What sound card to get?

[simba1621]

Auzentech X-Plosion 7.1

X-Fi XtremeMusic.

Been looking for a sound card for quite some time now. Never had one before. But I hear that the difference is astounding.

I know that the XtremeMusic was recently on Frys.com for 50bucks. but i didnt manage to get one of those. I know that the computer store nearest to my house, 70 miles, stocks the X-Plosion for 100 bucks.

Is the auzentech a good card? I'm looking for something that will make my z2300 2.1 system stand out.

[Stillhouse]

You can get the XtremeMusic from Dell for $80 + shipping:

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=313-4369&cs=19&c=us&l=en&dgc=SS&cid=25682&lid=585550

[simba1621]

i assume by your reaction that the xtrememusic is the card to go for?

[nd4spdbh2]

mk heres the thing... will you EVER use Dolby Digital Live (DDL) as thats the real outstanding feature on the xplosion, other than that it uses IMO less quality components (Cmedia processor).

Id say just grab the XtremeMusic from Dell 80 bucks is still a good deal on it as it went for like 120 before it was "discontinued"

[Theocnoob]

mk heres the thing... will you EVER use Dolby Digital Live (DDL) as thats the real outstanding feature on the xplosion, other than that it uses IMO less quality components (Cmedia processor).

Id say just grab the XtremeMusic from Dell 80 bucks is still a good deal on it as it went for like 120 before it was "discontinued"

OH MY GOD!!!!

This is absoutely categorically untrue to the most absolute possible extent my friend. CMI are some of the better audio controllers out there. It is not a DSP, its a controller. This is not a gaming board as it has no hardware EAX support (CMI) but it has much better quality music rendition. The opamps are higher quality as are all the solid state polycaps.

http://www.auzentech.com/site/images/xm_verybig_front.jpg
Auzen cards use MUCH higher quality components than creative cards

http://www.mbnet.fi/nettijatkot/2005/10/csb/x-fi.jpg

The difference is immediately obvious to anyone with any hardware knowledge.

Now, do you wanna do a lot of gaming? The Creative card will give you a better gaming experience. The Auzen card, on the other hand, will give you a more ACCURATE and organic rendition of Home theater and music- but people have different hearing tastes and some actually like the xfi better all round. If you just look at the numbers though- the auzen has a higher quality output via any source (digi/analogue)

Seeing your signature, I'd say you're a gamer with that 8800 so I suggest the Auzen Prelude. High quality auzen circuitry mated to an Xfi controller= great rendition of whatever you throw at it. Its more expensive but worth it especially now that all driver kinks are worked out.

[Stillhouse]

The X-Fi Prelude might sound better than the XtremeMusic, but most folks agree it's not $100 better, which is the price difference between the two. The XMusic is still the bang-for-the-buck champ.

[Shiggity]

You can get the XtremeMusic from Dell for $80 + shipping:

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=313-4369&cs=19&c=us&l=en&dgc=SS&cid=25682&lid=585550


Is this a retail or OEM version, I can't tell. If it's retail I might consider picking one up.

[Stillhouse]

I'm pretty sure it's OEM.

[nd4spdbh2]

Is this a retail or OEM version, I can't tell. If it's retail I might consider picking one up.

it doesnt matter.... OEM or retail all your going to get is the card, driver cd, Xfi sticker. U might get a small manual with the retail.


As for Cmedia being better or what not... Every card i have heard with a Cmedia processor sounds so inferior to the X-FI... yes Auzentec uses ALOT better components (opamps and caps) But really the XtremeMusic is by FAR the best bang for the buck... and like stated NO EAX with Cmedia... and almost all games use EAX, and offloading that to a cpu does eat quite a bit of cpu cycles.

and Theocnoob you need to take a chill pill or drink a :beer: :p

I will admit the Auzentech X-FI is THE cream of the crop, it uses the X-FI processor with GREAT components... but you pay like no other for it, and the difference over the XtremeMusic is not much.

[Theocnoob]

it doesnt matter.... OEM or retail all your going to get is the card, driver cd, Xfi sticker. U might get a small manual with the retail.


As for Cmedia being better or what not... Every card i have heard with a Cmedia processor sounds so inferior to the X-FI... yes Auzentec uses ALOT better components (opamps and caps) But really the XtremeMusic is by FAR the best bang for the buck... and like stated NO EAX with Cmedia... and almost all games use EAX, and offloading that to a cpu does eat quite a bit of cpu cycles.

and Theocnoob you need to take a chill pill or drink a :beer: :p

I will admit the Auzentech X-FI is THE cream of the crop, it uses the X-FI processor with GREAT components... but you pay like no other for it, and the difference over the XtremeMusic is not much.

As for Cmedia being better or what not... Every card i have heard with a Cmedia processor sounds so inferior to the X-FI... yes Auzentec uses ALOT better components (opamps and caps) But really the XtremeMusic is by FAR the best bang for the buck... and like stated NO EAX with Cmedia... and almost all games use EAX, and offloading that to a cpu does eat quite a bit of cpu cycles.

Like i said... a lot of people like the Creative cards better, but they're not actually better on paper.

Admittedly, they're punchier, but not as sonically accurate and the SNR ratios are crapp. But if thats what you want go for it.