Question regarding sound cards

[DeltrusDisc]

So I had seen tetrisgoat speaking about going dual sound cards, one with an amp dedicated to headphones, the other for a decent surround sound speaker setup. Got me thinking, how complicated is it to set this up? Can I do it? Was she just messing with people? Is it complicated?

The 2 cards I'd want to get would be....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...=essence%20stx

^headphone amp card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Tpk=xonar%20dx

^surround sound card

Go!

[Cyanotical]

how about both:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0xonar%20xense

[DeltrusDisc]

how about both:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0xonar%20xense

Yeah, I've looked at that one before, and I read some reviews, sounds like it could be improved on. With how little I game now, I'd rather not have a headset, rather some headphones. :P

As much as I LOVE how that sound card looks, the headset has to be bought with it.

[Cyanotical]

Yeah, I've looked at that one before, and I read some reviews, sounds like it could be improved on. With how little I game now, I'd rather not have a headset, rather some headphones. :P

As much as I LOVE how that sound card looks, the headset has to be bought with it.

take the reviews with a grain of salt from audiophiles, afaik that is the best in the xonar series, the headset is still way above and beyond any traditional gaming headsets, or headphones

i have that exact set in my computer, and the sound is amazing, to go into the realm beyond that headset, you really need to be working with studio quality recordings, standard 320kbps mp3's won't show much difference between the xonar pc-350 and a higher end set of headphones, at least not without distorting audio

---------- Post added 2011-08-30 at 02:56 AM ----------

I would also like to add that that headset literally vibrates my skull when playing a good bassline

[DeltrusDisc]

Okay, being someone that I trust I'll take your word for it.

Don't get me wrong, I'd really prefer the look of this card over the Xonar DX... the Essence STX looks nice too, but I can live.

So is the Xonar Xense literally the Essence and Xonar DX combined more or less?

[Cyanotical]

Okay, being someone that I trust I'll take your word for it.

Don't get me wrong, I'd really prefer the look of this card over the Xonar DX... the Essence STX looks nice too, but I can live.

So is the Xonar Xense literally the Essence and Xonar DX combined more or less?

Afaik it is it's own version, designed in cooperation with sennhieser, and has special resistance setting to work with the special edition headset that comes with it, and like any other asus card, you can resolder the opamps if you like

[DeltrusDisc]

I guess I'm just kind of turned off by the fact I have no true options with the headset. =S

I don't know, it has to be better than anything I've had before, obviously, but that mic doesn't look easy to hide. >_<

[Deleted]

You can get the soundcard without the headset, it's called the Asus Xonar STX i believe. It just will cost more to get this + a heaphone rather than the combo

[Cyanotical]

I guess I'm just kind of turned off by the fact I have no true options with the headset. =S

I don't know, it has to be better than anything I've had before, obviously, but that mic doesn't look easy to hide. >_<

well its an easy way to get a really nice sound card and headset all at the same time, the xense does come with 6.3mm jacks, so you can always upgrade later to a really nice studio headset, that does mean that the headset doesn't fit in your mp3 player

personally i use the headset for when i need to be quiet, and i use the S/PDIF port on the card to connect my home theater 5.1, and use that as my computer 5.1 instead of some crappy computer speakers

[DeltrusDisc]

So you never expressly said "you can't have two audio cards" so I'm guessing I could if I wanted? ;p

Also yeah, there's some things I like about Xense... then some I don't.

@Access, the Xonar Essence STX is what I believe you're talking about, it is a bit different. And is one of the two I linked.

[ispano]

You can have as many cards as you want... but most software isn't designed to play to two output devices at once, so you would need to switch the current audio device anytime you want to change cards.

[DeltrusDisc]

You can have as many cards as you want... but most software isn't designed to play to two output devices at once, so you would need to switch the current audio device anytime you want to change cards.

Yeah that's what I'd plan to do. Like Skype, ventrilo, stuff like that, I'd play through my headphones, music.... depending on the time of day. ^_<

[Deleted]

^ that's what i currently have set up. onboard rear audio for my vent/xfire headseat and my sound card set as default device plugged into my sub and speakers for music/videos/everything else. if it's late or just want to be quiet i then use my audio front panel with my headphones to listen to music! it's perfect for me, i used to have go round the back of my old pc and switch out the bloody jacks each time. D:

[DeltrusDisc]

^ that's what i currently have set up. onboard rear audio for my vent/xfire headseat and my sound card set as default device plugged into my sub and speakers for music/videos/everything else. if it's late or just want to be quiet i then use my audio front panel with my headphones to listen to music! it's perfect for me, i used to have go round the back of my old pc and switch out the bloody jacks each time. D:

Plug your headphones directly into the soundcard.... it'll be better. >_>