Good Sound Card for HTPC and Gaming

[OVERKILL]

Hey guys,

I'm searching for a good sound card for my HTPC and for gaming.

In case it helps, my system consists of :

Yamaha HTR-5960
Panasonic 50PX60U
Rocket 850 signatures and a Rocket RSC 200 signature center
SVS 20-39 PC Plus
DirecTV DVR HD



I'm looking at the Omega Striker and the Omega Claro.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16829271001

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16829271002


The price difference is pretty much double.

Is their really double the difference in sound improvement?


All information appreciated.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: OVERKILL
Hey guys,

I'm searching for a good sound card for my HTPC and for gaming.

In case it helps, my system consists of :

Yamaha HTR-5960
Panasonic 50PX60U
Rocket 850 signatures and a Rocket RSC 200 signature center
SVS 20-39 PC Plus
DirecTV DVR HD



I'm looking at the Omega Striker and the Omega Claro.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16829271001

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16829271002


The price difference is pretty much double.

Is their really double the difference in sound improvement?


All information appreciated.

Provided you are just planning on connective via one of the digital connections...get the striker.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

"Is their really double the difference in sound improvement?"

no. mostly.

the striker lacks a couple specs (192khz resampling, 109db snr) that you're probably not going to utilize anyway. audio playback or input over the digital connections would be identical, analog would be very similar. it has some nice connection options, and the dd/dts encoding and drivers are great.

i can say the claro's 8788 chip kicks butt in 3d games. that difference is wiped out under widows vista.

 

[dwell]

I recently bought the Striker for the same uses as you. No complaints. Great card.

 

[krotchy]

Striker if you are just doing Digital to the receiver.

Claro for Analog passing. Claro has the better op-amp's and some other improvements as well, but the op-amps are the biggest change.

 

[sdifox]

Do you care about game sound being re-encoded into DDLive or DTSLive? If not, your onboard sound card is good enough if you have digital out from the motherboard.

 

[OVERKILL]

In gaming, is there a difference between the Striker and the Clara?

Can the Clara encode the sound in DTS in games?

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: OVERKILL
In gaming, is there a difference between the Striker and the Clara?

Can the Clara encode the sound in DTS in games?

Only difference in sound really is if you are using an analog connection. A digital connection will yield the same results.

Yes they can both encode to DTS.

 

[sdgserv]

Asus just came out with this card
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=11172

Low profile

 

[OVERKILL]

I ended up getting the Omega Striker and so far have been quite satisfied with it.

Thanks guys. :beer: