[floeezy]

Hello,
 
I am looking for an external sound card or DAC/amp to connect to my Asus N56VZ laptop. The RealTek ALC663 sound card in this laptop is junk IMO. Distortion is present at medium/high volumes and everything sounds muddy. I am hoping that this sound card or DAC/amp will be able to drive both my HiFiMAN HE-400 headphones and Logitech Z4 speakers.
 
Right now I'm looking at the following:
 
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD - $86
NuForce Icon uDAC-2 - $119
Fiio E17 - $139
 
At the moment, my max budget is $150. I do not know much about sound cards or DACs/amplifiers, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sterling1]

I like my X-FI HD. I use it mostly to convert USB to S/PDIF for listening to iTunes from my HT. I also use it to digitize vinyl.

 

[weez82]

Adding a better sound card isnt going to make your speakers sound better. Those will always sound distorted and muddy. How do the headphones sound with the laptop?

 

[floeezy]

The headphones sound not as clean with the laptop. My portable set-up, iPod touch 4G->LOD->HeadSix->HE-400, sounds better. This is the reason I'm tending to believe that the internal sound card of the laptop is the issue. I haven't connected the speakers yet as they are still with my desktop PC, which they sounded really nice with. I'm just looking for a higher fidelity system.

 

[anonymous1337]

Quote:

I like my X-FI HD. I use it mostly to convert USB to S/PDIF for listening to iTunes from my HT. I also use it to digitize vinyl.

Did you have to install the creative drivers or did the X-Fi HD work out-of-the-box?

 

[duncan1]

Anonymous 1337-I too have titanium X-fi HD card by Creative-really like it although Gamers don't. Yes you can install it without the CD software but I do not recommend it .
          Microsoft puts its own drivers in  and you also lose out on Creatives Official drivers a lot of extra audio program   and more to the point  Creatives UPDATE service. I already have updated drivers installed  AS I had to Register  the product by clicking on it on my PC  I can get FREE professional help from them. They check your product for legality on line and once they pass it thats you good!

 

[godshades]

hi, i want upgrade for my N56VZ too, does any1 know good budget DAC, i'm using DUNU Titan 1 inear

 

[vapman]

Old therad but where better place to inform people that E-MU finally pushed new updates late months :O