Recon3D fatal1ty champion or sound blaster x-fi Titanium HD?

[xSpartanCx]

I want either of these sound cards:
http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Fatal1ty-Champion-SB1354/dp/B0060SXDRI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352753416&sr=8-2&keywords=sound+blaster+fatal1ty

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Titanium-Internal-SB1270/dp/B0041OUA38

I'm using a sennheiser hd 558, this will be an upgrade from my onboard audio. What are pros/cons of each and what do you guys reccomend I get?

 

[leonarfd]

Both of the cards are good, but the Creative x-fi titanium HD has a big problem that is an issue for many. When you plug in your headphone in the headphone output, the RCA outs will be disabled my an onboard switch. This means if you got some speakers plugged into the rca they will not work as long as something is plugged into the headphone output.

You should give somemore info about what are your main use? gaming, music, video?

I highly reccomend you to go with a Asus Xonar Essense STX(be sure to get the unoficial driver for gaming) instead if you want the best for music and to be able to get Dolby Headphone for surround when you game. If your main use will only be music and movies go for an amp and dac instead, best you can get for your money is the Objective 2 and Odac.

There is many good threads about gaming and sound on head-fi.org just google abit

 

[gamerk316]

Both of the cards are good, but the Creative x-fi titanium HD has a big problem that is an issue for many. When you plug in your headphone in the headphone output, the RCA outs will be disabled my an onboard switch. This means if you got some speakers plugged into the rca they will not work as long as something is plugged into the headphone output.

This is normal. Soundcards are not designed to drive more then one output at a time.

Anyway, the Recon3d series was crap, hence why its already being phased out by the much superior Z series. Its accepted the Titanium is superior to the Recon3D.

I'm waiting for reviews on the Creative Sound Blaster Z, as spec wise, the series displaces ASUS's cards at basically every price point (the Z displaces the DX, the ZX displaces the D2X, and the ZxR displaces the ST(X).)

 

[mikeny]

I'm amazed at how a year or two ago, there were so many cards/companies to choose from. Now it's only Creative or Asus?

 

[gamerk316]

And HT Omega and Auzentech. But ASUS/Creative have done the most recent product refreshes, so they get recommended more. Nevermind ASUS is the only company making sub $75 cards of any quality (DG(X) and DS(X)).

By comparison, the ~$160 price point is a mess right now. I can think of 10 cards that would retail between about $120 and $180 or so.

Problem is, for 99% of users, the ASUS Xonar DX is plenty. If a weak amp is needed, the DG(X) is generally plenty, else a higher tier card with a larger amp (Titanium HD, ST(X)) is needed. Only a handful of other use cases (Such as 7.1 analog + amp) exist, and most people don't require such a setup.

There are plenty of alternatives, but ASUS/Creative, by virtue of offering the most products, are the most recommended.

 

[gamerk316]

It should be noted, C-Media JUST did a chipset refresh that is native PCI-E (CMI-8888), rather then needing a PCI to PCI-E bridge chip (CMI-8788). I would expect HT Omega and Auzentech to join ASUS in going through a product refresh over the next year or so as a result.

 

[xSpartanCx]

Both of the cards are good, but the Creative x-fi titanium HD has a big problem that is an issue for many. When you plug in your headphone in the headphone output, the RCA outs will be disabled my an onboard switch. This means if you got some speakers plugged into the rca they will not work as long as something is plugged into the headphone output.

You should give somemore info about what are your main use? gaming, music, video?

I highly reccomend you to go with a Asus Xonar Essense STX(be sure to get the unoficial driver for gaming) instead if you want the best for music and to be able to get Dolby Headphone for surround when you game. If your main use will only be music and movies go for an amp and dac instead, best you can get for your money is the Objective 2 and Odac.

There is many good threads about gaming and sound on head-fi.org just google abit

I listen to a lot of music, watch youtube, and play tons of FPS games.

 

[xSpartanCx]

And HT Omega and Auzentech. But ASUS/Creative have done the most recent product refreshes, so they get recommended more. Nevermind ASUS is the only company making sub $75 cards of any quality (DG(X) and DS(X)).

By comparison, the ~$160 price point is a mess right now. I can think of 10 cards that would retail between about $120 and $180 or so.

Problem is, for 99% of users, the ASUS Xonar DX is plenty. If a weak amp is needed, the DG(X) is generally plenty, else a higher tier card with a larger amp (Titanium HD, ST(X)) is needed. Only a handful of other use cases (Such as 7.1 analog + amp) exist, and most people don't require such a setup.

There are plenty of alternatives, but ASUS/Creative, by virtue of offering the most products, are the most recommended.

The problem with the lower tier cards, and the Essence STX, is that I need to have a microphone and my XBOX plugged in with different jacks, so i can route the xbox to my headphones and not the microphone.

 

[xSpartanCx]

Both of the cards are good, but the Creative x-fi titanium HD has a big problem that is an issue for many. When you plug in your headphone in the headphone output, the RCA outs will be disabled my an onboard switch. This means if you got some speakers plugged into the rca they will not work as long as something is plugged into the headphone output.

This is normal. Soundcards are not designed to drive more then one output at a time.

Anyway, the Recon3d series was crap, hence why its already being phased out by the much superior Z series. Its accepted the Titanium is superior to the Recon3D.

I'm waiting for reviews on the Creative Sound Blaster Z, as spec wise, the series displaces ASUS's cards at basically every price point (the Z displaces the DX, the ZX displaces the D2X, and the ZxR displaces the ST(X).)

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Labs-Blaster-Audigy-Internal/dp/B0000CG4DI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1352844008&sr=8-5&keywords=creative+soundblaster+z

seems pretty nice, but I'm not smart enough to know how it compares to the other two cards that I posted.

 

[mikeny]

And HT Omega and Auzentech. But ASUS/Creative have done the most recent product refreshes, so they get recommended more. Nevermind ASUS is the only company making sub $75 cards of any quality (DG(X) and DS(X)).

By comparison, the ~$160 price point is a mess right now. I can think of 10 cards that would retail between about $120 and $180 or so.

Problem is, for 99% of users, the ASUS Xonar DX is plenty. If a weak amp is needed, the DG(X) is generally plenty, else a higher tier card with a larger amp (Titanium HD, ST(X)) is needed. Only a handful of other use cases (Such as 7.1 analog + amp) exist, and most people don't require such a setup.

There are plenty of alternatives, but ASUS/Creative, by virtue of offering the most products, are the most recommended.

Looks like Auzentech is either taking a back seat or is not active anymore. I have the Auzentech Forte (great card) and it was discontinued quickly. I saw in newegg, no Auzentechs.

 

[xSpartanCx]

So, what does anyone suggest I get for what I need a card to do?

 

[mikeny]

Honestly, I don't know. I have the Auzentech Forte which was discontinued last year. The sound is fantastic on digital speakers in both games and music. It's PCI-e and very skinny. I use to buy Creative's SB cards but the bloated software was a pain. I saw that the Creative cards are getting poor reviews in Newegg. A poster mentioned Asus which you might want to check out and research. Remember, what I may say is fantastic, you might not like and what a poster says that it's fantastic, I might not like....it's personal taste. Read all the reviews.

I've seen that many like the: ASUS PCI 5.1 Channel Sound Card XONAR_DG...check it out
The Titanium HD is highly recommend also.

 

[xSpartanCx]

So, would I be able to use the optical in on the Titanium HD and passthrough it to my headphones? Because on the Recon3d, I can use an optical in cable and microphone, but the titanium looks a bit more complicated, because I would be using RCA on the optical in

 

[mikeny]

Not sure. Hopefully someone will chime in. I have my headphones (to keep quiet) in my logitech base (Z28 5.1 speakers).

 

[gamerk316]

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Labs-Blaster-Audigy-Internal/dp/B0000CG4DI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1352844008&sr=8-5&keywords=creative+soundblaster+z

seems pretty nice, but I'm not smart enough to know how it compares to the other two cards that I posted.

The Z, on paper, rules the sub $100 market, displacing the Xonar DX. That being said, I'm waiting for reviews before I recommend it.

The gist of your setup seems to be that you need both an optical input AND a mic input, correct?

 

[xSpartanCx]

The Z, on paper, rules the sub $100 market, displacing the Xonar DX. That being said, I'm waiting for reviews before I recommend it.

The gist of your setup seems to be that you need both an optical input AND a mic input, correct?

Correct, although i can use RCA, optical, or 3.5mm.

 

[xSpartanCx]

How about this one? Looks like it would work for me, how's the quality?
http://www.htomega.com/claro2.html

 

[mikeny]

$184 in newegg.