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Which X-Fi to get?

Started by ingeborgdot, November 09, 2007, 08:31 hrs

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ingeborgdot

I don't do any gaming but listen to a lot of music and like great quality sound.  What would be my best bet? 
Ok, maybe not X-fi but
What about these.
   
HT Omega CLARO Sound Cards
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HT OMEGA CLARO 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail

    * Audio Chipset: C-Media CMI8788
    * Digital Audio: 24-bit
    * Hardware Decode: Dolby Digital, DTS
    * Line In: Yes
    * Model #: CLARO
    * Item #: N82E16829271002
   
   

   
   
HT Omega CLARO Plus+ Sound Cards
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HT OMEGA CLARO Plus+ 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail

    * Audio Chipset: C-Media CMI8788
    * Digital Audio: 24-bit
    * Hardware Decode: Dolby Digital, DTS
    * Line In: Yes
    * Model #: CLARO Plus+
    * Item #: N82E16829271003
   
   


   
ASUS 90-YAA021-1UAN00+ Sound Cards
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ASUS Xonar D2 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Ultra Fidelity Sound Card with Complete Dolby/DTS Sound Technologies - Retail

    * Audio Chipset: ASUS AV200
    * Digital Audio: 24-bit
    * Hardware Decode: Dolby Digital, DTS
    * Line In: Yes
    * Model #: 90-YAA021-1UAN00+
    * Item #: N82E16829132001
   
       
Auzentech XPlosion 7.1 Sound Cards
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AuzenTech XPlosion 7.1 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail

    * Audio Chipset: C-Media CMI8770
    * CD/Aux In: No
    * Digital Audio: 24-bit
    * Features: World First Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect certified PCI board sound card! Converts any of your movies, games, music audio into a Dolby Digital or DTS Surround Sound! Stereo is boring, surround sound is fun! DTS Connect makes it easy to turn your computer into the ultimate PC sound entertainment
    * Model #: XPlosion 7.1
    * Item #: N82E16829156001
   
   
   
Auzentech AZT-XM71 Sound Cards
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AuzenTech AZT-XM71 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Auzen X-Meridian 7.1 Sound Card - Retail

    * Audio Chipset: C-Media CMI8788
    * Digital Audio: 24-bit
    * Hardware Decode: Dolby Digital, DTS
    * Line In: Yes
    * Model #: AZT-XM71
    * Item #: N82E16829156002
   

   

    * O

 
Antec P182, Abit IP35 Pro, Q6600, 4GB Crucial Ballistix, Leadtek Winfast PX7900GSTDH, P & C silencer quad 750 watt, 3-Seagate Sata 500, HT Omega Claro, Altec Lansing ADA995 5.1 THX, Digital Doc 5+, 2 Samsung SATA DVD burners, Canopus ADVC50,Vista Ultimate Retail 64 Bit, Vista rating 5.9

ingeborgdot

How is the integrated sound on the new mobods.  Someone said it has really improved.  Is that true?
Antec P182, Abit IP35 Pro, Q6600, 4GB Crucial Ballistix, Leadtek Winfast PX7900GSTDH, P & C silencer quad 750 watt, 3-Seagate Sata 500, HT Omega Claro, Altec Lansing ADA995 5.1 THX, Digital Doc 5+, 2 Samsung SATA DVD burners, Canopus ADVC50,Vista Ultimate Retail 64 Bit, Vista rating 5.9

Chandler

#2
The lower-end X-Fi cards should suit you well.  The thing is, a lot of cards get recommended as being good for music playback because they are pro-audio or semi-pro-audio and deliver a "pure" sound.  But many people will not like the sound of a pure un-processed sound because it tends to sound a bit flat.  The X-Fi has things like Crystalizer which improve the PERCEIVED sound quality of music.

I get similar sound enhancements with an Audigy 2 ZS card by using the KX-Project drivers with a custom DSP setup.  This suits me very well, and gives me things like hardware Pro-Logic encoding in games too.  But these drivers only work on Windows XP (Vista has issues) so perhaps this isn't the best option for you.  I'd go for an X-Fi.

Carskick

I agree an X-Fi sound card is the way to go, low end if just for music, as they high end ones add features for gaming. However, I am not a big fan of the crystallizer, but you can choose not to enable it. The default settings are flat, but tweaking the EQ to your preferences is very rewarding, and with a good set of speakers, can produce phenomenal sound.

Built in sound has gotten good, but an X-Fi card is stall quite superior.
Athlon64 X2 3800+ Machester@2.45Ghz, 4x1GB A-DATA PC3200@204(2.5-3-3-6), XFX 8800GT, ASUS A8N5X NF4, Antec 300 case, Antec EarthWatts 650w, 640GB 16MB and 200GB 8MB 7200RPM SATA WD HDDs, NEC3540, NEC3550, Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate<br />Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/Carskick

ingeborgdot

After much review and a lot of searching I went with the HT Omega Claro.  It is said to be far superior with music and movies. 
Antec P182, Abit IP35 Pro, Q6600, 4GB Crucial Ballistix, Leadtek Winfast PX7900GSTDH, P & C silencer quad 750 watt, 3-Seagate Sata 500, HT Omega Claro, Altec Lansing ADA995 5.1 THX, Digital Doc 5+, 2 Samsung SATA DVD burners, Canopus ADVC50,Vista Ultimate Retail 64 Bit, Vista rating 5.9