[Fiziks]

Hello, I'm looking into getting into audio. First, what I have-

Foobar FLAC > SB Audigy 2 ZS > Pioneer VSX-454 > HD580

I'm looking into upgrading both the sound card and the amp with a budget of around $300 or less. My needs/uses for these will be mostly gaming (BF2, Counter-Strike) and Music (foobar FLAC / iTunes). I would also need a 1/8inch mic input jack and 1/8inch output for LANs where I would not care about quality.

I as far as sound card, I like the HT Omega CLARO. After a little searching on here it seems like a good card for the price. What is the major difference between the CLARO and the CLARO Plus+? For what I'm using it for is it worth the difference in price?

As far as an amp, I am swamped with options, and I really don't know where to look and what to look for. Tube or not? Portable or not?

I would like to use the Optical out on the Claro as the input on the amp. Any suggestions on products and retailers would be helpful.

And a few other random questions. I have my current setup plugged into a crappy UPS. Would line noise transfer into the amp? would upgrading the UPS be worthwhile? I'm also using Radio shack cables and stock headphone cables. Will upgrading these make a real benefit for my uses? What cables would you recommend?

 

[Fiziks]

bump :|

 

[qwerty009]

If your into gaming mostly i suggsest to get x-fi. I've heard games specially BF2 sound lot better with it since it has eax-5 and game supports it. Opamp upgrade would also be suggsested to improve sound quality.
And you want headphone amp if im correct? If u plan to use it only in home i would not reccomend portable. From tube amps litlle dot II or III would fit to that price range.

 

[Fiziks]

Thanks for the reply. I know creative would probably be the best as far as gaming but I really just dont like creative. I'm not sure why And plus I do not feel like soldering or anything.

And yes it would be a amp used at home, but if its portable its a plus so I can use it with my nano.

 

[qwerty009]

Auzen Prelude is to be released soon. It has x-fi chip and good analog part so it's good "all round" card. As for UPS i would suggest that you first get your amp and stuff and try it out. If there are problems then you should think of something.
Cables shouldn't be a problem. I mean you don't have some audiophile system or anything. It would be wiser to invest that money to somewhere else where it makes more difference.

 

[Fiziks]

After researching the Prelude a little it seems like it has everything I need. EAX 5.0 for gaming, and (from what I've read) a better OPAmp for listening to music.

Now, on to the amp. Would I hear a diffrence if I got an amp that used the optical or digital coax as compared to the 3.5mm from the sound card? I read into the little dot's but I still have yet to see a place to buy them online aside from the MFG's store on ebay.

 

[qwerty009]

That kind of amp would have to have its own dac and it would be out of your price range. Another thing is that that it would have to have good dac to make better sound than this prelude card, so it would cost like 1000$ at least IMO. So 3,5mm is the way to go.

 

[Fiziks]

ah, fair enough. Thanks for your help qwerty!