Need a decent soundcard for my Z5300E's

[azn_bballa_]

I just got my 5.1 Z5300E's and im verry verry happy with thme. extreamly loud and clear for the most part.

But my onboard sound prevents me from getting the most out of them. I was looking to buy an X-fi Extreme music soundcard but apparently it cannot decode 5.1 surround sound 8O which is surpirizing cosidering most onboards can decode 5.1 even 7.1 these days.

the new line of preformance soundcards by creative has a card that dosent? anyways im not entierly sure if thats even tru i dont want to spend anymore then 100$ (canadian) on a soundcard.

any suggestions on the best price : preformance ratio? (DVD,Music Mostly gaming tho.)
Cheers!

 

[rodney_ws]

According to the SoundBlaster web site... the X-Fi XTreme Music should allow you to...

"Experience incredible audio with THX certified quality and unbeatable movie sound with DTS-ES™ and Dolby® Digital EX decoding!"

Dolby Digital EX is similar in practice to Dolby's earlier Pro-Logic format, which utilized Matrix technology to add a center and single rear surround channel to stereo soundtracks. EX adds an extension to the standard 5.1 channel Dolby Digital codec in the form of matrixed rear channels, creating 6.1 or 7.1 channel output. However, the format is not considered a true 6.1 or 7.1 channel codec because it lacks the capability to support a discrete 6th channel like the competing DTS-ES codec.

 

[azn_bballa_]

So your saying im not going to get the full out X-Fi quality.

""However, the format is not considered a true 6.1 or 7.1 channel codec because it lacks the capability to support a discrete 6th channel like the competing DTS-ES codec.""

 

[rodney_ws]

You don't even have a 6.1 or 7.1 speaker setup... you have a 5.1 setup.

 

[rodney_ws]

In no way will the X-Fi be a limiting factor in the quality of your sound... not with those speakers. Nice speaker setup, but the X-Fi (in my opinion) is an equally nice card.

If you don't think the X-Fi is good enough for you, what is?

 

[bweir]

Yeah, I agree with the other guys, get the $110 X-Fi card from Newegg, or some good online vendor.

 

[rodney_ws]

I paid $89 for my X-Fi *snort*

But that $20 rebate is long gone... $110 appears to be the going price for one now.

 

[rodney_ws]

trust me thats wrong.

Specifically, what in the above post was wrong?

 

[rodney_ws]

#&!@

 

[astrallite]

Dolby Digital is like a ZIP file for movie audio. Onboard or X-Fi can decode--unZIP--these files and play them.

Gaming audio is usually analog only, it's not ZIPed up in single digital stream, it's already got all 8-channels opened up.

**I don't know where you heard the X-Fi can't decode 5.1-7.1.** It can't encode it (ZIP it up). But for you that functionality is useless, since you aren't sending the signal to another decoder like a receiver. The X-Fi decodes it and sends it directly to your speakers. Simple as that.