[Bluesfella]

My X-Fi Xtrememusic died on me, so I'm getting a new card. I mainly use it for music, but also games sometimes. I hook the computer up with an analog cable to an amplifier that drives two big speakers. So I don't really need a card that can do surround.

The following cards are in my budget:
Creative X-Fi Xtrememusic
Asus Xonar D1
ESI Audio MAYA44
Audiotrak Prodigy HD 2

All of these are PCI, I don't have any PCI-e slots free left in my PC, so these are the only real options for me (unless you guys know a better card that's PCI and under 100 bucks).

I'm nudging towards the Audiotrak Prodigy HD 2, because I have heard great stuff about its stereo performance. Which one would you guys recommend?

 

[lozanoa11]

What OS? I hear excellent things about the Xonar. They did have some driver problems with windows 7 but i think they have recently been resolved.

 

[Bluesfella]

I run Windows 7 64-bit.

Vista drivers work on Windows 7 also, so drivers won't be an issue with any of them I think.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Most of the bigger players in the audio market should have Win7 drivers now.
Not sure about ESI or audiotrak though. You might want to verify on their sites if they have Win7 drivers for the cards your intersted in.

 

[Bluesfella]

Both have Windows 7 drivers, just did a Google search.

So... which one?

 

[ROBSCIX]

The X-Music may be better for gaming depending on what games you play.

Are these the only cards your considering or that are within your budget?

 

[Bluesfella]

These are the ones that I can buy at a store nearby. My budget is around 100Euro's. It has got to be PCI, not PCI-e.

I play shooters. Loud explosions and blasts, stuff like that.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Well only you know what you do with your system, so if your a hardcore gamer get a gamer card.

 

[leeperry]

if you go Prodigy HD2 get the "Advance DE" from ebay, it runs the VIA generic drivers(the regular version in USA/EUR runs some old *ss beta drivers from ESI) and has improved caps...plus, you can roll op-amps on the HD2

 

[Bluesfella]

I don't know what rolling an op-amp is, lol.

I use the computer 80% of the time for music. Other 20% for games. There may be better cards for gaming, but this one definitely won't be bad, and be a lot better than my on-board sound, right?

I liked how the xtrememusic sounded in games. Gunshots had this nice, thick bottom-bass with them. Will the Prodigy HD2 be really bad for games compared to this one?

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluesfella /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know what rolling an op-amp is, lol. I use the computer 80% of the time for music. Other 20% for games. There may be better cards for gaming, but this one definitely won't be bad, and be a lot better than my on-board sound, right? I liked how the xtrememusic sounded in games. Gunshots had this nice, thick bottom-bass with them. Will the Prodigy HD2 be really bad for games compared to this one?

Opamp rolling is a term for changing out your opamps with better units or ones you like better.
The Prodigy would not have the support for gaming the X-fi's would have. It really dpends on your games though.
Are there any other cards available to you such as Prelude or Forte?
They have the gaming features but have better components and overall soudn quality then the Creative cards.

 

[Bluesfella]

I have looked at the prelude. It looks great but it's just too expensive for me. The Forte is PCI-e, and I don't have any of those left on my motherboard because I have two big graphics cards in there as well. I play shooters like the new Call of Duty.

Just how big is the difference between x-fi and non x-fi in games? Is it something only the true audiophiles will hear, or is it really clear to anyone?

I hook my computer up to a decent system. I can hear the difference between the xtreme music and my on-board audio pretty good.

 

[Kurotetsu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluesfella /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just how big is the difference between x-fi and non x-fi in games? Is it something only the true audiophiles will hear, or is it really clear to anyone?

Do the games you play support EAX? If not, you won't notice a difference between an X-Fi and a non-X-Fi in games.

 

[fenixdown110]

Have you considered a standalone usb DAC/amp unit?

 

[Bluesfella]

Yea, but too expensive and too much of a hassle.