[rafagoulart]

someone uses the K612 with some sound card Sound Blaster series Z (z / zx / zxr)?

I am very interested in buying these two equipment to play on my pc

 

[clientsiman]

  Hey guys,
 
I recently bought the schiit magni 2 uber and modi 2 uber and I just got the soundblaster z card yesterday that I plan to hook up to the schiit stack for surround. I'm having some buyer's remorse thinking I should have just bought the X7 instead. Can anyone comment on how the schiit stack/sounblaster z combo compares in quality to the X7? If they're comparable, I'll keep the setup I have but if the X7 is superior then I would return or sell my current setup and get the X7 instead.
 
Thanks in advance

I would like to know too as I am between the X7 and the schiit stack/sounblaster z combo for my new pc.

 

[Arkanius]

Is SBX pro an upgrade compared to CMSS-3D?
I still have an old X-Fi Titanium that I'm feeding through line out to my O2 Amplifier (And then to my Headphones)
 
Is it worth the money to upgrade?

 

[rafagoulart]

someone uses the K612 with some sound card Sound Blaster series Z (z / zx / zxr)?

I am very interested in buying these two equipment to play on my pc

 

[Evshrug]

I would like to know too as I am between the X7 and the schiit stack/sounblaster z combo for my new pc.

Stillhart had the original Modi and a Sound Blaster Omni, he was surprised that he couldn't make out a DAC difference that wouldn't be placebo they sounded so close. He repeated the testing for a few days with music and games, both the Omni and Modi were connected to a $200 amp (the M-Stage, I think), but still he found them comparable. Now, you'd have to read more Modi 2 Uber reviews, but...

Sound Blaster Z + Modi 2 Uber + Magni 2 Uber = ~$65 + $150 + 150 = $365+ tax and shipping.
X7 = $400, for the extra $35 you get surround processing for consoles/optical input, stereo speaker amp, two headphone outputs (in different sizes, no more plug adapters!), multipoint bluetooth sources, USB host mode for OTG compatible smart devices (really fast to charge my iPhone too!), mobile app to tweak settings LIVE WHILE USING THE DEVICE, and customization/upgrades by replacing the opamps or upgrading the power supply. Oh, and it has a headphone stand, and looks pretty boss.

Is SBX pro an upgrade compared to CMSS-3D?
I still have an old X-Fi Titanium that I'm feeding through line out to my O2 Amplifier (And then to my Headphones)

Is it worth the money to upgrade?

Some people prefer X-Fi Titanium HD for legacy game support (original thief), but I find CMSS-3D too treble sharp in all the samples I've heard, SBX is more balanced in that regard. SBX alone isn't much of an upgrade if you like CMSS-3D, but I didn't like listening to CMSS-3D at all so SBX was an upgrade for me in the sense of listening comfort. YMMV.

 

[Evshrug]

someone uses the K612 with some sound card Sound Blaster series Z (z / zx / zxr)?


I am very interested in buying these two equipment to play on my pc

I had a Z, right now I have an Omni, my K612 plays plenty loud through the Omni with most of the volume space to spare, though I prefer the sound quality through a second amp (tube amp). The SB Z (and Omni) are fine places to start, and you can always add gear later.

 

[Arkanius]

@Stillhart had the original Modi and a Sound Blaster Omni, he was surprised that he couldn't make out a DAC difference that wouldn't be placebo they sounded so close. He repeated the testing for a few days with music and games, both the Omni and Modi were connected to a $200 amp (the M-Stage, I think), but still he found them comparable. Now, you'd have to read more Modi 2 Uber reviews, but...

Sound Blaster Z + Modi 2 Uber + Magni 2 Uber = ~$65 + $150 + 150 = $365+ tax and shipping.
X7 = $400, for the extra $35 you get surround processing for consoles/optical input, stereo speaker amp, two headphone outputs (in different sizes, no more plug adapters!), multipoint bluetooth sources, USB host mode for OTG compatible smart devices (really fast to charge my iPhone too!), mobile app to tweak settings LIVE WHILE USING THE DEVICE, and customization/upgrades by replacing the opamps or upgrading the power supply. Oh, and it has a headphone stand, and looks pretty boss.
Some people prefer X-Fi Titanium HD for legacy game support (original thief), but I find CMSS-3D too treble sharp in all the samples I've heard, SBX is more balanced in that regard. SBX alone isn't much of an upgrade if you like CMSS-3D, but I didn't like listening to CMSS-3D at all so SBX was an upgrade for me in the sense of listening comfort. YMMV.

 
SBX doesn't have OpenAL and Eax games support?
Oh damn
 
Oh well, guess I'll stay with the Titanium (It's the Non HD version by the way)

 

[RRod]

   
SBX doesn't have OpenAL and Eax games support?
Oh damn
 
Oh well, guess I'll stay with the Titanium (It's the Non HD version by the way)

 
OpenAL should be doing virtualization by itself and sending the stereo signal to the sound card. Latest OpenAL versions can emulate EAX reverb without the need for a creative card, but I haven't seen support for other features.

 

[Evshrug]

SBX doesn't have OpenAL and Eax games support?

Oh damn

Oh well, guess I'll stay with the Titanium (It's the Non HD version by the way)

No, all the current cards have EAX 5.0 and OpenAL (and ALchemy) support still, it's just that a handful of games only unlock certain sound features when they detect a particular piece of hardware. Nameless knows about that, I've never run into the issue myself. Mostly because I didn't play many PC games 12 years ago, and most of those games have more debilitating issues with windows 8 anyway.

 

[Decimator]

I hate to be that guy but I really have no idea what I'm doing and I just don't have time to read through all 220 pages. I got my magni 2 and modi 2 hooked up via optical to the optical out port on my soundblaster z card. What do I need to do to get it setup so the the z card sends surround to the modi while still using the modi's dac and the magni's amp?
 
Thanks

 

[SpiderNhan]

Make sure your Modi is connected to your PC via USB, NOT optical
 
- Go to "Control Panel"
- Click on "Sound"
- Under the "Playback" tab set your Sound Blaster Z as Default Device
 
- Now go to the "Recording" tab
- Find "What You Hear" Sound Blaster Z and set it as your Default Device
- Then click "Properties"
- Go to the "Listen" tab
- Check "Listen to this device"
- Under the "Playback through this device" drop-down menu select your Modi
- Make sure you have "Continue running when on battery power" selected and hit "OK"
 
- Go back to "Playback"
- Right-click on Sound Blaster Z and hit "Configure Speakers"
- On the next screen there should be a diagram of a 5.1 speaker set up with the option to change to stereo
- Select 5.1 as your set up and hit "Next"
- For "Optional Speakers" I usually leave them all checked, but I uncheck "Subwoofer." Hit "Next."
- I've seen people suggest both unchecking or checking the boxes for Full-ranged speakers. Play around with this however you want. I haven't noticed a difference either way.
- Hit "OK"
 
 
Now you have to open your SBX control panel
 
- Turn SBX "On"
- Go to "Speakers/Headphones" and make sure the tab at the top is clicked to "Headphones"
- Now you're set for simulated 5.1 surround through your Modi's DAC. Play with the SBX settings however you want. I prefer to uncheck everything except for "Surround."

 

[bigbeard]

Make sure your Modi is connected to your PC via USB, NOT optical

- Go to "Control Panel"
- Click on "Sound"
- Under the "Playback" tab set your Sound Blaster Z as Default Device

- Now go to the "Recording" tab
- Find "What You Hear" [COLOR=808080]Sound Blaster Z [/COLOR]and set it as your Default Device
- Then click "Properties"
- Go to the "Listen" tab
- Check "Listen to this device"
- Under the "Playback through this device" drop-down menu select your Modi
- Make sure you have "Continue running when on battery power" selected and hit "OK"

- Go back to "Playback"
- Right-click on Sound Blaster Z and hit "Configure Speakers"
- On the next screen there should be a diagram of a 5.1 speaker set up with the option to change to stereo
- Select 5.1 as your set up and hit "Next"
- For "Optional Speakers" I usually leave them all checked, but I uncheck "Subwoofer." Hit "Next."
- I've seen people suggest both unchecking or checking the boxes for Full-ranged speakers. Play around with this however you want. I haven't noticed a difference either way.
- Hit "OK"


Now you have to open your SBX control panel

- Turn SBX "On"
- Go to "Speakers/Headphones" and make sure the tab at the top is clicked to "Headphones"
- Now you're set for simulated 5.1 surround through your Modi's DAC. Play with the SBX settings however you want. I prefer to uncheck everything except for "Surround."

There is absolutly no reason that i know of to use a usb and then listen to devices.

I have a bifrost uber and asgard 2 hooked up to my sbz for virtual surround.

This is what i have: wibdows configured to 5.1 (full range)

In sbz panel, enable sbx, and also set the audiobto headphones. Then in the advanced features tab, select "play stereo mix" through digital out (or something like that). Thats all u need to do...you will have optical out from your soundcard connected to to your dac.

 

[Evshrug]

^+1
Yeah, mostly just enable "send stereo mix though optical."

The mix refers to the processed sound.

 

[Decimator]

So in windows, have Speakers (Sound Blaster Z) as the device? I don't see the option to configure windows to 5.1 (full range).
I have the modi powered by ac adapter to the wall, not by usb from the pc. Not sure if that's a problem, the modi isn't listed as a playback device on windows. 

 

[SpiderNhan]

My DAC(Aune T1) doesn't support optical so USB is the method I'm familiar with. "Send stereo mix" sounds much easier.