What Sound Card to Get with Logitech Z-5500

[CoBRaXT]

I'm planning on upgrading my old 4.1 Altec Lansings to Z-5500's. Problem is, I still have a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz sound card. I haven't been reading up on the latest sound cards lately, so what card would you guys recommend to go along with the new speakers?

Would like to stay under or around $150 if that matters.

Thanks.

edit: forgot to mention that this system be mainly used for music and gaming, not so much for movies

 

[Pabster]

X-Fi... the XtremeMusic is around $130.

Alternatively the Audigy 2 ZS's are pretty cheap now...

 

[CoBRaXT]

Is the X-Fi XtremeMusic better than the Audigy 2 ZS?

 

[Excelsior]

audigy 2 zs for cheap..ftw.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: CoBRaXT
Is the X-Fi XtremeMusic better than the Audigy 2 ZS?

Yes, but probably not $90 better or whatever the difference is now.

Audigy 2 zs cards were going for $40-ish after rebate this week. Check hot deals to see what's happening.

 

[CoBRaXT]

Does the X-Fi Xtrememusic have optical out?

Actually, what would be the ideal method to hook a soundcard up to the Z-5500? Coax or Optical or does the X-Fi only support Coax? I would also need a Coax to 3.5mm adapter right?

 

[alcoholbob]

The best method would be analog (6-channel direct). For sound quality (albeit resampled to 48KHz) and also for gaming surround sound.

Optical/Coaxial just offload the "analog" work from your sound card to your decoder box. The Z-5500 decoder is no Audigy2/XiFi. It won't be resampled certainly (I wouldn't consider it's DACs comparable to the XiFi line), but you won't get surround sound on games except through analog. The XiFi would be a better gaming card since it has both EAX5 and Creative's new audio compression system, which should make games more vibrant. The Z-5500s don't have a tweeter like Klipsch or Creative systems, so this should also make music sound better (since it'll force the 3" midranges to play highs louder).

 

[CoBRaXT]

Alright, thanks for all the info. I got the X-Fi and Z-5500's from newegg, so hopefully they will be here quick!

 

[CoBRaXT]

I just got my speakers and sound card today. Went with the 6ch direct line and it sounded fantastic. I then hooked it up digitally via a coax cable and OMG it made a HUGE difference! Digital > Analog any day!

 

[alcoholbob]

Huh...then maybe you should consider returning the XiFis..

When you go digital, XiFi's compression system is turned off. You must be turned off by that (somehow). Really with the decoder that the Logitech's provide, you ought to hear no sound quality differences between digital and analog (I would say analog passthrough should actually sound better!)

Get a cheaper analog sound card that doesn't use XiFi's new compression algorithm, or buy a digital-first sound card like the Chaintech AV710 for $25.

I found after extensive testing (albeit on mp3s between 192 and 320kbps) on the older Logitech Z-680s, between an Audigy 2 analog and digital modes, the only difference was a slightly lower noise soundfloor. Pops and crackles in the recorded material would be quieter, or if they were quiet before, nearly inaudible now. But these minor hiccups hardly changed the overrall sound quality.