I am looking to buy a new sound card. I was looking into getting the creativelabs Z card for $100. I right now have a creativelabs titanium xfi pcie that I believe to be broken do to brown marks on the analog connectors on the circuit board side. Plus the mic port does not work either. So it is time for a new one. Do you think this is a good upgrade for a optical out and amplifier speaker setup.
-
Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!
I am looking to get a new sound card creative labs Z
- Thread starter shawnmcc
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2005
While I can attest to wanting to get the absolute most in sound I can possibly get from internals on my own setup, a lot depends on what you plan to actually run. I'd say the onboard will be perfectly fine, especially since you are running optical.
I wouldn't spend $100 for a sound card, just to run optical off it.
I wouldn't spend $100 for a sound card, just to run optical off it.
- Thread Starter
- #5
Klipsch bookshelf speakers. Some pretty expensive ones. So I would say audiophile grade then. Plus I like dobly for watching movies and I need EAX for some of my old games any way. So I basically have to get creative then I think.
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2013
Onboard works every bit (pun not intended) as well for digital outputs. It's just data. If the onboard optical doesn't work (might happen if the laser diode inside degrades from extended use), any cheap sound card that has optical output and supports 24/192 will do.
- Thread Starter
- #7
Plus I might be buying headphones later I live in a apartment sometimes get complaints about my subwoofer. So if I am going to watch or play a loud video game I would use headphones. Eax is something I would like to have for games like warcraft 3 world of warcraft as well.
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2014
- Location
- All over the place
Hi shawnmcc
And now for something completely different. I'm going to buck the trend a bit here. And obviously this is just me expressing an subjective opinion
I would say that if you are going to be using a hi-fi quality amp with passive speakers then a third-party soundcard would improve the overall sound quality for music and movie soundtracks, although Creative would not be my first choice. If you are using powered speakers (no separate amp) then I would personally go with the onboard sound.
Whatever you choose, please remember this is a personal subjective choice. Only make your choice based upon what YOU hear.
And now for something completely different. I'm going to buck the trend a bit here. And obviously this is just me expressing an subjective opinion
I would say that if you are going to be using a hi-fi quality amp with passive speakers then a third-party soundcard would improve the overall sound quality for music and movie soundtracks, although Creative would not be my first choice. If you are using powered speakers (no separate amp) then I would personally go with the onboard sound.
Whatever you choose, please remember this is a personal subjective choice. Only make your choice based upon what YOU hear.
- Thread Starter
- #9
I have a pioneer amp that I use. Plus one on the subwoofer that is klipsch also. So I will have to go with a sound card. I agree with you on the creative thing not being first choice but not all cards support EAX which I like.
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2005
- Location
- Concord, NC
A lot of onboard audio solutions (Realtek) are capable (via unlocked drivers) of Dolby Digital Live and DTS-Connect, both of which take any 5.1 input from games, or other programs running on your pc and encodes that signal on the fly to DD or DTS for output over the optical or coax digital output. Send that to your receiver and you'll forget all about EAX. 
Any movies you play that are in DD or DTS will pass that signal through the onboard audio optical/coax. No special tricks required here.
Any movies you play that are in DD or DTS will pass that signal through the onboard audio optical/coax. No special tricks required here.
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2014
- Location
- All over the place
EAX is old technology and has been deprecated since Vista. I doubt you'll find any new games, or any released since about 2010, which actually support EAX. The only EAX supported game in my current library is Mass Effect and that is now a pretty old game. Are you sure this is a feature you require?
Also the cable question. Your Pioneer amp and Klipsch speakers are not able to improve upon the sound received from the source device (even if you were using a $5000 amp). If you are using an optical cable for the connection then the signal will be degraded by the time it reaches the amp. The quality of the amp, speaker cables and the speakers then become almost redundant due to the poorer quality of the source signal. In my opinion, you need a decent interconnect to justify your decision to use the amp/speaker setup.
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2005
- Location
- Concord, NC
What is a decent interconnect? Toslink Optical/coax is digital from the PC to the receiver, so there shouldn't be any signal degradation starting until the signal is converted to analog within the receiver itself. From the D/A converter to the amps within the receiver is a very short distance.
If you run 3 analog coax lines from the PC to the receiver for 5.1 there is noticeable noise introduced into the signal which then gets amplified.
I have tested both ways and can easily hear the difference even with high quality coaxial lines.
Is there another way to connect that I'm not aware of?
If you run 3 analog coax lines from the PC to the receiver for 5.1 there is noticeable noise introduced into the signal which then gets amplified.
I have tested both ways and can easily hear the difference even with high quality coaxial lines.
Is there another way to connect that I'm not aware of?
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2014
- Location
- All over the place
Is I said earlier, a lot of this is deeply subjective. I'm not therefore saying anything is right or wrong, but am in fact just expressing an opinion. I personally can tell the difference between say an optical and RCA when testing in a studio test environments within a hifi audio retail store. The tones are richer, the treble/midrange/bass are more evenly balanced and closer to the original source output. That is just what my ears hear. But then I'm half Vulcan....
Edit: I should add that if I was building this type of setup, I would be having the DAC to be done from a dedicated DAC box external of the pc. Which might make my point of cables a bit of a moot point I guess lol.
*tee-hee* I'm arguing with myself now I think you agree on the RCA v Optical, but that wasn't his point... you mentioned optical signal strength degrades (it doesn't on a short run like this - opinions can be wrong, LOL!), then go on to say he needs a decent interconnect. Isn't that optical already? I just think he is asking for clarity on those points that you brought up. Again, you seem to agree on the rest (which wasn't the point).
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2014
- Location
- All over the place
I'm not an audio techie or anything. I do not have links or evidence to back up my claims. But I am aware of the degradation. And I formed the following conclusion (and please correct me if am wrong as I am eager to learn).
Cozumel assumption:
If an optical noticeably degrades at longer lengths then it will still degrade at shorter lengths (albeit less noticeable). I honestly believe I can hear this in testing with standard short interconnects used domestically. I have compared different types of cables in a store studio setup. I do accept it could all be a classic placebo effect. But I can only go by what my [large and pointy] ears detect.
Cozumel assumption:
If an optical noticeably degrades at longer lengths then it will still degrade at shorter lengths (albeit less noticeable). I honestly believe I can hear this in testing with standard short interconnects used domestically. I have compared different types of cables in a store studio setup. I do accept it could all be a classic placebo effect. But I can only go by what my [large and pointy] ears detect.
http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=61637
I mean, they are talking 50-100' lengths there for optical... I dont think a couple meters (typically a couple of FEET, note) there will be any noticeable degradation.
You still haven't said what these "standard short interconnects" are though.......
I mean, they are talking 50-100' lengths there for optical... I dont think a couple meters (typically a couple of FEET, note) there will be any noticeable degradation.
You still haven't said what these "standard short interconnects" are though.......
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2014
- Location
- All over the place
lol You're like my missus....picking...and picking...and picking some more...
I cannot get away from it even on a forum hahaha All I can say is what I use. I honestly don't have any technical reasons for my choices as I don't have the necessary knowledge to form that type of opinion. It is purely based on what I hear.
This for our bedroom
And this for the main hifi system in the living area
Last edited:
Sory man, he asked, and I did twice before we got an answer. Im certain I am not as pretty as your wife is (not saying I know, I dont, LOL, just trying to be funny) so she has that going for her! 
But back to it, I'm not even sure you are following... or maybe it is me!
The interconnects you use are RCA, which earlier you agreed with Jason that it was less quality than optical/TOS. How would those "interconnects"(RCA cables) improve anything over the better optical. Not sure we are on the same tracks coz! But he/I are asking about what you said...
I think we are trying to get to the bottom of the last bold part now. Again, optical is better than RCA, and you say to use them over optical (based off nonexistent signal degradation in most applications)??? Or, where did I go off? LOL
But back to it, I'm not even sure you are following... or maybe it is me!
The interconnects you use are RCA, which earlier you agreed with Jason that it was less quality than optical/TOS. How would those "interconnects"(RCA cables) improve anything over the better optical. Not sure we are on the same tracks coz! But he/I are asking about what you said...
I think we are trying to get to the bottom of the last bold part now. Again, optical is better than RCA, and you say to use them over optical (based off nonexistent signal degradation in most applications)??? Or, where did I go off? LOL
Last edited:
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2014
- Location
- All over the place
Because I'm using an independent DAC converter I am using the analog interconnects to route that signal to the analog inputs on my amp. It all makes perfect sense in my head. But have I departed from reality?
And just to clarify in case the other half happens to see my posts - she is a wonderful woman, great to wake up next to (being stuck on the sofa sucks)!!
And just to clarify in case the other half happens to see my posts - she is a wonderful woman, great to wake up next to (being stuck on the sofa sucks)!!
Last edited:
