[DemonicLemming]

Bit of a crazy thought, and I'm not sure it would work, but...
 
Would it be possible to use two audio cards in the same computer?  The reason I ask is because I have an X-Fi Titanium that I currently use for my normal speaker-out to my Z-5500s, and mic in for gaming, as well as for the optical output to my DAC.  I've been looking at some of the Xonar cards (primarily the Essence STX) to use as a digital transport to my DAC, but the problem with that card is that it doesn't really offer any connectivity for the rest of my setup - my computer speakers and mic.  I'm pondering buying the Xonar and using it simply as a digital transport, while still leaving the X-Fi installed to output to my speakers and allow me to use my mic.  There are two big reasons I want the Xonar - the SNR of the X-Fi isn't impressive at all (something like 108dB compared to the 124dB of the Xonar), and Creative's "legendary" drivers are causing some OS lockups while I have foobar playing WASAPI to S/PDIF, and I'm playing a game at the same time.
 
Aside from potential driver issues (not sure what would happen having both audio cards installed at the same time), is there any reason this wouldn't work?  Is it an utterly stupid and pointless idea?  Is there a better means of accomplishing the same end goal?

 

[Roller]

Yes, it is possible. But I'm not exactly following what you're trying to accomplish. Because even though you can have multiple soundcards installed on a system, only one card at a time can be set as the default system output device. Now, if you were using players that allowed you to select output devices, that wouldn't mind at all.
 
A rather important thing to keep in mind is if the cards you want to pair have some incompatibility between themselves. I've seen both onboard audio chips and dedicated soundcards being a bit stingy about other audio devices they've had lying around, forcing one to be disabled in order for the other to work.
 
You have a regular Creative X-Fi Titanium? And are you using stock drivers or any modded drivers (PAX, Daniel K's)?

 

[DemonicLemming]

I'd be using foobar, which (I'm assuming) would allow me to manually select the S/PDIF out on the Xonar for music playback, while leaving my Windows default as the X-Fi, similar to how I'd select an external DAC connected to my computer via USB in foobar, while leaving my sound card the default output device in Windows.
 
Yeah, just the normal X-Fi Titanium PCI-e, not the Fatal1ty or the Pro version.  Running normal Creative drivers - although having dealt with a lot of issues in the past due to those drivers, I'd be up for giving modded ones a shot.

 

[Roller]

Yes, foobar does allow you to select any output from the ones you have available. System output settings are separated (or can be) from the settings you have on foobar.
 
Ok, you have stock drivers installed. Do you have the latest version available on Creative's site, or you have the drivers that came with the soundcard installed instead?

 

[DemonicLemming]

Latest version for Win7 64-bit installed...if I recall right, its a couple months old now.

 

[Roller]

Before going over mods and other things, you should uninstall your X-Fi package, drivers and software. Then clean the registry for leftovers, install the original drivers that came with your soundcard, and after that update them to the latest version. That alone should fix quite a few issues you might have.

 

[DemonicLemming]

Really, the only issue I'm having is the occasional lock-up, and that's a known issue with driver compatibility and the game I'm playing.  I'm really more interested in getting a better digital transport via sound card, while still maintaining the speaker and mic capabilities I have right now.

 

[tom2011]

use this software
IndieVolume
 
also you can change it in game and media player

 

[sonci]

Do you think ASUS xonar drivers are any better?? You can look up some threads here in HF,
 
Honestly I dont think is resonable buying an expensive audio card just for digital out, yo`d find no difference with xfi, especially the digital out,
 
Why dont you use titanium digital out to external DAC?
I use foobar configured for asio output of my Auzentech Prelude,
and JRiver configured for Auzentech spidf out, to my receiver
 
with xfi you have multichannel asio output in foobar,(with the help of dvd audio plugin), how good is that