[anger3377]

[size=12.5pt][size=medium]Hello, new here. I use audio-tech ATH-PRO700 and now want to find a great audio card replacing for my old Creative Audigy SE(because the treble from ATH-PRO700 and old Audigy combination is weak and the bass is not strong.) I think this resulted from my sound card (well, it’s still good for some other headphones) and wanna change to Creative Titanium Fata1ty or Xonar Essence STX. Since this would be a big investment for me, could anyone here share his experience about these two soundcards? BTW, if I choose Essence, will it outperform the ATH-PRO700(because of Essence's high price)?[/size][/size]

 

[pbentoto]

I have [size=small]ATH-PRO700 [/size]as well. However, since the impedance of [size=small]ATH-PRO700 [/size][size=small]is just 36 ohms, I don't think you need Xonar Essence with headphone amp embedded which tends to drive high-impedance headphones. ....or maybe you focus on other features of these two cards??[/size]

 

[anger3377]

Quote:

I have [size=small]ATH-PRO700 [/size]as well. However, since the impedance of [size=small]ATH-PRO700 [/size][size=small]is just 36 ohms, I don't think you need Xonar Essence with headphone amp embedded which tends to drive high-impedance headphones. ....or maybe you focus on other features of these two cards??[/size]

I'm counfused. So you mean for a low impedance headphone/headset, it's useless to match it with a sound card embedded with headphone amp (such as Xonar Essence)? However, I think most people appreciate headphone amp function no matter how much impedance his headphone is, doesn't it?

 

 

[lie495fc]

essence stx use c-media chip which is meant for music. unlike x-fi chip is for gaming. but creative released a very interesting card recently called x-fi tatanium HD, which is aim at high end musical users. already a thread talking about it, you should check it out. and as the rule of thrumb, a proper sourse is a must. high end sound cards are also good investments, the chips they use dont change from year to year unlike video cards lose its value very quickly down the road. many of the chips used in sound devices like wolfson wm8740 has been around more than 10 years.

 

[silverxxx]

Quote:

I have ATH-PRO700 as well. However, since the impedance of ATH-PRO700 is just 36 ohms, I don't think you need Xonar Essence with headphone amp embedded which tends to drive high-impedance headphones. ....or maybe you focus on other features of these two cards??

What he means is higher impedances are harder to drive by integrated amps such as soundcard ones, because they need more voltage, and gain, which is not usually found in a computer soundcard. All soundcards have an amp of some sort, and it is always an opamp, anyway. If you had high impedance phones you would have benefited (more) from the ST amp, but otherwise it is down to the quality of their respective opamps/ implementation.

 

[mcaisoi]

how about Onkyo 200LTD?