[Meh]

The Titanium HD and ASUS Essence ST/STX are both great cards.  I've had both, but ultimately kept the STX because of the higher impedence it supports.  That being said the HD was a solid card, and I could find it for about $30 cheaper, though judging by how you don't mind spending $500ish I doubt you'd card about that amount of money.  Creative is also first and foremost a computer audio company so yes they have better support for gaming audio, but I can't say that I heard any discernable difference between using one card over the other in a game.  Also, EAX used to be huge in the PC gaming scene but I can't recall the last time that EAX was even an option in any recent games.

 

[Roller]

Quote:

The Titanium HD and ASUS Essence ST/STX are both great cards.  I've had both, but ultimately kept the STX because of the higher impedence it supports.  That being said the HD was a solid card, and I could find it for about $30 cheaper, though judging by how you don't mind spending $500ish I doubt you'd card about that amount of money.  Creative is also first and foremost a computer audio company so yes they have better support for gaming audio, but I can't say that I heard any discernable difference between using one card over the other in a game.  Also, EAX used to be huge in the PC gaming scene but I can't recall the last time that EAX was even an option in any recent games.

 
Well, considering they both have high quality DACs (the Titanium HD DAC chip is slightly better), for music and movie playback they're both good options. However, the Essence STX doesn't hold a candle to the Titanium HD's gaming prowess. Aside from having hardware OpenAL (as opposed to the Asus software OpenAL) and full version hardware EAX, so does the Titanium HD have positional cue improvement algorithms that are audio renderer agnostic, improving even dirt audio renderers like XAudio2 and FMOD.

 

[Meh]

While it's true that they have more gaming prowess built in, looking over the Creative website you'll be hard-pressed to find little if any games that use EAX that have been released in the last few years.  That plus the higher impedence, plus not hearing any difference when gaming is what made me go for the STX, but again, the HD is a great card.

 

[Roller]

You're missing the point. Creative cards are immensely superior to the competition in terms of games with proper audio renderers, but even on games with basic audio renderers (XAudio2, FMOD, etc) they are superior due to the positional cue algorithms that the X-Fi chip provides, something that other cards (like all Asus cards) lack.
 
Sound quality wise, they're rather matched, with the Essence STX having an integrated headphone amp that makes overall sound signature to be neutral leaning to brightness, while the Titanium HD's sound signature is neutral leaning towards warmth.
 
Bottomline is, each card has it's strengths and weaknesses, but gaming is certainly an area where Asus cards don't really pose a challenge to Creative cards.
 
And did I mention how the Essence STX DAC chip has higher distortion, which is only aggravated by having an integrated headphone amp inside it?

 

[rpegaming]

Interesting conversations happen while I'm at work xD.
 
 
 
I guess right now I'm looking at the HE-400 and 598 due to low impedance (able to be used for my Samsung S3 more easily)....I could always buy both since they're cheaper xD. I'd prefer only getting one though!
 
I just ordered my Titanium HD for $146 ^^.

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

Interesting conversations happen while I'm at work xD.
 
 
 
I guess right now I'm looking at the HE-400 and 598 due to low impedance (able to be used for my Samsung S3 more easily)....I could always buy both since they're cheaper xD. I'd prefer only getting one though!
 
I just ordered my Titanium HD for $146 ^^.

The HE-400 is quite demanding, i have heard. While it won't need as high voltages, and therefore can go louder than higher impedance headphones, it will need more current. Anyways, that phone needs an amp, from what i have heard, and personally i would not be 100% happy running it from my fiio e17, which isn't even a super-cheap amp. You could just get a fiio e11, i have heard they should run the HE-400 somewhat nicely, and it isn't very expensive.
I don't know about the HD598.
 
Nice choice on sound card btw...

 

[rpegaming]

Everywhere I read said the HE-400 wasn't difficult to drive .

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

Everywhere I read said the HE-400 wasn't difficult to drive .

It isn't compared to HE-500, from what i have heard. But directly out of a smartphone would not be optimal... The sound card should do well on the other hand.

 

[rpegaming]

Quote:

It isn't compared to HE-500, from what i have heard. But directly out of a smartphone would not be optimal... The sound card should do well on the other hand.

There would be portable amps involved.
 
 
Also...Asgard or Lyr? (for home, PC use)

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

There would be portable amps involved.
 
 
Also...Asgard or Lyr? (for home, PC use)

Idk, if you are not going to get anything better than a HE-400, i suppose the sound card and a portable amp would do fine, but i suggest you research it... Haven't tried myself.
The Lyr and also Asgard are quite expensive...
For gaming, i guess there are better and less expensive phones than the HE-400, but they are excellent when it comes to sound quality and etc..
 
The HD-598 should be quite good, also the Audio Technica ATH-AD900 (which i have mentioned already?), and the Ultrasone HFI-2400 from what i have heard.
You can also take a look at this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/634586/looking-for-advice-gaming-headphones/15

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

 
The DT880 already benefit from additional amplification, the HE-400 and HE-500 even moreso.

I'll just quote. This is said with reference to my fiio e17 amp, i expect.

 

[rpegaming]

I think you missed over my desire for listening to lossless music as well...$250 is hardly expensive.
 
The HD598 is another one I was looking at...but I'll probably just get that eventually...really think I'll go with the HE-400 first..

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

I think you missed over my desire for listening to lossless music as well...$250 is hardly expensive.
 
The HD598 is another one I was looking at...but I'll probably just get that eventually...really think I'll go with the HE-400 first..

The best thing would be, if you could try them out. Some might suite you and some might not, despite the price. Personally, I wont buy a headphone without trying or being able to return it. You could also get the ad700 then

(for serious gaming). It is quite inexpensive ($100).
I can't really help you with desktop amps, I can just tell you, that getting amps in the price range of the Lyr would not be worth it unless you are going to get better and more expensive headphones than the HE-400 IMO.

 

[rpegaming]

I will eventually but I need to start somewhere.
 
Can I get any opinions from other people regarding amps and the HE-400s?

 

[davidsh]

You could use the search function, you are not the first one to ask...