[xHawky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by neo-fi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hehe, my old pc was 5 years old too (7years will be way too long with one PC)... until this summer I built a new one. I bet you'll buy new PC before you go to uni, you'll see how slow it gets It's already 2 years old, wait 2 more and you'll be REALLY wanting new PC! Still using Windows XP.

My old PC was about 8-9years old. It used dial up, too.

Perhaps, but I'd only need perhaps a new fan or hard drive(new HDD is better than all those crazy programs they have these days claiming a faster PC) & operating system.

Before I bother building my new PC, I'll do it in parts when each item is on special, I might save up and direct a new PC between this and this time frame (maybe two months) and work our special deals in that time frame. So a new mobo first month, RAM and GPU the next month. I'm all about deals and I'm patient. However, like this sound card I'm willing to put a bit more into it, may wait til Christmas when prices drop though.

 

[neo-fi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xHawky /img/forum/go_quote.gif My old PC was about 8-9years old. It used dial up, too. Perhaps, but I'd only need perhaps a new fan or hard drive(new HDD is better than all those crazy programs they have these days claiming a faster PC) & operating system. Before I bother building my new PC, I'll do it in parts when each item is on special, I might save up and direct a new PC between this and this time frame (maybe two months) and work our special deals in that time frame. So a new mobo first month, RAM and GPU the next month. I'm all about deals and I'm patient. However, like this sound card I'm willing to put a bit more into it, may wait til Christmas when prices drop though.

That's very old age for PC!

And if you wanna buy it in parts and hunt for sale prices then keep in mind that PC parts' prices drop very rapidly. This is good plan if you can use some old parts off your old PC at the same time, I couldn't... was P4 s478 now it was dualcore and LGA, no other option than buy all at once.

Bought my current system for ~650€. All parts brand new, none were on discount.

 

[xHawky]

I'll grab the dolby HP (ASUS Xonar Essence ST (PCI ver)) then, according to your thread, everyone liked it better - especially for audio positioning in games. I've never come across a single game of mine that claims it's needed EAX, or I've never realized it.

I play...
*Call of duty 4 (Waiting for modern warfare 2).
*Call of duty world at war
*Assassin's creed 1 (Waiting for 2).
*Various, free, MMORPGs (probably just 2ch stereo anyway).
*Strategy games (eg, AoE 3 & red alert 3).

This'll be so exciting! Thank you!

Edit.
Just as long as those games don't depend on EAX (Maybe Assassin's creed 1) I'm fine.

The new games coming shouldn't be anywhere near EAX, they should have their own 3D effects. Besides, I may be upgrading to Windows 7 from Vista. Win 7 does bring those Win XP effects back that Vista lost, yes? (Why am I asking here, it's an audio forum XD).

 

[ear8dmg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xHawky /img/forum/go_quote.gif *Call of duty 4 (Waiting for modern warfare 2). *Call of duty world at war *Assassin's creed 1 (Waiting for 2). *Various, free, MMORPGs (probably just 2ch stereo anyway). *Strategy games (eg, AoE 3 & red alert 3). This'll be so exciting! Thank you! Edit. Just as long as those games don't depend on EAX (Maybe Assassin's creed 1) I'm fine.

Assassin's Creed uses EAX4. Having played it with an X-Fi Prelude and a Xonar D2 - EAX is better on the X-Fi, more natural sounding, particularly to with presenting distance. Some of the reverb is a bit too echoey on Xonar but the EAX emulation doesn't sound bad by any means though. Assassin's Creed didn't work well on Xonar at first but was fine after patching. Same with Bioshock.

COD4 uses EAX5 but I've not played it.

Most of the EAX problems I had on Xonar were with older games. Mass Effect was pretty dreadful on Xonar compared to X-Fi and is the only game where I've felt forced to use software mode (even after the driver updates to supposedly fix it). With Rome and Medieval II: Total War you can't enable EAX Advanced HD (EAX2 works. Rome's sound used to break up with older drivers but it works now). Theif: Deadly Shadows also won't do anything more than EAX2 on Xonar.

I note that a number of series have dropped EAX in recent years. Empire: Total War, COD: World At War and GTA4 all don't have EAX, where as older games in the series did.

 

[xHawky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ear8dmg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Assassin's Creed uses EAX4. Having played it with an X-Fi Prelude and a Xonar D2 - EAX is better on the X-Fi, more natural sounding, particularly to with presenting distance. Some of the reverb is a bit too echoey on Xonar but the EAX emulation doesn't sound bad by any means though. Assassin's Creed didn't work well on Xonar at first but was fine after patching. Same with Bioshock. COD4 uses EAX5 but I've not played it. Most of the EAX problems I had on Xonar were with older games. Mass Effect was pretty dreadful on Xonar compared to X-Fi and is the only game where I've felt forced to use software mode (even after the driver updates to supposedly fix it). With Rome and Medieval II: Total War you can't enable EAX Advanced HD (EAX2 works. Rome's sound used to break up with older drivers but it works now). Theif: Deadly Shadows also won't do anything more than EAX2 on Xonar. I note that a number of series have dropped EAX in recent years. Empire: Total War, COD: World At War and GTA4 all don't have EAX, where as older games in the series did.

Exactly, older games used EAX - hopefully new ones won't be needing EAX.
*modern warfare 2
*Assassin's creed 2
*Splinter cell: Conviction
*Global Agenda
Etc.

 

[neo-fi]

Atm I mostly play only Source-engine based games so no worries about EAX. Only game I have with EAX support is Hitman 2: Silent Assassin.

Mostly play Counter Strike Source and Quake Live nowadays so Essence STX is clearly better choice for me.
And better music quality is thing that never ages.

 

[ear8dmg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xHawky /img/forum/go_quote.gif Exactly, older games used EAX - hopefully new ones won't be needing EAX. *modern warfare 2 *Assassin's creed 2 *Splinter cell: Conviction *Global Agenda Etc.

I wouldn't count on it. EAX will continue to be included with some games as long as Creative keep up their developer incentives.

Still, if you're not using a Creative card, Xonar is easily the next best choice for EAX.

Edit: I'm fine with developers not using EAX, as long as they replace it with something that sounds as good.

 

[xHawky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ear8dmg /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wouldn't count on it. EAX will continue to be included with some games as long as Creative keep up their developer incentives. Still, if you're not using a Creative card, Xonar is easily the next best choice for EAX. Edit: I'm fine with developers not using EAX, as long as they replace it with something that sounds as good.

.............................................


And no, I'm not using a creative card. Never have. I hope the Xonar GX works though -.-


Same, just wish they'd stop using EAX though....really....

Edit.
Am I better off with the Auzen X-Fi prelude?

 

[ear8dmg]

There's not a lot in it. DS3D-GX usually works very well. It's not quite on par with native EAX but it's close. In some games the sound may even be preferable.

I have a Prelude but there isn't a huge improvement over my Xonar D2 for gaming. MacroFX and Elevation Filter can be enabled in any native DS3D or OpenAL game (as long as you don't use more speakers than quadraphonic), which can give the Prelude the edge for positioning, even in non EAX games.

My main criticism of Asus has been their driver support. If a game doesn't work properly on Xonar you have to wait for a patch or driver update. I've only had problems with older games and new EAX titles though. On X-Fi most games work properly. If they don't it's usually just a case of changing a few settings rather than waiting for a driver update.

 

[xHawky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ear8dmg /img/forum/go_quote.gif There's not a lot in it. DS3D-GX usually works very well. It's not quite on par with native EAX but it's close. In some games the sound may even be preferable. I have a Prelude but there isn't a huge improvement over my Xonar D2 for gaming. MacroFX and Elevation Filter can be enabled in any native DS3D or OpenAL game (as long as you don't use more speakers than quadraphonic), which can give the Prelude the edge for positioning, even in non EAX games. I've only had problems with older games and new EAX titles though.

Alright, if you say so.

So MacroFX and Elevation filter = Much better positioning than ASUS Dolby headphones or ASUS Xear 3D?

New EAX Games? Why don't they discontinue the use of it...

And a headphone amp wouldn't matter if I chose the prelude, right? Just thought the ASUS with the amp would be better.

 

[Gainiz]

Still waiting for my Forte to arrive

 

[leeperry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gainiz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Still waiting for my Forte to arrive

you run XP? if you do, I'd like to know if KS works please

 

[Shike]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xHawky /img/forum/go_quote.gif Alright, if you say so. So MacroFX and Elevation filter = Much better positioning than ASUS Dolby headphones or ASUS Xear 3D? New EAX Games? Why don't they discontinue the use of it... And a headphone amp wouldn't matter if I chose the prelude, right? Just thought the ASUS with the amp would be better.

You seem to be getting confused, so I'll sum up what each solution needs.

For the Auzentech:
Prelude or Forte > Victor JVC SU-DH1 > Headphone Amp > Cans

For the Asus:

The Xonar > Cans


The Auzentech is technically the better solution when you consider improved EAX support (assuming you're playing EAX games). On the other hand the Asus is almost as good and costs substantially less. If you were to buy everything new you'd be looking at around $350 minimum for the X-Fi solution, and probably more.

 

[neo-fi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif you run XP? if you do, I'd like to know if KS works please

What's a KS? Creative's or ASUS applications?
I run WinXP and I be getting Xonar Essence STX. Maybe I can help when I get my hands on it...?

@Shike
Forte has headphone amp btw.
But since it doesn't come in PCI version it's useless to xHawky...

 

[Shike]

Quote:

Originally Posted by neo-fi /img/forum/go_quote.gif @Shike Forte has headphone amp btw. But since it doesn't come in PCI version it's useless to xHawky...

Yes, but how would you use it with the SU-DH1? To use it would require using the optical out, then using the line-in for the SU-DH1, and then using the amp out.

Don't know, but I imagine taking the line-in would be a bad idea as it would prevent microphone usage in online games . . .