Sound Cards - Page 2

Sh1mmy · 19th May 2008, 04:50 AM

It is interesting about the swappable opamps, and i would be curious about it. however I'm not really sure if i would change them if i got the card, especially if it did the job well enough. I would still be curious about changing them though.
They do have/had a few cards that had interchangeable opamps, and they all followed the same pattern, with the front channel have a different/better opamp than any other.

So it seems that without going for a dac or something, a card like an Auzentech might be best for me especially value and feature wise.

There are a few cards i have looked at made by different people and use the same/similar processor and they are virtually identical.

Going by your last paragraph, (if i understood it right), the circuitry, power supply and interference play a bigger par in quality control?
I do agree with the interference, and have seen threads where people have made shields for their cards and reported an difference in sound, in particular noise, general quality and warmth, which is what i like to hear.
In a way, I can't quite grasp the idea of caps making much of a difference when using an amp to power the speakers. Don't know if its just me or something i don't understand or what.

Had a another look around, and found the Asus Xonar D2/X and DX, i could lash out a bit more $$ (about $70 i think) and grab one, these come with a shield (although only on one side), and offer higher SNR and from a small review good quality, this would be a good bundle as it would also support games better too.

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?mo...=144&l3=0&l4=0
http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?mo...=150&l3=0&l4=0
http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1...15&modelmenu=1

I think the only difference between the D2 and D2X is just the PCI-E 1x and normal PCI. If i was to get one, would it be a more wiser idea to go for the normal PCI model, as it has less in the circuitry (some adaptor chip for the processor to get it to work on PCI-E 1x) and would have the option to mount it further away from my video card (ATI 3870)?

Thanks.

c2cthomas · 19th May 2008, 05:13 AM

Good review of the DX2 card here: http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/ind...=496&Itemid=27
Looks to be a nice audio card BUT it uses Windoz VISTA - and do you really want to go there?

Also looks to be a good game card running under Vista - and I believe that a gaming card was one of your desires.

Brett · 19th May 2008, 05:35 AM

PCI suggestion would be the MAudio 2496 or 24192 the latter of which I picked up on sleazebay for $A150 to my door NIB.

BudP · 19th May 2008, 06:32 AM

Sh1mmy

Here is some hard comparative testing done by none other than John Atwood and his Audio Precision. Backs up Brett's intuitive choice....

http://www.clarisonus.com/Research%2...oundCards.html

Bud

Sh1mmy · 19th May 2008, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by c2cthomas
Good review of the DX2 card here: http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/ind...=496&Itemid=27
Looks to be a nice audio card BUT it uses Windoz VISTA - and do you really want to go there?

Also looks to be a good game card running under Vista - and I believe that a gaming card was one of your desires.

There are drivers that allow it to be used in XP, I think.
it does seem like a pretty good card, and seems like a mixture of all the things i wanted.

Quote:

Originally posted by Brett
PCI suggestion would be the MAudio 2496 or 24192 the latter of which I picked up on sleazebay for $A150 to my door NIB.

M-Audio 2496, theres one of these on ebay right now for $90+$15 S/H. Still got a couple of days left, no bids on it yet either.

Quote:

Originally posted by BudP
Sh1mmy

Here is some hard comparative testing done by none other than John Atwood and his Audio Precision. Backs up Brett's intuitive choice....

http://www.clarisonus.com/Research%2...oundCards.html

Bud

Thanks, taking a gander at it now.

cuibono · 19th May 2008, 04:55 PM

BudP, thanks for the site. Its always interesting when someone actually does some good comparative measurements.

This is another site, although with older soundcards. The RMAA (rightmark audio) forum might be another decent place to look up actual users specs for their soundcards. I never believe manufacturer's published specs, they're usually wrong, and they don't show any graphs either. On the other hand, I don't know if there is a strong correlation between specs and sound anyways. The gaming cards sure like to boast about S/N.

WRT the Asus card, I wouldn't buy any of them, they look like a fledgling manufacturer. Driver updates are critical, and I read they don't keep up on them, which is typical for companies that make soundcards as a side project.

WRT PCI versus PCIe, get whichever works easier in your computer. Less complicated = less hassles. Similarly, get a card that is meant for your OS, not one which had the drivers written as an afterthought...

Sh1mmy · 20th May 2008, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cuibono
BudP, thanks for the site. Its always interesting when someone actually does some good comparative measurements.

This is another site, although with older soundcards. The RMAA (rightmark audio) forum might be another decent place to look up actual users specs for their soundcards. I never believe manufacturer's published specs, they're usually wrong, and they don't show any graphs either. On the other hand, I don't know if there is a strong correlation between specs and sound anyways. The gaming cards sure like to boast about S/N.

WRT the Asus card, I wouldn't buy any of them, they look like a fledgling manufacturer. Driver updates are critical, and I read they don't keep up on them, which is typical for companies that make soundcards as a side project.

WRT PCI versus PCIe, get whichever works easier in your computer. Less complicated = less hassles. Similarly, get a card that is meant for your OS, not one which had the drivers written as an afterthought...

Yeah, they do boast a bit about a few things, and you do have a point about specs not meaning sound quality.
As much as I know, they have recently released a new set of drivers, and they seem pretty good, (only by what ive read though, dont know about the truth).

While I would prefer to get a card from a more dedicated brand, but the Asus card seems to have a mixture of what I'd like to have.

From what I've read, they drivers are pretty good for both XP and Vista, but again, I'm not sure about the truth there either.

sousmielie · 21st May 2008, 12:35 PM

hi,

If you want, you can build your own USB soundcard... Check out TI's PCM2704, PCM2705, PCM2706, PCM2707. I built one with the PCM2707 about 2 days ago and it is very good sounding. I have PCB layouts if interessted...

No drivers needed for WinXP or VISTA, Plug&Play

Sh1mmy · 22nd May 2008, 04:33 PM

Thanks for that.

Sh1mmy · 28th May 2008, 02:09 PM

Have looked around a bit more and have found a DAC that may be a bit more suitable/usable for me.

Zhaolu D2.5
(http://www.coemaudio.com.au/Sources/DACs/177/)

What are peoples opinion on these?
I've done a couple of searches, google didn't seem to reveal much and the forum was mainly just modding it.

Also, theres a couple of others i was looking at also, same price also.
Lite DAC-AH
http://www.coemaudio.com.au/Sources/DACs/184/)
KingRex UD-01
http://www.coemaudio.com.au/Sources/DACs/195/

Thanks.

19th May 2008, 05:13 AM	#12
c2cthomas 49 - for the 17th time diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Near "Music City" (Nashville Tennessee)	Good review of the DX2 card here: http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/ind...=496&Itemid=27 Looks to be a nice audio card BUT it uses Windoz VISTA - and do you really want to go there? Also looks to be a good game card running under Vista - and I believe that a gaming card was one of your desires. __________________ DIY audio can be expensive – but getting to see things go up in smoke - that's priceless!!!! ..... "whatever - call it brainfart of Mighty ZM"

19th May 2008, 04:55 PM	#16
cuibono diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: City of Angles	BudP, thanks for the site. Its always interesting when someone actually does some good comparative measurements. This is another site, although with older soundcards. The RMAA (rightmark audio) forum might be another decent place to look up actual users specs for their soundcards. I never believe manufacturer's published specs, they're usually wrong, and they don't show any graphs either. On the other hand, I don't know if there is a strong correlation between specs and sound anyways. The gaming cards sure like to boast about S/N. WRT the Asus card, I wouldn't buy any of them, they look like a fledgling manufacturer. Driver updates are critical, and I read they don't keep up on them, which is typical for companies that make soundcards as a side project. WRT PCI versus PCIe, get whichever works easier in your computer. Less complicated = less hassles. Similarly, get a card that is meant for your OS, not one which had the drivers written as an afterthought... __________________ double complete rainbow all the way!!

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19th May 2008, 04:50 AM	#11
Sh1mmy diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2008	It is interesting about the swappable opamps, and i would be curious about it. however I'm not really sure if i would change them if i got the card, especially if it did the job well enough. I would still be curious about changing them though. They do have/had a few cards that had interchangeable opamps, and they all followed the same pattern, with the front channel have a different/better opamp than any other. So it seems that without going for a dac or something, a card like an Auzentech might be best for me especially value and feature wise. There are a few cards i have looked at made by different people and use the same/similar processor and they are virtually identical. Going by your last paragraph, (if i understood it right), the circuitry, power supply and interference play a bigger par in quality control? I do agree with the interference, and have seen threads where people have made shields for their cards and reported an difference in sound, in particular noise, general quality and warmth, which is what i like to hear. In a way, I can't quite grasp the idea of caps making much of a difference when using an amp to power the speakers. Don't know if its just me or something i don't understand or what. Had a another look around, and found the Asus Xonar D2/X and DX, i could lash out a bit more $$ (about $70 i think) and grab one, these come with a shield (although only on one side), and offer higher SNR and from a small review good quality, this would be a good bundle as it would also support games better too. http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?mo...=144&l3=0&l4=0 http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?mo...=150&l3=0&l4=0 http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1...15&modelmenu=1 I think the only difference between the D2 and D2X is just the PCI-E 1x and normal PCI. If i was to get one, would it be a more wiser idea to go for the normal PCI model, as it has less in the circuitry (some adaptor chip for the processor to get it to work on PCI-E 1x) and would have the option to mount it further away from my video card (ATI 3870)? Thanks.

19th May 2008, 05:35 AM	#13
Brett diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2002	PCI suggestion would be the MAudio 2496 or 24192 the latter of which I picked up on sleazebay for $A150 to my door NIB.

19th May 2008, 06:32 AM	#14
BudP diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: upper left crust, united snakes	Sh1mmy Here is some hard comparative testing done by none other than John Atwood and his Audio Precision. Backs up Brett's intuitive choice.... http://www.clarisonus.com/Research%2...oundCards.html Bud

22nd May 2008, 04:33 PM	#19
Sh1mmy diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2008	Thanks for that.

28th May 2008, 02:09 PM	#20
Sh1mmy diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2008	Have looked around a bit more and have found a DAC that may be a bit more suitable/usable for me. Zhaolu D2.5 (http://www.coemaudio.com.au/Sources/DACs/177/) What are peoples opinion on these? I've done a couple of searches, google didn't seem to reveal much and the forum was mainly just modding it. Also, theres a couple of others i was looking at also, same price also. Lite DAC-AH http://www.coemaudio.com.au/Sources/DACs/184/) KingRex UD-01 http://www.coemaudio.com.au/Sources/DACs/195/ Thanks.