Weekend Open Forum: Are you using a dedicated sound card?

Sound cards are awesome. I love mine and it made a considerable impact on my setup --> http://www.nrnl.org/post129.html#p129 . Whether one needs it or not is not up for debate, what sound card to get is and I say ASUS Xonar Essence ST/X. Personally got the ASUS Xonar Essence STX Soundcard recently and couldn't be more happier with it. I, too was fed up with Creative's less than stellar performance and driver reliability ever since I gave up my old SB Live! Value lol. I can't fault my card, and has been an excellent addition to my audio setup, but don't take my word for it -

Here if ya can be bothered please read some of the following reviews or opinions from many a respected source audio and computer industry wise -->

http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?t=766494
http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-xonar-essence-stx-review/
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/asus_xonar_essence_stx/
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2339333,00.asp
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/asus-xonar-essence-stx.html
http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/audio/asus_xonar_essence_stx_-_pci-e_audiophile_soundcard/8
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/reviews/asus_xonar_essence_stx
http://www.stereophile.com/computeraudio/asus_xonar_essence_ststx_soundcards/
http://www.avforums.com/forums/soun...52206-asus-xonar-essence-stx-impressions.html

Apparently for my purpose (Playback using 2-Channel Audio + Analog out to my new high quality amp and speakers) it hands down beats the like of the Creative cards, themselves and the high end Creative cards by Auzentech, the M-Audio Audiophile 192 Card, ESI Juli@, any onboard by absolute miles, and at least on par if not better than some High-End music production cards from the likes of RME and LYNX.

Also passes through surround sound through SP/DIF and TOSLINK connection in case you were wondering.

I also do prefer Dolby Digital for my games over EAX, is subjective as once again most things are with sound. If you the read numerous reviews of the STX given, then you would see that the STX is *almost* on par for games, and superior for music and movies. I do music production and listen to a massive variety of music, and as stated for my uses it suites me perfectly I have "bit-perfection" working perfectly too, and don't see how anyone else shouldn't either. For a description of bit-perfect and bit-accurate playback refer to this article --> http://www.nrnl.org/post115.html#p115

A few more tid bits of information; A list of games using OpenAL and aLchemy:
aLchemy Games -
http://connect.creativelabs.com/alchemy/Lists/Games/AllItems.aspx

OpenAL Games -
http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/OpenAL Wiki/Games.aspx

Also Unreal Engine 3 is able to use OpenAL, DirectSound3D or FMOD.

X-Fi Music here, just bought a new case yesterday so it would fit in since the case I had before didn't have the room. You don't really realize how much of a quality difference it makes until you use a dedicated card your whole life and switch to an onboard one. I guess you need the quality speakers or headphones to make it worthwhile, but the difference is quite significant.

Been a couple of years since I've used one. The last one I used was the Creative X-Fi Xtremegamer and the drivers weren't that great.

Using Creative X-Fi Titanium.

Onboard sound was my choice until I started having problems with games identifying my speaker setup.

Creative Sound Blaster Live 24bit...Paid £20 for it and never looked back.

The software that came with it was worth enough to begin with.

Haven't had one since my computer i bought in 2000. Needed it to play Warcraft 3 back then

I used onboard audio with P965, P35, P45, P55 and P67 builds. But compared to my $40 X-FI Platinum that I picked up on sale, it pales in comparison. If a person really enjoys their music quality, onboard audio is like IGP of graphics. And X-FI isn't even the best sound card....I will not build a rig without a dedicated sound card.

i use asus xonar esence stx with sennheiser hd595 headphones

Currently using onboard as I used my budget for other things. I've always wanted to get a dedicated sound card just always seem to spend my money else where =X. Hopefully I'll get myself a sound card one of these days .

So, was considering a Xonar STX, that is, until I took a look on the ASUS forums....
Driver nightmares! I gave up on dedicated audio years ago after Creative could not produce a decent, stable driver to save their lives.
Looks like things haven't changed... sigh.

Recently I built a machine which my M/B ASuS P8P67 Pro has Sound Chip but the first thing I did was to disable it in BIOS.

The only part I kept from my old PC is the X-Fi Fatal1ty Platinum Champion. Along with my Logitech Z-5500 5.1 just can't stop using this combination. Total sound and extreme details in games. EAX 5, DTS etc... I'm used to listen from which side the enemy coming. Love that effect. Dunno if the on board sound can do that but just don't wanna know...

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Music w/ 2.1 setup.

I have the old school idea of using a card. I dont like creatives bloatware so I use Auzentech Xfi.

i use a creative audigy platinum sound card. i have always used a sound card in every pc set up i have used. the sound card runs altec lansing 2.1 fx4021 sysyem. i always listen to music while on the pc when im not playing games.

X-Fi Xtreme Audio PCIe and a Auzentech X-Fi Prelude here.

Drivers for both written by Creative. The Prelude drivers are absolutely pathetic. Unbelievably bad. On Win7 x64 I get nothing but random pops when closing apps and buzzing when MCE is open but not playing anything. They totally ignored my support ticket - didn't even comment on it. Think I will abandon Creative based cards for good now - taken too long to learn the lesson.

I was actually put off an MITX build as I couldn't get a sound card as well as a GPU in there. I have to use a sound card now - with decent headphones the difference, even with half decent onboard sound is phenomenal, plus with things like Dolby Headphone and EAX, you get a fantastic advantage in FPS games - where you can hear enemy movements and the exact direction.

Couldn't recommend a sound card enough to be honest...

I'm sorry, but the article is very wrong. Integrated audio is not better or on par with a high end dedicated sound card, especially the Asus Sonar Essence STX they picture. it's just not, and it's almost like they put that comment in there to spur on a debate....no matter how much processing speed and ram you have, would you say that your integrated video card is just as good as dedicated ones? No....people seem to think that sound doesn't involve a lot because it doesn't have giant fans on it and what not. The card shows actually has opamps that you can change out or replace...let's see that on an integrated, or all the different options these nice cards have, on an integrated. You're just not going to see it. And once your motherboard dies or needs to be replaced, what then? That comment is just completely and utterly ridiculous.

I forgot to mention - I have the Asus Sonar Essence STX and it has been simply awesome. No driver or sound problems with Windows 7 x64 whatsoever for me, and I love my music and movies on it. No onboard sound can rival it and those who think so need better speakers or headphones to see what they are missing.

I'm using one of the last Creative X-Fi Pro Elites with a Dell Altec Lansing 5.1 sub/speaker on my EVGA Classified E760 in a rebuilt HP Blackbird 980. I am pleased with the home guitar/ keyboards midi interfaces and forward my session work easily. My old Dell 8200 is the playroom/ LG LE5400 sound setup with a Soundblaster 2ZS Platinum and my kid's "cellar" band studio. I'm set for awhile and so are they.