Need sound card with rock-solid, current drivers and headphone support...?

[jakobkraft]

My long-beloved Fortissimo III finally died on me, after almost two years of fairly constant use. Since there hasn't been a driver upgrade in about a year and since it's no longer supported I don't see the point in getting another, if that's even possible. Also, given the new Service Pack 2 for XP (which actually fixed a lot of minor issues I was having) I would like something with frequent driver updates so I don't have to worry. I have a simple 2.1 setup so I don't need anything heavy, but I definitely need something cause I don't have onboard sound. I use my PC for games, extensive mp3 listening, and dvd watching.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...!

 

[Gurck]

EAX (Creative cards) rules for games. Supposedly other cards beat Creative in music like a redheaded stepchild, but imo the Audigy 2 ZS sounds pretty good for music as well. Most popular competitors are the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz and the M-Audio Revolution. They're cheaper too, I believe.

 

[Algere]

FWIW: The Audigy 2 ZS w/ the rebate offer and the M-Audio Revolution 5.1 are pretty much @ the same pricepoint. OTOH if you were to compare the 7.1 version of the Revolution then the Audigy 2 ZS is cheaper.

As for music it depends

Do EMU sound cards count too?

 

[yhelothar]

Chaintech AV710 hands down
It only costs $20 and it's identical to the m-audio revolution x.1
The chaintech uses the same Envy24HT chip and a high quality wolfson 24bit/192KHz SNR 106dB

Don't get the audigy2, you will hear a good difference between the chaintech av710 and the audigy2.

 

[Algere]

Correction: Envy24 HT-S

Just being PC

 

[caivoma]

wow, is chaintech that good. i dont know much about sound card and is about to buy one now.

 

[caivoma]

uh, forget to ask, if i buy a 5.1 speakers can i hook it to 7.1 sound cards.
thankx

 

[0roo0roo]

is the santa cruz the only one with a convenient headphone (versa) jack? lets u switch between headphones and speakers in the mixer settings with a click

 

[Algere]

Originally posted by: caivoma
uh, forget to ask, if i buy a 5.1 speakers can i hook it to 7.1 sound cards.
thankx

Yes

 

[Algere]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
is the santa cruz the only one with a convenient headphone (versa) jack? lets u switch between headphones and speakers in the mixer settings with a click

M-Audio Revolution 5.1 has a independent headphone jack. My guess, since it's not the 7.1 version there was space to add a headphone jack.

 

[tr1kstanc3]

i would recommend the chaintech 710 as well. its a fantastic soundcard for the money and it has toslink output. when you run out the higher DAC you can get seriously good headphone quality. i am using sony mdr 7506 studio cans and they sound terrific. i would say it sounds almost as good as an maudio delta series soundcard (which are better than the revolution btw). as for drivers i have had no problems using the via reference drivers altho personally i use v 1.43 which i found online somewhere, just google it. that driver set has given me the most consistent output via the jacks and the optical out.

 

[Algere]

Originally posted by: caivoma
wow, is chaintech that good. i dont know much about sound card and is about to buy one now.

For 2 channel output & for the price it is. If you have more than a 2.1 speaker setup then no.

 

[CSMR]

I'm not sure the Chaintech is suitable for headphone use. I don't think it has a headphone amplifier on it, even a basic one. I haven't tried one though.

 

[Algere]

You'd be correct, it doesn't it's a line out (where it counts anyways).

 

[jfall]

Can't complain about my TB Santa Cruz, I have never had a problem with it.. great card IMO

 

[Auric]

Yeah, the Chaintech's "good" DAC is not as good as the M-Audio one and is only on 2-channel output as well. Plus, its Envy chip is a cut-down version. I don't know if that affects the quality so much as features but in any case, the card as a whole is not equivalent. The differences are greater than, say, an Audigy and Audigy 2. So, the Chaintech may be adequate as an el-cheapo step-up from on-board software audio for stereo-only but the ZS goes further with the best surround gaming and DVD too.

 

[tr1kstanc3]

what type of headphones and speakers are you using? that would help.

 

[Algere]

Your 7506's are low impedence so it doesn't take much to drive 'em. Having a dedicated headphone jack while not as effective as an actual amp, do drive headphones better than a line-out connection.

EDIT: Justification to buy a Audigy 2 ZS = Lower CPU utilization for sound processing in games ergo better performance in games as a whole.

 

[caivoma]

hey, thanks for all the help, probably not going to get the chaintech

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Algere

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
is the santa cruz the only one with a convenient headphone (versa) jack? lets u switch between headphones and speakers in the mixer settings with a click

M-Audio Revolution 5.1 has a independent headphone jack. My guess, since it's not the 7.1 version there was space to add a headphone jack.

guess thats what i'll get if my santa cruz poops out. dont feel the need yet though

 

[jakobkraft]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ol...01053&type=product

Is this a good card? It's at my local bestbuy, I could pick it up today if I want - coming from the Fortissimmo III would this be a good choice? Again, I watch DVDs, listen to mp3s, play games, all that fun stuff.
And it has headphone support which is important for me.

Anyone else got this card?

 

[Algere]

It works

FWIW the headphone jack and line-out for front left/right + .1 speakers most likely share the same output connection, so you may need to:

1) Interchange physically between the speaker's and headphone's 1/8" mini plugs depending on which you use @ the time.
2) Get a Y-adapter to split the LS's 1/8" output to both the headphones and speakers unless you have a headphone out on your speakers and decide to utilize that option instead. FYI: The Y-adapter option may weaken the audio signal to the headphones and speakers in contrast to not using a Y-adapter since the signal is being split.
3) If your case has front audio jacks and if the LS is capable of routing a secondary headphone/speaker output to the front audio jacks then that could work (assumingly).

 

[jakobkraft]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: Algere

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
is the santa cruz the only one with a convenient headphone (versa) jack? lets u switch between headphones and speakers in the mixer settings with a click

M-Audio Revolution 5.1 has a independent headphone jack. My guess, since it's not the 7.1 version there was space to add a headphone jack.

guess thats what i'll get if my santa cruz poops out. dont feel the need yet though

How often does Turtle Beach upgrade their drivers? I'd just like to get something for which updates will be available six months from now....

 

[jakobkraft]

Originally posted by: Algere
Your 7506's are low impedence so it doesn't take much to drive 'em. Having a dedicated headphone jack while not as effective as an actual amp, do drive headphones better than a line-out connection.

EDIT: Justification to buy a Audigy 2 ZS = Lower CPU utilization for sound processing in games ergo better performance in games as a whole.

Got the Audigy 2 ZS, am loving this card, although, as someone pointed out, I can't connect the headphones at the same time as speakers since it doesn't have a dedicated headphone jack but Radio Shack, of all places, had a little box that enables you to have both speakers and headphones connected and easily switch between the two with no loss in signal strength.

But with music I actually have to squint since the sound is so strong and clear, even though I'm using the same old headphones, this card rocks!
Thanks all for the info

 

[Algere]

Originally posted by: jakobkraft

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

Originally posted by: Algere

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
is the santa cruz the only one with a convenient headphone (versa) jack? lets u switch between headphones and speakers in the mixer settings with a click

M-Audio Revolution 5.1 has a independent headphone jack. My guess, since it's not the 7.1 version there was space to add a headphone jack.

guess thats what i'll get if my santa cruz poops out. dont feel the need yet though

How often does Turtle Beach upgrade their drivers? I'd just like to get something for which updates will be available six months from now....

Irrelevant now but IIRC the Santa Cruz doesn't get updated anymore and if it does, it's very much infrequent.