In need of sound card advice

[npowers86]

i am in need of some advice on buying a soundcard. this will be my first soundcard as i have always used onboard sound. my primary reason for getting a card is so that i dont have to unplug my headphones to listen to my stereo that is connected to the onboard sound. i want to be in the 100 dollar price range but dont mind going up to 125 max.
i have come down to these two cards but im not sure all of the specs since i havnt had a sound card before:
creative x-fi titanium hd
creative soundblaster z

like i said i mainly want to be able to have my stereo hooked into the sound card and my headphones without having to unplug one or the other. at the same time i do want to be able to get the card that will get me the best sound for the price. if anyone has any advice i would appreciate it. i am also up for another brand if anyone knows of one that would be better. thanks

 

[Warmacblu]

If I were in the market for a PCI / PCI-e sound card, I would look no further than the Asus Xonar DX / D1. They are just under 100 dollars and offer a fantastic sound / value.

 

[maestro0428]

I agree with Warmacblu, I own that card and love it.

 

[Warmacblu]

I've also heard good things about the Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D. If you must stick with Creative, then look at the Recon3D, but if you are willing to branch out, then check out the Asus Xonar cards.

 

[npowers86]

thanks for the advice guys. im not partial to creative, just want to get the best for the money. would that allow me to hook up my headphones and stereo simultaneously without having to unplug one to use the other?

 

[jitpublisher]

thanks for the advice guys. im not partial to creative, just want to get the best for the money. would that allow me to hook up my headphones and stereo simultaneously without having to unplug one to use the other?

If you want the best for your money, without breaking the bank, the Asus Xonar card mentioned above is an excellent option.

In my opinion, there is nothing made by Creative Labs worth more than about $20, absolutely nothing. If you pay more than that for any of their products, you are getting ripped off. Anyone who has been around for more than a few years and had to deal with Creative Labs products in the past will likely agree with me.

 

[melmac]

The creative Z is miles better than the Recon 3d. It's also better than the xonar dx.

It has exactly what you are looking for, great sound quality and the ability to plug in speakers and headphones at the same time. You can just switch between them using software.

Speaking of software, the drivers work perfect, even in windows 8 and there is no bloatware installed at all, just the drivers and the control panel. Everything just works and works really well.