[bunky]

I currently own a Audigy2, never heard any better cards, plan to upgrade, should i keep audigy2 and get a 0404? or should i sell audigy2 and get x-fi music?

mainly listen to music with foobar and itunes.

some advice please!!

 

[Tachikoma]

Emu 0404. Keep the audigy 2 ZS for gaming.

 

[Thaddy]

I haven't heard the X-Fi, but the EMU-0404 is a huge favorite around here for those on a budget. I've been using mine for almost a year, and love it. One downside is the need for some semi-custom cables, but come on...this is Head-Fi. You can easily snag a pair from a DIY'er on the board or bit the bullet and buy some Monster Mono » RCA cables. Do a search, you'll quickly find out the potential of this card.

 

[markot86]

oh lord, do NOT GET THE X-FI FOR MUSIC. I got it before i went to this board thinking that this would improve my music quality since toms hardware reviewed it so well, well guess what, it's horrible for music. For gaming with headphones, it's amazing, but music, stay away as far as possible. Kills highs, muddy mids, crystalizer does pretty much nothing. Get the 0404

 

[Tachikoma]

Wow. what had you been using before the x-fi? I thought it'd be decent for music at least, though it shouldn't compete with the EMUs.

 

[markot86]

Personally, music sounds way better on the line out of my ipod

 

[Vadi]

Hi!

I'm looking for an audio card for gaming too. Am I right thinking that the Emu404 can't do hardware accelerated 5.1 but it can do it in software (I lose framerates but not 5.1 in games)?

Thanks a bunch!

 

[james__bean]

I'll have to refrain from making comparisons between the 1212m and the X-fi directly since all I've been using on the X-fi is the digital output. However, I find it hard to believe that the X-fi can be as poor as some of the people in this thread are claiming. I'm all for Creative bashing, considering their shady past and all, but I just don't think it is deserved here. It may not sound as good as an 0404, but from what I've read it at least competes with the envy 24 based solutions.

I have a 1212m, X-fi, and Chaintech AV-710, although the chaintech is flashed to a prodigy at the moment. I certainly would be willing to compare them, however since neither of my amps has arrived yet it wouldn't be fair to compare the analog output using my crappy receiver. Not to mention the fact that my current system only has two pci slots so I would have to install all three cards in my server, something that will be very time consuming. I wouldn't bother taking the time until I was able to do a thorough review.

 

[]|[ GorE]

James bean , i eagerly await your shoot-out.I have been thinking of buying a new card for a few months.

 

[bunky]

hey thanks guys, i'll get a 0404 then, 1 more question, i know foobar can select output device, so i can set 0404 for foobar playback, what about itunes?

 

[CSMR]

There are many types of X-Fi