2 Sound Cards, Which one is the best?

[slim142]

Hi

Im about to finish building my new rig and I would like some opinions/comments about this 2 sound cards since I really dont know which one I should get.

First one, Creative X-Fi Platinum FPS Edition
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102014

Nice stuff, nice sound card, comes with that bay and the controller.

Then we got the second contestant, the challenger Auzuntech
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829156005

Very nice card from what I heard, doesnt have much goodies but seems to be as good as the creative plus the card is made of bettter components.

-------------

So here it is, I currently have the Logitech Z-5500 and I listen mostly to hip-hop/reggaeton/techno and Im a gamer. I will be changing to optical connection soon since there is a difference in sound between green/yellow/black connectors and optical.

Which card IS better? Which card will be better in XP (talking about drivers)? (Im not using Vista, never will) Also, where are the Optical connectors in the Auzuntech? The ones in the back look like RCA to me? please correct me, and if I get the Creative, will I have to connect my speakers to the front bay if I want optical connection? I only see the Optical connectors in the bay, none in the back, am I correct?

Thanks for the help
Slim142

EDIT: I just noticed there is a sound section, will post this there, erase this if neccesary

[Waymon3X6]

I would go with the Creative. More popular brand and I happen to own two of them myself - and they're great!

[OCFX]

Auzentech sure..;)

[Omastar]

Prelude.

[slim142]

OCFX and Omastar, any specific reason why you choose Prelude?

Waymon, keep in mind Prelude has an X-Fi chip so quality can be equal or better.

[xMrBunglex]

i'd choose a stale turd over a Soundblaster any day of the week. the Auzen for sure.

[zanzabar]

I would go with the Creative. More popular brand and I happen to own two of them myself - and they're great!

dude do research they have a moded creative spu and better componants, so its like a supper charged creative so go auzentech

[OCFX]

And nowadays CL is a joke...

[Exal]

the prelude is a much better choice, better drivers and superior components

[technodanvan]

Also, where are the Optical connectors in the Auzuntech? The ones in the back look like RCA to me? please correct me, and if I get the Creative, will I have to connect my speakers to the front bay if I want optical connection? I only see the Optical connectors in the bay, none in the back, am I correct?

Well, on this page it shows the optical connections.

http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_prelude.php

They're mini-Toslink connections, it presumably comes with the adapters for a standard Toslink cable. (it shows adapters on the card at least)

Note that optical isn't necessarily any better than direct connections. Pro hi-fi gear still uses wires, and short of something being different inside the card itself the signal should essentially be identical. Especially on speakers as (relatively) low-end as the Logitechs.


As for Creative using optical connections...well last I was aware they don't have any on the back and the front panel connections only offer two-channel output. So it's basically worthless.


After using a handful of Auzentech products I don't see any reason to not get them. Great support from the company, great sound from the cards. Keep in mind I'm more of a music guy than anything else, but if their X-Fi card performs as well as the X-Plosion and X-Mystique I'm sure it'll be quite good. Never cared for the Creative X-Fi I tried out, only Creative I'd get now is an Audigy 2 for a budget computer. Anything else from them seems a waste to me.

Now if you used headphones for gaming, I could somewhat understand the desire for the front panel...but beyond that I see no use for it.

[Ethelred]

I would go with the Creative. More popular brand and I happen to own two of them myself - and they're great!

...Your logic and answer are both flawed. Because it's more popular it makes it better? Bose are better then the Orpheus because they are more popular? Civics are better than a BMW because it's more popular? Fail.

Prelude ftw.

A much better product. Even if it's not as popular.

[AliG]

Prelude no competition

[Scubar]

Prelude hands down, best card available right now until they come out with something else.

[Omastar]

OCFX and Omastar, any specific reason why you choose Prelude?

Waymon, keep in mind Prelude has an X-Fi chip so quality can be equal or better.

Apologies, I should've expanded.

The Prelude has a custom X-Fi processor, readily lends itself to having its OP-amps (which play a big role in sound fidelity) swapped and upgraded to higher quality ones, like those from Brown-Burr.

At last check, the Prelude's Vista x64 drivers were fairly half-baked, but that issue may be resolved by now via a new driver release.

[3lfk1ng]

Prelude no competition

+1 :D

At last check, the Prelude's Vista x64 drivers were fairly half-baked

They are working fine for me.

[slim142]

Thanks for aaaaaaaaaaaaall the answers from you guys. Now I will definitely go for Auzuntech. I kinda knew and heard a lot before that it was better but I just wanted to make sure before I made the decision.

Auzuntech, here I go (and hopefully I will have a great experience :) )

[troisanh]

prelude.

[Andrew LB]

the Orpheus

Ahh..... $16,000 of sonic bliss. I had the opportunity to listen to an Orpheus a couple years ago and can say without question that it was the closest thing possible to being better than sex.

Btw... there isn't a mainstream sound card in the world that I'd risk plugging that beautiful setup into. Computers cause FAR too much RF interference and line noise.

Heck, I wouldn't even plug my Sennheiser HD-580's and Antique Sound Labs MG-Head OTL tube amplifier into my computer.

:drool:

http://www.minivian.com/bbs/data/free_gallery/orpheus.jpg

[Section8]

Auzentech sure..;)

I second that. It has much more to offer. It is built on the same chip yes but it also includes a bunch of extras built into the card.

[brenanh]

Surely if you use optical out to an external amp the soundcard can't ruin things and there won't be any noise as it's a digital signal... Hope so at least! :)