through the GPU. I expect Creative and ASUS to continue making soundcards, but the days of companies like Auzentech (first co. allowed to license X-Fi DSP) are dead.
 
Best bet is to just keep googling Creative/ASUS New Soundcard for the next 6 months to a year (guessing here).

 

[PurpleAngel]

  No offense, but I'm not interested in speculation here, just opinions of those who tested both technologies with their own ears.
Or some solid info why one tech is better than the other (from strictly technical point of view).

 
I think if you look at a companie's point of view, it's cheaper to just to rename a product to make it sound newer, then to spend time and money coming up with something new.
 
Maybe try asking questins about Creative sound cards on this forum.
http://forums.creative.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6

 

[bcschmerker4]

 

  No offense, but I'm not interested in speculation here, just opinions of those who tested both technologies with their own ears.
Or some solid info why one tech is better than the other (from strictly technical point of view).

 
I think if you look at a companie's point of view, it's cheaper to just to rename a product to make it sound newer, then to spend time and money coming up with something new....
 
http://forums.creative.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6

Which is how Creative Laboratories® came up with the SB1550 Audigy 5 and RX - basically a redesign of the SB0610 Audigy 4 for PCI-Express.  I'm still waiting for a shielded PCIe card based on the CA10200-IAT with a MIDI and S/P-DIF breakout harness but no game port (the joystick port being obsoleted in favor of USB), as I could use more independently-adjustable analog inputs.

 

[thuNDa]

  No offense, but I'm not interested in speculation here, just opinions of those who tested both technologies with their own ears.
Or some solid info why one tech is better than the other (from strictly technical point of view).

I have not compared the surround of the THX suite of the Recon3D/Titanium vs. the SBX-surround personally, but i have read enough posts which suggest that they are NOT the same, and that the majority clearly favours SBX-surround over THX-surround.

 

[Forty6]

I wonder if any kind souls here actually owned / user of the Asrock X79 Extreme9 ?
This motherboard came with a sound card called Asrock Game blaster which is developed by creative labs . As pic shown below .
I need some honest listening review on this one of any one here happen to own this or had been experience it before .

 

[PurpleAngel]

I wonder if any kind souls here actually owned / user of the Asrock X79 Extreme9 ?
This motherboard came with a sound card called Asrock Game blaster which is developed by creative labs . As pic shown below .
I need some honest listening review on this one of any one here happen to own this or had been experience it before .

 
My best guess is it's just a redesigned Creative Recon3D sound card.
So it would use the Soundcore3D audio processor for all DAC functions.
Where as a Sound Blaster Z or Zx, comes with an add-on CS4398 DAC chip, which provide a DAC function for the headphones and Front Speaker channels.
So maybe you might consider watching eBay for a good deal on a used SB-Z card.
 
Or if your willing to up the budget, watch eBay for a good deal on a used (optical input) Modi DAC and Magni amp.
Plug the Modi into the Asrock Game Blaster card

 

[gug42]

Hello,
 
Well I was thinking that i can use Equalizer and "SBX Pro Studio effects" throught the SPIDF to an external DAC ?
And obviously doesn't work @home
 
Plz any advice ? Didnt find any switch/activaiton buttons ...
 
Thx in advance !
 
Regards,

 

[Forty6]

My best guess is it's just a redesigned Creative Recon3D sound card.
So it would use the Soundcore3D audio processor for all DAC functions.
Where as a Sound Blaster Z or Zx, comes with an add-on CS4398 DAC chip, which provide a DAC function for the headphones and Front Speaker channels.
So maybe you might consider watching eBay for a good deal on a used SB-Z card.

Or if your willing to up the budget, watch eBay for a good deal on a used (optical input) Modi DAC and Magni amp.
Plug the Modi into the Asrock Game Blaster card

Thanks , I'll keep the idea on plugging in the modi into the Asrock Game blaster . Actually I already got a brand new in box extreme9 , it's just that I had yet install the mobo into the rig . Plenty of things not yet in place .

 

[Shark00n]

Hi guys!
I'm about to purchase a SB ZXR for my desktop PC.
I considered some other soundcards but the ZXR looked as good as the Xonar Essence ones (for my needs) and it has the ACM which I love and use a lot for the great mic and easier connecting/disconnecting of audio devices.

My setup is:
-Beyerdynamic DT990 250ohm headphones
-Logitech Z623 2.1 200W speakers

I have a few question:

1) Can I connect my 250ohm headphones to the ACM without issues? Will they be correctly driven and sound pretty much as good as connected straight to the ZXR? Should I turn on the 'high-gain' switch on the software? Will this work thru the ACM?
2) Is there any way to make the software nicer to use? Or a replacement? Profile switching and set up is a pain. I'm no audiophile and just enjoy surround sound gaming with my headphones and ear-popping bassy music on my speakers. A way to quickly change from music to games, movies to spoken word would be awesome. (For instance I have Creative's XFi software on my laptop and it works wonders with it's profiles on the built in speakers)

Thanks!

 
Well I got the ZXR and am pretty happy with it. I actually couldn't resist and sould my Beyers too, got a pair of HD650s I was eyeing for a while now.
I talked with Creative's support about my question and yes, ACM has no influence on output power, no problem using headphones up to 600ohm with it.
 
The software is what gets me, it's a mess. I have a few doubts which I have been researching but to no avail... Can you guys help me out?
 
1) The HD650'sare 300ohm, so I should use them in 'Normal gain' mode supposedly. But I read on a few places that the HD650s scale well with power, along with some other headphones, is 600ohm the best option, or even safe to use?
 
2) How the hell do I configure 5.1? I've read so many theories and different ways to do it. I have my headphones connected to the ACM, plus some 2.1 speakers connected to the ZXR. I should set Windows to 5.1 and in SB Control panel to headphones (or 2.1 speakers according to what I'm using at the time), but then music sounds like sh**. I need to be constantly fiddling with software everytime I just want to switch from headphones to speakers, turning on surround SBX effects on the headphones and turning windows to 2.1 and turning of surround effects everytime I use the speakers, and I switch a lot! Isn't there an easier way?
 
Thanks!

 

[thuNDa]

   
Well I got the ZXR and am pretty happy with it. I actually couldn't resist and sould my Beyers too, got a pair of HD650s I was eyeing for a while now.
I talked with Creative's support about my question and yes, ACM has no influence on output power, no problem using headphones up to 600ohm with it.
 
The software is what gets me, it's a mess. I have a few doubts which I have been researching but to no avail... Can you guys help me out?
 
1) The HD650'sare 300ohm, so I should use them in 'Normal gain' mode supposedly. But I read on a few places that the HD650s scale well with power, along with some other headphones, is 600ohm the best option, or even safe to use?
 
2) How the hell do I configure 5.1? I've read so many theories and different ways to do it. I have my headphones connected to the ACM, plus some 2.1 speakers connected to the ZXR. I should set Windows to 5.1 and in SB Control panel to headphones (or 2.1 speakers according to what I'm using at the time), but then music sounds like sh**. I need to be constantly fiddling with software everytime I just want to switch from headphones to speakers, turning on surround SBX effects on the headphones and turning windows to 2.1 and turning of surround effects everytime I use the speakers, and I switch a lot! Isn't there an easier way?
 
Thanks!

 
1) To get the power, you need to pull the power - in other words: when you turn the volume up, you pull more power.
When you listen at 20% volume at normal gain, you won't pull more power when you then listen at the same loudness at high gain, with the respective lower volume setting.
 
2) you can use "SBZ Switcher", which allows you to configure hotkey for these things.
For example, i use "CTRL+pageup" to toggle between SBX-Surround, and "CTRL+pagedown" to toggle between speakers and headphones.
You can also set a different default volume for HP's/Speakers.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/sbzswitcher/

 

[gug42]

Anyone tried the  dual  opa1612   ? or dual OPA1642 ?
 
Thank you in advance
 
Regards,

 

[NCSUZoSo]

Thanks , I'll keep the idea on plugging in the modi into the Asrock Game blaster . Actually I already got a brand new in box extreme9 , it's just that I had yet install the mobo into the rig . Plenty of things not yet in place .

I have owned an ASRock Z77 Extreme4, Extreme6 and now run an ASRock Z77 OC Formula.  You will love the Extreme9!

 

[Forty6]

I have owned an ASRock Z77 Extreme4, Extreme6 and now run an ASRock Z77 OC Formula.  You will love the Extreme9!

Just managed to drop in the extreme9 into my G7750 with a P2 .
Ok the initial first start was not too well as it doesn't boot into the OS , apparently the mobo is picky with my 16G of trusty Gskill , sweating me out by pulling in n out slot by slot one by one till it accept all 4 and start playing altogether .

Then another issue pop out , I wasn't know that game blaster was so nitpicking at the pcie slot . I installed that thing into the 3rd and last 16x slot as my intention was to create a bit of air circulation without having to sit just below of the gpu , but again no luck with those x16 slot , that thing lights up and lan appear to be working but the sound core wasn't working , not even able to begin the set-up and the installing of drivers .
It simply did not detect the damm thing !

Without any choice left , I let that thing sit right below at the gpu on the X1 slot . Tada ! Now it's coming altogether ,it detect that damm thing and setup installation , drivers are a breeze .
But the woes doesn't end here . The mobo detect on and off on the LG blu ray drive , occasionally it would appear just fine as it should be , at times it wasn't there at all !
I rebooted countless times but to no avail . It did power up , and disc seems to be spinning inside but that's all , it doesn't show up in Windows , I suspect the issue lies with either the sata cable itself or the sata 3 port on the mobo , but I wasn't too sure , the only way to find out was to pull the gpu out , and re cable / change of port to test it out .

Tonight is going to be a long night . And lastly , that game blaster sound core thing is a garbage nothing more . That thing sound horrible even my asg 2.5 wasn't able to get anything good out of it .
It was a shame as no doubt is really a good looking card , but sound awful . It was a let down .
But it came with the $400 extreme9 , on hindsight I should have known not to expect too much of it .. it's just horrible and awfully sounds . A garbage .

Tonight I got more work to do , to wake the blu ray from the board .