[dw6928]

I currently have an X-Fi platinum sound card which runs out to a Headroom Mircro amp to Senn HD 595s and it sounds good. I keep reading about the EMU
0404 for its SQ. Would it really make sense to abandon the X-Fi for the Emu. I am aware of the superior gaming attributes of the Creative X-Fi, I am curious about music only.

 

[Bones13]

Most of the automatic answers here are to use the 0404. Having both an XFi and a 1212m I would suggest that you try and listen to the both somehow. Perhaps buy the 0404 with the possibility of returning it.

The 0404 is known to have clean output, but the XFi is a better card than many give it credit for.

Also, examine what issues you are having now. I personally think if you want a large, easy to tell, difference from what you are listening to now, an external DAC is a better expenditure. Get the Micro DAC to go with your amp. Digital out from either of these cards will be the same. And you can keep your XFi for any gaming you might do.

I moved my XFi to my home computer because my gaming occurs there, and got the 1212m for the office, where I listen to music, not much gaming.

 

[Medikit]

Post removed because it was off topic

 

[Mandea]

But isn't an external DAC more expensive? Much more?

 

[dw6928]

I am trying to avoid the $300 for the Micro Dac at this point, I am just trying to assess the qualitative difference purely for music between the 2 sound cards and whether it is worth scrapping the X-Fi for the Emu.

 

[Asmo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandea But isn't an external DAC more expensive? Much more?

Depends on how high far you want to go, generally, a good DAC starts around $300-1000.

Internal soundcards have room to grow also, the E-MU 0404/1212m are great choices, so are offerings from m-audio, and RME. The creative cards offer decent performance at consumer pricing, but for music, they will never compete with soundcards that specialize in it.

Its good to keep a balance with your equipment, depending on your headphones, amps, speakers, interconnects, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dw6928 I am trying to avoid the $300 for the Micro Dac at this point, I am just trying to assess the qualitative difference purely for music between the 2 sound cards and whether it is worth scrapping the X-Fi for the Emu.

Just because you have the micro amp, does not limit yourself to the micro dac, they are designred more in mind for portability than home use, if you want a real difference in your source, start looking at $500-1000 price range.

 

[dw6928]

need a 2nd job for that upgrade.

 

[Medikit]

Post removed because it was off topic

 

[dw6928]

don't mean to be rude, can we leave the DAC on the side and readress the
qualitative differences between the sound cards?

 

[Sycraft]

The 0404 probably has better unprocessed sound, since it seems to have better electronics on board. However I'd say they are pretty close. Regardless, I imagine the 0404 is technicly superior. The X-Fi will offer you the ability to process your sound, which many people like. The X-Fi's HRTF is second to none.

My guess is it would probably not do much for you to get an 0404. You'd probably have to get at least a 1212 to notice much difference, and that's assuming that unprocessed sound is your thing.

Do remember that Emu and Creative are one in the same, there's a lot in their designs and IC usage that's similar across their cards. The Emu cards are designed for pros, the Creative cards for consumers, but it's the same team working on both.

What I would do first is figure out if you like the X-Fi's sound processing. Try listening to it in headphone mode and two speaker mode with CMMS on and off. Of those four, pick the sound you like the best. If it's 2 speaker mode, CMMS off, well that's pretty much unprocessed sound, in that case, you may want to look at an EMU card. If it's any of the others, then you like the processing the X-Fi does and should probably stick with that.

 

[Tones]

I wouldn't want the emu anyway simply based on the lack of support for 5.1 sound. I would hate making my 5.1 computer speakers all of a sudden useless in many aspects. I'm not positive of this, but I looked at the specs and that seems to be the emus only downfall for me. I think the x-fi is fine, you'd need some really hi-fi headphones to tell the difference I think.

 

[Asmo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tones I wouldn't want the emu anyway simply based on the lack of support for 5.1 sound. I would hate making my 5.1 computer speakers all of a sudden useless in many aspects. I'm not positive of this, but I looked at the specs and that seems to be the emus only downfall for me. I think the x-fi is fine, you'd need some really hi-fi headphones to tell the difference I think.

Majority of people on these forums, are using hi-fi headphones, and 2 channel setups.

Thats why we all recommend soundcards like the E-MU

 

[Razoramus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sycraft Do remember that Emu and Creative are one in the same, there's a lot in their designs and IC usage that's similar across their cards. The Emu cards are designed for pros, the Creative cards for consumers, but it's the same team working on both.

Really? I've read a dozen times that though they are the same company they have two distinctive teams...

 

[maarek99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razoramus Really? I've read a dozen times that though they are the same company they have two distinctive teams...

By looking at the x-fi cards they seem to be influenced a lot by emu cards.

 

[dw6928]

So for a setup that includes my amp (headroom micro/desktop) and hd595s,
it is still a jump ball?