DFI Motherboard audio, what is the next upgrade?

[Twoces]

Well, I have the DFI NF4 Ultra D...you all know it, we all love the DFIs, but I am left wanting a bit in the audio department, I was wondering...perhaps someone in here could tell me what sound card I would have to upgrade to in order to obtain better performance...Now I am mediocre "xtreme!" when it comes to audio, yet audio is deffinatly not something to be overlooked by me. A little bit about my requirements... I only use headphones when I'm playing (quite good ones though...Sony MDR-V700) I know I could get better overall sound using a surround sound system but for the sake of family members I can't, so I don't need surround and all that stuff, but wouldn't mind upgrading to that type of card if it is going to perform signifigantly better. So...is there a better way? Or am I just being a acoustic snob (I have JL components and W7s in my car), or should I scrap the headphones and make the woman suffer long hours of gaming and suffer the consequences?


P.S. I don't like to suffer consequences.

[ValkyrieLenneth]

If u have money, just grab an Audigy 4 Pro or at least Audigy2 ZS ;)

[Major]

If u have money, just grab an Audigy 4 Pro or at least Audigy2 ZS ;)

Yep

[[XC] leviathan18]

audigy all the way down they perfom nicely.

you can buy a surround system and just play when she is not at home or a few hours with surround and late night with headphones

[tictac]

Chaintech AV 710

it is using wolfson DAC for 2 channels ..... and some crappy DAC for the rest.
But if you plan just for 2speaker / headphone... that should do the jon
Only in 2 channel stereo mode utilising the Wolfson Micro WM8728 DAC... :fact:

great price & awesome stereo quality :)

[JackTheLad]

just use together 3 pairs of headphones so you have the surround too:D:D
just kiddin, i've one audiocard from terratec and i think that those cards are the best (non professional)..

[flexy]

If u have money, just grab an Audigy 4 Pro or at least Audigy2 ZS ;)

Audigy2 Value, i got mine at mwave and for $42 this is an extreme steal.

I dont need Firewire (the board has it already), THX certification or whatever and for sure i dont need software (except drivers which come with it)....otherwise the Audigy2 value is as good as the Audigy 2 ZS or any other card costing as much as three times as much.

[perry_78]

I'd wait a while. According to some Creative reps I was talking to sometime November last year they have something phenomenal coming up this year around June/July. And it sure as hell isnt the Audigy4 :)

I would wait a while to see, from what I heard it sounds brilliant.

Otherwise get a Audigy Platinum eX and use ZS drivers. Works fine :D Arcam + Cerwin Vega certified, not to mention my own MDR-700s. THe only problem is my ears burn up after some 2 hours, so consequences might be preferable after all :D

[setyotomo]

first, the onboard sound sound very cheeky :lol:

yes you can use audigy flavor (1,2,4,etc ..) and maybe a nice klipsch 2.1/5.1 :woot:

hmmm terratec promedia also great for listening music

[docah]

I have a digital reciever, so i'm using the coax out on my DFI. No SQ issues here :)

[evilentity]

I second the av710 as the next step up. Audigy's will put less of a load on your cpu, but they don't sound as good, especially when you use the hi-rez output on the chaintech.
If you want something a little better than that, and really only want to use headphones, look into an external dac/headphone amp like a headroom total bithead.

[evilentity]

I'd wait a while. According to some Creative reps I was talking to sometime November last year they have something phenomenal coming up this year around June/July. And it sure as hell isnt the Audigy4 :)

I would wait a while to see, from what I heard it sounds brilliant.

Otherwise get a Audigy Platinum eX and use ZS drivers. Works fine :D Arcam + Cerwin Vega certified, not to mention my own MDR-700s. THe only problem is my ears burn up after some 2 hours, so consequences might be preferable after all :D
Creative already has something phenomenal in their E-MU brand. Imagine that paired with the gaming features of the audigy series, and you've got something really special.

[craig588]

Maybe they will actually release a card with new hardware rather than just reselling the EMU10K chip. That same chip has been on every card though the SB live to the audigy 2. (I haven't looked at an audigy 4 yet)

[The Mofo]

Creative already has something phenomenal in their E-MU brand. Imagine that paired with the gaming features of the audigy series, and you've got something really special.

All hype. They have been releasing " crap " for years.

HDA Mystique tromps it.

[the]

im on wiht the mofo, for thy;re market creative makes and ok product i guess, but i play music for a living, and audigy comes no where close to cutting it. i personally like the M audio delta for the money(not exactly a gamers card, but a price performer none the less). besides the audigy arent 24 bit, they just got sued for it, our "reward" for buying a non 24 bit card (i.e all creatives cards) is 65 bux off our next pruchase from theyr website. the orginal poepl that broght the lawsuit get a measly 10k for they're troubles. not to mention they;re drivers are behind the curve.




i also havent looked at audigy 4 but form waht i understand its audigy 2 wiht more inputs.

[Daveb2012]

If u have money, just grab an Audigy 4 Pro or at least Audigy2 ZS ;)

this is nice card my buddy has one comes w/ IR remote too, will set you back atleast $250.00 though..