In need of a soundcard

faalin · Sep 23, 2014

Over the last few months my current computer has started to fail so over the weekend I ordered a new computer.

Asus maximus VII hero
i5-4670k
Mushkin Enhanced Redline 16Gb 2133 @ CAS9
Evga GTX 980 SC

I will be pulling form the old system
2 intel SSD's one for OS and other for games
2 750GB drives
Silverstone 1200w
corsair carbide 200r
corsair sp120 fans
corsair af140 fans
Noctua D14

I would like to get something better then onboard sound, I've also read that this board might have onboard audio issues as well. I listen to music for about 8-10 hours a day with a pair of shure 535 red Japan Special Edition, so I would like to have something that produces good sound.

Its been a vey long time since I've put a soundcard in my computer, Think the last one I had was a sound blaster Audigy 2 deluxe, had a big grey breakout box for the desktop.

any recommendations would be appreciated... kind of had my eye on the Sound blaster ZxR card, but if there is something better I'm all ears.

legokill101 · Sep 23, 2014

well for that same price your better with a external DAC/amp i would personally recoment the O2/ODAC combo for about 200, the other option for that price would be the Xonar Essense STX but that is not quite as good, I us a O2 without the ODAC and a pair of senheiser H580s and love it

WyomingKnott · Sep 23, 2014

I'm surprised. The Xonar Essence STX is the best thing that I've ever heard. Did I miss something, or is it just a matter of personal preference?

But either solution will put you in the right ballpark.

legokill101 · Sep 23, 2014

a bit the xonar essense STX main probelm is it has fairly high output impedence of over 10 ohm which means you dont wanna use it for heaphoes less then 80 ohm plus the odac being a usb dac can be used with a numnber of sources

faalin · Sep 23, 2014

Thanks guys for your input. after reading a lot of reviews, spent the past few hours reading, both the SB and Asus card use the same components, most people gave the SB card the slightest of edge over the Asus card and a large edge to the SB card for audio recording.

I was all for the Xonar card till I read a lot of reviews about recording, since the SB card was better for that I ended up going with the ZxR for that reason alone. I guess time will tell if I picked the right one.

legokill101 · Sep 23, 2014

i would not go with the soundblaster because its EQ seting by deafult are horrible and very bass heavy without a good midrange and you need to go with a soundcard go with the STX if you insist on geting a internal one

faalin · Sep 23, 2014

I do a lot of input recording is one of the major reasons I was heavily looking at the SB card. The default EQ does not mater because you can change it in the software and I don't see that as a downside. All EQ's have to be tweeked as no one listens to music or sounds the same so weather I got the ZxR or STX I would still have to play with the EQ.

legokill101 · Sep 23, 2014

the other thing is if you are primarly buying it for recording you might want to get a dedicated capture card

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