ASUS Xonar Essence vs Creative Sound Blaster Z

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Murissokah


Those are fully analog, they'll benefit from a good sound card. A Xonar Essence STX would be a killer match, although a lot more pricey. It has a dedicated amplifier for a headphone, great DACs and an astounding 124db SNR. The only downside is really the price tag.

EDIT: I'm not very familiar with the Creative SB Z, but it seems unfair to compare it to the Essence STX. The ZxR would be the competitor, but I don't know much about it.
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Murissokah

Murissokah

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Analog headphones connect to a PC sound card analog output, usually a 2.5mm jack, and leave all the sound processing to the sound card. Digital headphones are usually USB and are their own sound card. Wireless headphones will have to sample the signal and transmit it in digital form, so even if they connect to an analog input, they will convert the audio signal into digital and back to analog.

The point of asking this is that, unless your headphones are fully analog, there is no point in changing the sound card.
 
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Arishok N7

Arishok N7

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Aug 6, 2012
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I have a pair of Audio Technica m50's.
 
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Murissokah

Murissokah

Distinguished
Aug 12, 2007
1,451
94
19,940


Those are fully analog, they'll benefit from a good sound card. A Xonar Essence STX would be a killer match, although a lot more pricey. It has a dedicated amplifier for a headphone, great DACs and an astounding 124db SNR. The only downside is really the price tag.

EDIT: I'm not very familiar with the Creative SB Z, but it seems unfair to compare it to the Essence STX. The ZxR would be the competitor, but I don't know much about it.
 
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