[spacemanspliff]

Ok so I need a soundcard for EAX b/c I play games.

Do I get a Prelude and use the analogue out or do I get an X-FI and use the digital out + an external dac? WOuld the stock Zhalou 2.5 or 3 sound better than the Prelude based on the specs?

 

[Sir Nobax]

X-Fi (not the xtremeaudio/xtremegamer) + E-MU 0202/0404.

When you want to listen to music, you'll use the Dac's usb port combined with Asio drivers, when playing an game you'll use the X-Fi's optical out/spdif out.

So no soundcardswapping needed.

btw, Whats wrong with the audigy2 ns in your sig, if it has an digital out i dont know why bother getting an x-fi, as the only you'll gain is a higher EAX version (which doesnt make much of a difference either).

 

[KT88]

X-Fi + Emu is not a good idea. They dont work well together. I think a better idea would be the perlude or X-Fi and a DAC like you offered. The Zhaolu 2.5 sounds much better than probably any sound card there is at the moment at the 200$ price range.

 

[Sir Nobax]

I seriously wouldn't know what the problem could be with an X-Fi with a optical out and the optical in of the E-mu. As for gaming you do not need 'bit-perfect' like settings, just configure the x-fi as default soundcard and configure foobar or winamp to use the E-mu's ASIO mode.

 

[KT88]

If he wants to use stereo only it'll work fine, but if he wants 5.1/7.1 than it wont work. The X-Fi has not DDLive so you cant use the digital out for surround.

Plus, the Emu 0202/0404 doesn't sound that good. X-Fi after fully modded will probably sound even better. The DAC on the X-Fi is more than capable, its the same DAC used on the EMU 1212M.

 

[Sir Nobax]

o_O lol, so what you are saying is that a (modded) x-fi beats a E-MU 0404 USB when it comes to SQ...

Never heard of that one before.





Anyway, the E-MU has DTS and Dolby digital passthrough.

 

[KT88]

DD and DTS pass through wont work. the problem is the X-Fi it isn't able to use DD live or DTS connect so he will only be able to listen to DD and DTS when using a DVD and that's it. No surround in games.

As for sound quality, I really dont like the 0404, it sounds very unnatural with awful midrange. It emphasizes treble and bass.

I dont know if the X-Fi will beat the 0404 in every aspect, but I am quite sure that the SQ difference if any wont be worth the extra cash for 2 cards. Some others who modded the X-Fi say it sounds as good as very expensive DAC's so there's a good chance it sounds better than 0404 (which IMO is a very unnatural sounding - and therefor non audiophile card).

 

[Sir Nobax]

..bugged post..

 

[Sir Nobax]

ow, *** Safari is screwing things up again.

 

[Sir Nobax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KT88 /img/forum/go_quote.gif DD and DTS pass through wont work. the problem is the X-Fi it isn't able to use DD live or DTS connect so he will only be able to listen to DD and DTS when using a DVD and that's it. No surround in games. As for sound quality, I really dont like the 0404, it sounds very unnatural with awful midrange. It emphasizes treble and bass. ...

Music + movies -> E-MU 0404
Games -> X-Fi
Pretty easy huh

.

I am really thinking that your making the X-Fi sound better then it is I’ve heard it myself at someone elses place (XtremeMusic IIRC), and to be honest, i think i would prefer using his integraded audio over the X-Fi.

The only thing good thing is EAX5 support, but thats it, imo.

The board sounded muddy and undetailed at every aspect and has an very compressed soundstage.

I really do not know how you could even think of the idea that a X-Fi sounds better then the E-MU series, although i have yet to hear the E-MU, at least until monday.

Ah, well, maybe you just like the X-Fi’s muddy-ness, i certainly do not.

 

[KT88]

Ive owned the X-Fi XtremeMusic, the Emu 1212M and took the 0404 from a friend on a loan.

The 1212M is an amazing card, the 0404 is just rubbish. An audiophile card with a frequency response that look like a bowl?! no mid at all, to much bass and too much treble.

The X-Fi isn't as bad as you say it is. I've even tested it with modded K340's and K1000 and it was fine. not as good as I think it should be, but way better than any OB sound card that's for sure.
Once modded the X-Fi should be better than the 0404, that's what I read here on head-fi.

BTW, if the only use of the 0404 is music, why not use the X-Fi for games as you said and but a DAC for music? it'll sound much better than the 0404. I have the Zhaolu 2.5A and even stock its just so much better than the 0404.

 

[Sir Nobax]

Quote:

The X-Fi isn't as bad as you say it is. I've even tested it with modded K340's and K1000 and it was fine.

Cheater, every source listened with a K1000 sounds fine

.

Anyway....I'll just wait here ... until some guy with both the 0404USB and the X-Fi kicks in and post his impressions.

 

[spacemanspliff]

Yeah this is just for headphones so stereo is fine. I'm thinking X-Fi + Zhalou would be best.

 

[james__bean]

KT88, Sir Nobax was talking about the 0404 USB, not the regular 0404. I have both the X-FI and the 0404 USB installed on the same system and they work perfectly fine together. In saying that though, if you want to game and have good music quality, I would just get an external DAC and use it with the X-FI. The only reason I have my 0404 USB is to record vinyl.

 

[KT88]

Hi,

I know he's referring to the USB version. I wasn't sure about the drivers of the USB version, but if you say it works fine than I take it to be the situation. As for sound, I still think a stand-alone DAC would sound much better.