Fellow PC (audio) nerds - help!

[PrecizionHunting]

Going to (possibly) be buying the new Razer Tiamat 7.1 headset. It's talking about needing a sound card for your PC....I have zero idea about sound cards as I have not ever looked into them before....what's a good one!? I'm not sure. I just built a new rig, so I'll list those specs here so you can gauge what might be good with it. I'd be willing to spend UP TO about 200 dollars on a sound card.

Mobo - ASUS P8Z68-V
RAM - Corsair 8 GB Vengeance PC3-12800 1600MHz 240-Pin DDR3 Desktop Memory 8 (Single)
Chipset - i5-2500k
PSU - Corsair Enthusiast Series TX850M 850
SSD - Crucial 256gb
HDD - 1 TB Western Digital
GPU - MSI N570GTX Twin Frozr III PE/OC GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16

Speakers (it would be nice to have a sound card that would sound nice with speakers when I'm not using the new head phones) - Bose 2.1 PC speakers.

Think that's it. Thanks in advance for your time and thoughts.

[Deleted]

Rule number one: don't buy "surround" headset.

If you're going to use it outside gaming, stereo headphones and external mic it is.
For soundcard, I'd look for Asus Xonar series.

[Cyanotical]

friends don't let friends buy bose :P

the top recommended soundcard is going to be a toss up between the Xonar Essence STX and the Soundblaster X-Fi Titanium

the Xonar is going to be better for music while the X-Fi is going to be better for gaming

the Xonar Xense is better for gaming then the X-Fi and equals the Essence STX in music, but it is hard to find

[PrecizionHunting]

It will be gaming and music only. Right now I am using some Dr. Dre Beats headphones and if I need a Mic, I switch to the World of Warcraft wireless headset. Let me find the speakers I was thinking about getting IF I get a soundcard.....

---------- Post added 2012-05-21 at 03:21 PM ----------

something like this: KRK Rokit Powered 5 Generation 2 Powered Studio Monitor

[Cyanotical]

It will be gaming and music only. Right now I am using some Dr. Dre Beats headphones and if I need a Mic, I switch to the World of Warcraft wireless headset. Let me find the speakers I was thinking about getting IF I get a soundcard.....

---------- Post added 2012-05-21 at 03:21 PM ----------

something like this: KRK Rokit Powered 5 Generation 2 Powered Studio Monitor

i was actually going to link those, but i wasnt sure if you already had the bose or not, i have the RP8s and they are amazing, for those you want the Xonar Essence STX

[PrecizionHunting]

I have the bose 2.1 and they have literally lasted me over 7 years and plenty of moving around from when I was in the Marines - I have the first gen of the 2.1 (PC) speakers. I saw those rokit's at best buy (I will actually find somewhere else to buy them because bestbuy always marks the prices way up), and I tried them out, and they're F'ing sweet. But, there was a lot of bass and since I live in an apartment building I'm worried about my neighbors getting angry even if I have them on low :-( Hence the headset idea. I've tried Sennheiser headphones before (low grade) and I REALLY liked them - probably my fave, and I've owned about 10 different sets of headphones trying to find the best. The Dre beat ones are "ok".

Edit - so you guys say no to ALL 7.1 or surround head phones???

[Pokot]

I've tried Sennheiser headphones before (low grade) and I REALLY liked them

Sennheiser HD 558/598 + Xonar STX = you're done.

Forget headsets exist.

BOSE - buy other sound equipment.

[PrecizionHunting]

Sennheiser HD 558/598 + Xonar STX = you're done.

Forget headsets exist.

BOSE - buy other sound equipment.

Simple and to the point lol - thanks man. I just google'd those 598's, they look sweet - looks like around 250 bucks.

Edit - back edit really... for surround head phones....are you REALLY getting a surround sound effect with those? Or does it never really work like an actual surround sound setup with speakers / satellites

Edit again - I'm wrong the 598s are like 167 bucks online - nvm I'm wrong again - they are like 250.

[Cyanotical]

well, i have the KRK 10S Sub, by comparison, the RP5s have nothing in terms of bass, they might be a little too much for an apartment if you have picky neighbors, but they can also deliver clear sound when turned down

if you are looking for a gaming headset, then the Sennheiser PC360's are probably the best on the market, otherwise, you could look into the audio headphones and get a clip on mic

[Pokot]

Simple and to the point lol - thanks man. I just google'd those 598's, they look sweet - looks like around 250 bucks.

558/598 are somewhat newer versions of 555/595. Not sure if they have any sound differences with the previous versions. You might want to research on that since if they don't - you can save around 100 bucks if you find 555s for decent price.

Xonar STX is considered to be especially good for Sennheisers. And in some time you might want to research into amplification.

I'd sell Dr. Dre's if I were you and invest the money into new equipment.

I also wouldn't worry about any kind of speakers. Decent speakers are insanely pricey. Trust me, when you get your headphone setup right - you will only want speakers for those times you can't sit near your PC (please allow up to 100 hours of burn in for new headphones).

[PrecizionHunting]

you could look into the audio headphones and get a clip on mic

What would be an example of that (that you recommend)?

Also, I just seen your sig... with the CEH lol. I'm reading the book right now (slowly >.<) Did you have to go to the in classroom stuff before you took the exam? How much was all that?

Way off topic - seen you're from Co - probably the prettiest state I've ever been in.....just wish you guys had more rest stops between the highways lol.

[Cyanotical]

What would be an example of that (that you recommend)?

Also, I just seen your sig... with the CEH lol. I'm reading the book right now (slowly >.<) Did you have to go to the in classroom stuff before you took the exam? How much was all that?

Way off topic - seen you're from Co - probably the prettiest state I've ever been in.....just wish you guys had more rest stops between the highways lol.

there are a bunch of clip on mics out there, and pretty much any will do, im not gonna recommend a pair of headphones because my first reaction would be to recommend the HD800s

the CEH test isn't hard, it's fairly straight forward, but in order to take it, you have to take an EC Counsel approved class, otherwise you need two years of experience before they let you take it, its pool is only about 250 questions, so there is not much in the way of studying, the main problem is the cost, it's a $562 test, and there are no student discounts

[Pokot]

im not gonna recommend a pair of headphones because my first reaction would be to recommend the HD800s

Have you heard them?

[PrecizionHunting]

there are a bunch of clip on mics out there, and pretty much any will do, im not gonna recommend a pair of headphones because my first reaction would be to recommend the HD800s

the CEH test isn't hard, it's fairly straight forward, but in order to take it, you have to take an EC Counsel approved class, otherwise you need two years of experience before they let you take it, its pool is only about 250 questions, so there is not much in the way of studying, the main problem is the cost, it's a $562 test, and there are no student discounts

I'll google the HD800s and read reviews.

Yea, I'm reading the book, then I'll have to find a class here in the Washington, D.C. area, which shouldn't be hard. I'll see if my current company Computer Science Corp. will help pay for it :-)

[Cyanotical]

Have you heard them?

yes, i demo'd them in a store when i was researching my audio setup, they are very amazing, but too damn expensive

[Pokot]

yes, i demo'd them in a store when i was researching my audio setup, they are very amazing, but too damn expensive

Damn, I wish I'd have a chance some day. I'll probably cry like a little girl.

[PrecizionHunting]

Ooh lord...those are 1500 dollar head phones (HD800) lmfao - I don't see getting those anytime soon.

[Azortharion]

yes, i demo'd them in a store when i was researching my audio setup, they are very amazing, but too damn expensive

Slightly off-topic, but expensive!? Quad-SLI 590, top-class Ivy Bridge X processor, 32 Gigs, geez. Is anything too expensive for you?

-

OT: As some others have mentioned, ASUS Xonar series, not much of a sound freak myself but I still have one, and it runs my stereo amazing.

[PrecizionHunting]

Shoot off topic.....once I get my sound card and a good head set / good speakers....I know (from reading these forums previously) the quality of music matters in relation to getting audio files that will take advantage of extra "ability" that your sound card and speakers / head phones possess. Where is a good place you can get music from that will have those higher...frequencies?? I'm not sure of the correct term as I am not an audiophile. Will things like 1080p on YouTube take advantage of advance audio devices??? I'm really big into electro / trance music.

[Pokot]

Shoot off topic.....once I get my sound card and a good head set / good speakers....I know (from reading these forums previously) the quality of music matters in relation to getting audio files that will take advantage of extra "ability" that your sound card and speakers / head phones possess. Where is a good place you can get music from that will have those higher...frequencies?? I'm not sure of the correct term as I am not an audiophile. Will things like 1080p on YouTube take advantage of advance audio devices??? I'm really big into electro / trance music.

In general you'd want mp3 files of 320 kbps or higher quality like FLAC or ALAC. Best way would be to buy Cds and listen directly or convert those to high quality digital formats. Only works if you have money and place to store CDs (well, and shitloads of equipment since I wouldn't let my dvd burner to chew on those discs just out of principle).

There are many ways to get the music in higher quality without buying the Cds. I'm not sure what quality iTunes or amazon sell but if they don't do 320 kbps you could always find pirated music, download it and then go to said iTunes or amazon and pay the artist so you don't feel like you're stealing.