11 replies to this topic 1 votes

[Defiantly]

Hi everyone,
I recently got back into the PC gaming scene after a 7 year stint on consoles. I've got a fairly decent machine now but am using on-board audio. I used to have a Creative X-Fi soundcard in my old system and really liked it. The current versions are just too expensive for me at the moment and the cheaper X-Fi cards don't review well at all and seem to be based on even older tech.

That said, can anyone recommend an inexpensive PCIe based audio card that would work well with headphones, that would give me a true X-Fi like experience?

Thanks!

[Astra.Xtreme]

Well the X-fi is $50, and I don't think there are any quality PCIe cards that are any cheaper than that.

The Asus Xonar line is nice from what I hear, but it's regular PCI.
I recently bought an HT Omega card, which sounds insanely good, but it's a bit more expensive than the X-fi.

If you are looking for something with a headphone amplifier, then you are in to spend some big bucks:
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16829271004

If you have a newer motherboard, the on-board Realtek soundcard actually isn't too bad.

[jkenn99]

This doesn't answer your question, but it might make you feel better about the decision:
The main point of getting an X-Fi-branded card is for EAX. Unfortunately, the number of games being released with EAX support is rapidly dwindling. If you aren't using EAX, an X-Fi card is as good as any other high-end card.

[Ulpian]

XONAR D1 or its PCIe version DX/XD.
Use following drivers: https://brainbit.wor...gory/uni-xonar/
Install with C-Media Panel.

I repeat: there IS PCIe version (called DX/XD), so Astra.Extreme is wrong. And XONAR D1 is FAR better than my realtek ALC1200. Especially in stereo separation.

[+devHead]

Astra.Xtreme, on 26 July 2012 - 14:18, said:

Well the X-fi is $50, and I don't think there are any quality PCIe cards that are any cheaper than that.

The Asus Xonar line is nice from what I hear, but it's regular PCI.
I recently bought an HT Omega card, which sounds insanely good, but it's a bit more expensive than the X-fi.

If you are looking for something with a headphone amplifier, then you are in to spend some big bucks:
http://www.newegg.co...N82E16829271004

If you have a newer motherboard, the on-board Realtek soundcard actually isn't too bad.

Actually, the Xonar Essense STX is PCIe (I have one), but if he's looking for a card cheaper than $50, that ain't it! Onboard sound nowadays isn't so bad if you don't want to spend too much.

[ir0nw0lf]

There is a PCI-e x1 version of the Asus Xonar DGX, seen it for ~$40 on the net.

EDIT: Forgot link: http://www.newegg.co...N82E16829132052

[Defiantly]

Hmm, thanks guys. The XONAR looks interesting. I'm wondering if I should be looking at dedicated 5.1 gaming headphones as well...What I'm really trying to achieve is better positional sound in Battlefield. :-)

[ir0nw0lf]

Most of the reviews of 5.1 headphones I have read indicate they suck. You might want to look at a few reviews to see what I mean.

[Ulpian]

ir0nw0lf, on 26 July 2012 - 14:33, said:

Most of the reviews of 5.1 headphones I have read indicate they suck. You might want to look at a few reviews to see what I mean.

That is true. Do NOT buy 5.1 Better buy HI-FI Stereo Headphones made by (for example):

Sennheiser (I had HD555 - brilliant)
AKD
Grado
Audiotechnika
Bayerdynamic

EDIT: don't buy DGX, buy D1 or DX/XD instead.
http://www.newegg.co...&Tpk=Xonar%20DX
http://www.newegg.co...Item=26-106-522
http://www.newegg.co...Item=26-106-515
(wireless headphones, no matter how expensive, also suck)

[Defiantly]

Ok, you guys are right. Reviews for dedicated headphones are troubling. I do use a nice (albeit older) pair of Sennheiser
headphones now. They're connected to the on board audio.

Going back to the XONAR cards. Would these provide decent positional sound over headphones?

[Ulpian]

Yes. I was surprised, but good stereo headphones and good sound card can do wonders. Headphones are very analytic. You can hear sounds otherwise very hard to hear - including theird positions. Such combination is also used for game like Counterstrike, where you can hear direction of enemies

[PGHammer]

jkenn99, on 26 July 2012 - 14:19, said:

This doesn't answer your question, but it might make you feel better about the decision:
The main point of getting an X-Fi-branded card is for EAX. Unfortunately, the number of games being released with EAX support is rapidly dwindling. If you aren't using EAX, an X-Fi card is as good as any other high-end card.

The reason my X-Fi is still in battery isn't EAX support in games (or even OpenAL support in games, which has replaced EAX due to OS neutrality) but EAX Environment support *outside of games* (generally in Windows itself) - especially music. One of the most under-appreciated features of my X-Fi XtremeGamer (it came with the XtremeMusic as well as well, and is still included with the newer PCI-E-based X-Fi cards) is Creative Audio Console's Audio Environments. When not playing a game, I switch the Audio Console into Entertainment Mode and load up the Stone Hall Audio Environment; it's a very nice touch when listening to my collection of (primarily lossless) MP3s and FLACs. I've had it for six years (headed for seven), and when I replace it, it will be a PCI-E X-Fi that will replace it.