Sound card on PCI or PCIe?

[belltollsforthee]

Im just wondering if getting the HT Omega eClaro is worth the extra 100 over the striker. I use headphones almost exclusively and thats what the Claro seems to specialize in, it also have a new chip and some nice features but im on a tight budget.

The only way i can feel good about spending an extra 100 dollars on a sound card is because of the future compatibly. I would hate to upgrade to ivy bridge or bulldozer from my phenom only to find that i can't use my pci sound card because of my video card or that its been phased out.

Im wondering what you guys think about PCI's future

 

[Emperus]

I personally don't see any future for the PCI slot(s).. However, that cannot be the criteria for choosing a sound card surely.. Which headphones do you use.? What's your current pc configuration and your primary use with the pc.?

 

[belltollsforthee]

I personally don't see any future for the PCI slot(s).. However, that cannot be the criteria for choosing a sound card surely.. Which headphones do you use.? What's your current pc configuration and your primary use with the pc.?

I have Audio Technica ATH-A700s, and i use them almost exclusively for gaming and music. phenom x4 955 am3 board

but im looking to change mobos either end of this year with ivy league or amd 25nm cpu. IDK

 

[belltollsforthee]

Well the integrated Codecs on mobos are better these days than pci add on cards.
And if you have one with a sdif connection you can use the Codec on your hometheatre which is normally better quality. Thats if you use a home theatre

Yes, i've heard so much about modern onboard sound but is there any proof to back up this up? since buying higher quality headphones ive noticed a big difference and im now willing to pay a bit more on a nice sound card.


hahaha, it makes me think of the difference between onboard and dedicated video cards

 

[belltollsforthee]

Here's a example

ASRock EXTREME3: AM3 770 SATA6Gb/s USB3.0 ATX

That board comes integrated with 8 channels and it costs 75usd

If you want better audio get a Pci-e card.

Creative X-Fi Titanium 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI-e 1x around a 100usd
ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 Channels PCI Express x1 around 80usd

I dont care about channels or "stats" i care about quality and codecs. I believe its the chips themselves that makes the sound and i have found headphones with similar specs sound very different. I am thinking about asus xonar but i wont even consider a creative card.

Well, im not liking the review for xonar, haven't been driver updates since 2008! and some complaints about gaming. Im a gamer.

 

[Emperus]

I have Audio Technica ATH-A700s, and i use them almost exclusively for gaming and music. phenom x4 955 am3 board

but im looking to change mobos either end of this year with ivy league or amd 25nm cpu. IDK

Those are some really good cans.. If you plan to use the 6.3 mm adapter then you can definitely look forward to pair them up with some equally good card such as the Asus Xonar Essence STX..

 

[belltollsforthee]

Those are some really good cans.. If you plan to use the 6.3 mm adapter then you can definitely look forward to pair them up with some equally good card such as the Asus Xonar Essence STX..

Hmmm, why would i want to use the 6.3mm jack? im still a much of novice

 

[Emperus]

Using the 6.3 mm connector, you can use the amplified headphone output.. It does not works with the standard 3.5 mm jack.. And yes, the amplified output sounds will sound better on those headphones.. If you find it unnecessay, then going for a cheaper soundcard such as the Xonar DX will be recommended..

 

[belltollsforthee]

I personally don't see any future for the PCI slot(s).. However, that cannot be the criteria for choosing a sound card surely.. Which headphones do you use.? What's your current pc configuration and your primary use with the pc.?

so how long do sound cards last for you or on average?

 

[gamerk316]

I dont care about channels or "stats" i care about quality and codecs. I believe its the chips themselves that makes the sound and i have found headphones with similar specs sound very different. I am thinking about asus xonar but i wont even consider a creative card.

Well, im not liking the review for xonar, haven't been driver updates since 2008! and some complaints about gaming. Im a gamer.

???, There have been numerous updates to the Xonar drivers the past few years. For instance, the last update for the DX was September 22, 2010.

And the complaints about gaming is all FUD. It comes down to personal preference on how the audio is presented. I'm sure those same people still think Creative is king...

 

[belltollsforthee]

???, There have been numerous updates to the Xonar drivers the past few years. For instance, the last update for the DX was September 22, 2010.

And the complaints about gaming is all FUD. It comes down to personal preference on how the audio is presented. I'm sure those same people still think Creative is king...

idk maybe this one is a specific xonar, but that what i read, and also what i read REPEATEDLY was that this was not a sound card for gaming (lower end xonar). Complaints about looping sounds and crashes, i feel much safer with a HT Omega card. Personal preference, much higher reviews and if i'm dropping 90-190 buck on a card i want to give it to the more well received product. To me the higher reviews indicate higher quality and better support. I have heard of dreaded asus RMAs and i have heard nothing but good words from HT Omega, hey even RMAing products outside of warranty.


Nope! only HT Omega for me!

 

[belltollsforthee]

Well its funny I think the Xonar and the clarion uses the same Codec. Its the HD CMEDIA one which ain't so new aswell.

Then you don't care about the channels. Well 8+2'config you have your two separate channels for the headphones. This is advisable for voice over ip gaming. Because the sound and the headphones sound are different. Or do you want one where your headphones and other channel spits out the same sound?
The Dvd standard are 5.1. So yes channels do matter. Each speaker setup got their own independent channel which is especially good for surround sound aswell aswell as hooking up to a home theatre.

Channels dont matter to me, about as much as 12 core cpu matters to a gamer or web browser, i dont need them, any more then 2 dont apply to me, why pay more for them?

also i doubt they are the same chip, but just looking at newegg specs, they are named differently and there are different models in the CMEDIA line.

 

[MEgamer]

u woudnt want to use cheap soundcard for HTS. a mid-fi receiver will do better.

 

[belltollsforthee]

Those are some really good cans.. If you plan to use the 6.3 mm adapter then you can definitely look forward to pair them up with some equally good card such as the Asus Xonar Essence STX..

im just wondering, why would i want a high impedance on head phones. Like the sound card is offering 600ohm on both eClaro and Asus

 

[gamerk316]

^^ HT Omega and ASUS use the same two or three C-Media chipsets, and use modified C-Media drivers. [In most cases, if you replace the device ID on generic C-Media driver releases, you can make them work on most any card in HT Omega and ASUS' lineup.]

I'm not arguing against HT Omega though.

 

[gamerk316]

^^ The Claro has a dedicated headphone amp.

EDIT

Its sounding to me like the ASUS Essence ST/STX is more of what you are looking for if you don't want/need more then Stereo analog out.

 

[MEgamer]

im just wondering, why would i want a high impedance on head phones. Like the sound card is offering 600ohm on both eClaro and Asus

wat do u mean 'why would i want a high impedence on headphones' its not like u can choose. Headphones that are designed are going to differ in its resistances jsut like any other specs in electronics. most top headphones out there seem to have very high impedence anyway. high impedence heapdhones have less percentage variation in its impedence so the frequency respones will be closer to flat. whereas low impdence eadphoens say 64ohms, may have impedence that rages from 64 to 85ohms, thats a lot higher percentage variation, this will lead to a frequency response anything but flat.

 

[belltollsforthee]

wat do u mean 'why would i want a high impedence on headphones' its not like u can choose. Headphones that are designed are going to differ in its resistances jsut like any other specs in electronics. most top headphones out there seem to have very high impedence anyway. high impedence heapdhones have less percentage variation in its impedence so the frequency respones will be closer to flat. whereas low impdence eadphoens say 64ohms, may have impedence that rages from 64 to 85ohms, thats a lot higher percentage variation, this will lead to a frequency response anything but flat.

Oh great thanks, sorry i know audio tech very much. Thank god i only need my senses and not my knowhow to appreciate great audio hardware

Yeah im spending quite a bit of money on a sound card instead of going and crossfire, so i dont want to take chances. HT Omega has a better track record over asus, and their products have constant, near perfect reviews.

HT omega is all i will consider as long as they keep it up.

 

[MEgamer]

then go buy it, its a gd card!

 

[belltollsforthee]

Best answer selected by belltollsforthee.

 

[Maziar]

This topic has been closed by Maziar