Need Help Choosing Sound Card

[draziom]

i was wondering what sound card should i buy for the best quality and cleanest sound for listening to Bluray movies and music and all internet audio stuff. i have the creative soundblaster xtreme music and its not bad but i wanted to buy something better. what do you guys suggest?

i use Sennhieser HD595 headphones to listen to everything audio on my computer. no speakers involved.

 

[MrKazador]

Audiotrak HD2?

 

[draziom]

interesting, whats the price on that card? is this better than asus sonar?

 

[MrKazador]

$75
Audiotrak Prodigy HD2

 

[draziom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrKazador /img/forum/go_quote.gif $75 Audiotrak Prodigy HD2

thats a pretty cheap card does it sound better than the one i got? mine seems more expensive. i mostly don't use it to listen to music mainly bluray movies with best sound quality and internet videos. is it better than asus sonar?

thanks.

 

[Hookem]

I am going with the Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 paired with the Audioengine 5 speakers.

Just had to get away from the Creative Labs, Klipsch, Logitech computer audio sound.

The Audiotrak is an intresting card for sure...VIA Envy ICE chip...AKM DAC.

It also has a headphone pre-amp...One of the more intresting features is you can change out the op amps.

Several threads here about different op amp combinations that change the way the card sounds.

Here is a review of the Prodigy

Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 Gold Sound Card

Florida Music has it for cheep...But it is backordered from the manufacturer till mid-May.

I personally am done with Creative Labs...I have dealt with Creative driver issues in the past...But the Creative X-Fi, Microsoft Vista fiasco finally pushed me over the edge.

The Asus card is supposed to be nice, expensive, but very good.

But for your application it would seem price...The ability to "tune" or change the way the card sounds and the headphone pre-amp would make the Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 a good solution for you.

 

[draziom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hookem /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am going with the Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 paired with the Audioengine 5 speakers. Just had to get away from the Creative Labs, Klipsch, Logitech computer audio sound. The Audiotrak is an intresting card for sure...VIA Envy ICE chip...AKM DAC. It also has a headphone pre-amp...One of the more intresting features is you can change out the op amps. Several threads here about different op amp combinations that change the way the card sounds. Here is a review of the Prodigy Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 Gold Sound Card Florida Music has it for cheep...But it is backordered from the manufacturer till mid-May. I personally am done with Creative Labs...I have dealt with Creative driver issues in the past...But the Creative X-Fi, Microsoft Vista fiasco finally pushed me over the edge. The Asus card is supposed to be nice, expensive, but very good. But for your application it would seem price...The ability to "tune" or change the way the card sounds and the headphone pre-amp would make the Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 a good solution for you.

i will be using my headphones directly with the sound card for the best signal. do you think this card is better than the asus sonar? price for me isnt a problem as long as i get the best most purest quality audio sound from a PC sound card. i will use it mostly to listen to bluray movies watching it on my pc and listening to various internet audio.

 

[draziom]

any other suggestions for a sound card? is the headphone amp built in the audiotrak?

 

[Kuze]

Xfi Prelude.

 

[Hookem]

The Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 is generally considered a "audiophile" sound card...RCA outs, VIA Envy ICE chip...AKM DAC...And JRC4580 dual OPAMP for the headphones.

They have op amps that can be replaced and seem to be a very intresting high end sound card for not much money.

They however are not really designed to play movies...No surround.

They do make the Prodigy 7.1 HiFi

AUDIOTRAK - Prodigy 7.1 HiFi

Looks like a very high quality sound card much like the HD2 using industry leading components.

I am done with Creative and have started looking elsewhere for audio solutions.

Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 will be my next soundcard...Just waiting for them to come off backorder from the manufacturer.

floridamusic is the cheapest place to buy them in the USA...They do have the Prodigy 7.1 HiFi instock.

If you want surround then it would probably be a better fit for your application versus the HD2.

 

[draziom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hookem /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 is generally considered a "audiophile" sound card...RCA outs, VIA Envy ICE chip...AKM DAC...And JRC4580 dual OPAMP for the headphones. They have op amps that can be replaced and seem to be a very intresting high end sound card for not much money. They however are not really designed to play movies...No surround. They do make the Prodigy 7.1 HiFi AUDIOTRAK - Prodigy 7.1 HiFi Looks like a very high quality sound card much like the HD2 using industry leading components. I am done with Creative and have started looking elsewhere for audio solutions. Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 will be my next soundcard...Just waiting for them to come off backorder from the manufacturer. floridamusic is the cheapest place to buy them in the USA...They do have the Prodigy 7.1 HiFi instock. If you want surround then it would probably be a better fit for your application versus the HD2.

are the op amps built inside the card? how does it sound compared to the creative labs xfi-extreme music?

 

[Hookem]

For a headphone only solution you might want to consider this PCI T-Amp/DAC card.

Sonic Impact Technologies - Sonic Tio Board

I do not have any experience with it but it was suggested as an option on a thread that I started.

30watts RMS @ 4ohms...Do not know what most headphones impedence is but at 8ohms it should give you about 15watts.

And the T-Amp/DAC solution is supposed to sound sweet.

Maybe someone will chime in and give you some feedback on the Sonic card.

 

[draziom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hookem /img/forum/go_quote.gif For a headphone only solution you might want to consider this PCI T-Amp/DAC card. Sonic Impact Technologies - Sonic Tio Board I do not have any experience with it but it was suggested as an option on a thread that I started. 30watts RMS @ 4ohms...Do not know what most headphones impedence is but at 8ohms it should give you about 15watts. And the T-Amp/DAC solution is supposed to sound sweet. Maybe someone will chime in and give you some feedback on the Sonic card.

hi thanks for the link. to get the best sound quality from my PC do i have to take out the sound card i have and install this one? is this card ready to use like any sound card or do i need special connections? also it says its mostly for external speakers, would it work with my high end headphones? and is the sound quality better than what i have and the audiotrak?

 

[Hookem]

You leave your sound card in and go out from it into the TIO.

I called the guy and talked to him and he told me that they work great for head phones.

So it would appear that not only is the TIO great for headphones but is also an inexpensive way to power bookshelf speakers.

Probably give you a bunch more power out to your headphones versus running just the Audiotrak.

Guess I will try to find out what kind of output the Audiotrak's headphone preamp puts out.

 

[draziom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hookem /img/forum/go_quote.gif You leave your sound card in and go out from it into the TIO. I called the guy and talked to him and he told me that they work great for head phones. So it would appear that not only is the TIO great for headphones but is also an inexpensive way to power bookshelf speakers. Probably give you a bunch more power out to your headphones versus running just the Audiotrak. Guess I will try to find out what kind of output the Audiotrak's headphone preamp puts out.

but the tio looks like a sound card you install in your computer just like the xfi-extreme music. how do you hook it up?