Reddit mentions of Sound Blaster Z PCIe Gaming Sound Card with High Performance Headphone Amp and Beam Forming Microphone

I use mine mainly for having multiple audio channels on different sources at the same time without having to worry about using software (ala Virtual Audio Cable).

The best thing about all sound cards I've encountered though for regular use? It amplifies sound like a motherfucker. I can't even have my headphones at max volume anymore because it's too loud whereas I could always cap out with my on-board sound card on my mobo.

I purchased this one first but it had a constant white noise. Never noticed it while there was other sound, but while idle it would drive me insane. I upgraded to a Sound Blaster and not only is it louder than my last, but no white noise and has some cool features.

Basically, it's a luxury item these days unless you have a specific use for it. Do recommend a cheap one though if you listen to a lot of music at a volume that is way too loud.

Have you considered buying a good pair of headphones and buying a separate microphone like one from ModMic? I'm using a pair of Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250 OHMS along with a ModMic and I love it! There were things I was not hearing before in games, movies, and music. I since moved on to a Blue Yeti microphone but the ModMic served me well. Once you have a great pair of headphones, I always recommend getting a good souncard to go a long. Normally, I don't recommend soundcards unless you have a good pair of headphones. I'm currently using the Creative Soundblaster Z and I have to say that I'm impressed with the quality of sound that they've been able to pull off from this soundcard. I'd say that the Soundblaster Z is more of a mid-range soundcard. If you want the best in terms or soundcards then a Soundblaster Zxr or a Asus Xonar Essence STX will be a better choice. I hope this helps!

this only relates to general use and gaming for me because i dont know the kind of equipment people who create music or work with audio actually need.

my answer would be it depends on your situation and what you need from your sound card. i had a logitech z5500 system forever now i've switched to their newer z906 setup. both of these sound systems can accept dolby true surround and thats usually a crapshoot with onboard audio. if you have a more simple or non dolby based sound system you would probably be fine with on board audio. also if you use a headset for the most part, especially a USB headset, you will likely be fine with on board audio.

i bought a sound blaster z for my new build because i didnt want to fiddle with on board attempting to output dolby true surround and probably end up with upscaled stereo anyways, but more importantly i needed something with optical in and out so i can hook up my consoles to my PC line in and still hopefully get dolby surround from those. i will say the dolby integration with this sound card is better and easier to use than any on board audio i've had in the past, but these two things are specific requirements that you might not need.

i also wouldve been perfectly fine using on board audio and aux cables for everything but i'd be listening to simulated surround and my consoles would be stereo only, to me and with this system it made a difference to buy one.

I prefer Sound Blaster Z/ZxR's surround to Dolby. Dolby tends to sound like a tin can where the Z/ZxR sounds more natural in a gaming situation. Altho since I've gotten better gear and developed a more sensitive ear I might just look into some type of crossover system that basically combines the Left and Right channels by a small percent to remove the hard left/right panning when gaming. That is basically all Dolby Headphone and Sound Blaster Surround does is just combine the two channels and throw the effects in a way that sounds more spacious.


If you're going with such a nice pair of cans like the K702's I'd go this route:

Sound Blaster Z

Schiit Modi Optical

Shiit Magni


You're going to spend $200 on the ZxR why not just get the Z a amp/dac that will last you for decades. A Schiit stack looks amazing, sounds amazing, is made in the US and has a 5 year warranty + 15 day satisfaction. The Modi Optical isn't in stock but I asked their CS the other day and they are shipped some to Amazon so they should be in stock very soon.


Your setup will look like this with the Z and Schiit amp/dac:



Sound Blaster Z > Optical cable > Modi > RCA's > Magni > Headphones.


If you go that route you get all of the benefits of the Z sound card (surround, EQ, etc) but get to bypass their lower quality amp/dac and use your own which will last much longer and sound much better.

Its not on the Amazon description.

http://us.store.creative.com/Creative-Sound-Blaster-Z-PCIe-Sound/M/B009ISU33E.htm

https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E

This is the OEM Here is a great deal on the Creative Sound Blaster Z 30SB150200000 5.1 Channels 24-bit PCI Express x1 Interface Sound Card - OEM , http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=29-102-053
I found.

This is the same one, but retail with the mic and shield. http://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E

I've seen the OEM go as low as $50. The retail down to $70.

Some suggestions for keyboard/mice:

Lenovo N5902. Goes on sale regularly.

Logitech K400

Generic keyboard/touchpad remote. There are many slight variants on this.

I've found that due to the size/shape/content of my living room, a wireless receiver plugged into my HTPC doesn't work 100% reliably. I've connected a USB extension cable to the back of my HTPC and run it behind things and under my couch to give me the best reception. Generally you can go up to 15 feet; any longer than that and you need a powered extension.

If you have a Logitech Harmony remote, I highly recommend the OVU4003/00 (RC6) USB IR reciever. Once set up with Windows and the Harmony remote, it works with XBMC/Kodi out of the box. This receiver was branded as HP/Dell/Gateway/Philips and probably many more. A Flirc is another option but it is ugly (IMO) and more expensive.

Regarding hardware, if you aren't gaming you don't need a lot. When using older gear the most important thing is video hardware acceleration. For Intel machines, you need something with at least GMA 4500 (Q45 chipset) graphics or later, and for AMD you need something with at least a 760G chipset. This hardware dates back to 2008/2009. Dedicated graphics cards should be at least a Radeon HD 2600 or a GeForce 8500. These cards date back to 2006/2007. CPUs are a grey area, but any mainstream dual core CPU (Athlon X2, Core 2 Duo) from 2007+ should be able to handle most everything. My first HTPC had an AMD Athlon X2 5000+ and it's still working just fine with W7 and Kodi.

If you want to game (and don't want to use a device like the DOKO), you'll need to find a quiet case that supports full length video cards. There are a bunch available, and I'm not sure if this has changed in the last 2-3 years, but the vast majority of HTPC cases large enough to support full size gear and M-ATX motherboards are simply too long to fit in a standard A/V rack or TV stand. The only exceptions I am aware of are the Silverstone GD05 and GD04. I'd be willing to bet that Silverstone has some other cases that will work also.

Additionally, you'll want to find a PSU, case fans and CPU cooler that are quiet and efficient. The best resource for this is http://www.silentpcreview.com/.

Lastly, if your A/V receiver has only S/PDIF audio inputs (no HDMI) and you want to play games in 5.1 surround sound, you're going to need to find either a sound card or motherboard with an S/PDIF output that supports DTS-Connect and/or Dolby Digital Live. Motherboards stopped coming with this around 2008 (AFAIK) and the cheapest option to get it in an add-on card is the Sound Blaster Z.

No worries.

I would recommend checking out this video and seeing if you think it makes a difference to you first: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnpLUlD20z8 ... I use an Astro Mixamp for my console gaming and wanted to try out a soundcard for my first pc build so I got this one: http://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1415131668&sr=8-13&keywords=asus+xonar ... Got it for $70 on sale, btw. With that said, I personally enjoy having the soundcard. I like having 3d sound emulation from my stereo headsets and personally I can hear a difference between the different technologies. I like the THX (same as SBX I believe) for it's overall accuracy and immersion. With that said, the soundcard is also useful for playing around with equalizer settings, using a voice changer in game (just for fun) and for managing multiple audio sources on one pc: for example, I have my headphones plugged into the card as well as my 2.1 speakers and can choose which one I want outputting sound at any given moment. Additionally the soundcard has an on board amp which helps if you have hard to drive headphones. I wouldn't say it's absolutely necessary to get a soundcard as you could download and try out the razer sound software for free, but if you have the available funds and perhaps a Frys around you (or another retailer that has a great return policy on open products) I'd say give it a try. So in summary it's up to you and your budget but I'm enjoying mine.

On a side note, if you don't already have headphones/headset, check this out: http://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-KHX-H3CL/dp/B00JJNQG98/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415132242&sr=8-1&keywords=cloud+hyper

has favorable reviews and this is the cheapest I've seen it yet. Also, if you'd really like to delve into sound and gaming, check out this post: http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-update-10-15-2014-beyerdynamic-t51i-added

let me know if you have any other questions.

Cheers.

Are you using your headset on stream pc and listening to the capture card? when an audio device receives and plays back the same audio it causes crackling, my HD60 pro does the same thing.

If you have about 100$ to spend, my solution to this mess was to get 2 video cards, you only need 1 if your gaming PC has SPDIF out.

I have a Xonar DG in my gaming pc for SPDIF output, you need to find drivers online that work for win8 or newer.

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-XONAR-Headphone-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6

An Sound Blaster z, for SPDIF input to the streaming PC.

https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_147_tr_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HV6NYMKHG3BS07HYEGCE

And an SPDIF cable of course to connect the two, the result is lossless audio since it uses optical. Its the more expensive solution, but it works.

The Card & Speakers are both around $75 by themselves but are $110 when bought together from Creative's Site.

Speakers on Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Inspire-Multimedia-Speaker-System/dp/B009T9YU4K

Soundcard on Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E

Not sure if you have pci-e x1 slot but I am using Sound Blaster Z to output optical PCM to my Dolby Digital receiver. You would probably be better served putting money toward a better receiver with hdmi inputs. All of the new Dolby codecs are going to require hdmi; coax and toslink are a dying breed.

http://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E

Good luck. You're gonna need a mess of adapters to accomplish that.

What you're going to need to ultimately do is get PS4 audio sent as an input into your PC and connect your headphones directly to your PC so you can hear both at the same time.

So firstly you're gonna need to make sure you have an Audio IN port on your PC. Next is transferring the Audio over to your PC. The easiest way to do this is pick yourself up a sound card with optical input. Something like this could work.

https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1511642837&sr=1-1&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A4091980011%2C2889460011

Then you could run the optical cable from the PS4 to the Optical IN on the card and have it do live playback.

The second cheaper option would be to get one of these devices.

https://www.amazon.com/PROZOR-Digital-Converter-Toslink-Adapter/dp/B00KNNSKV0/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511642983&sr=1-3&keywords=optical+to+3.5mm

Then run a 3.5mm into your PC. It likely won't sound as good but in theory it should work.

You would of course need to make sure you 3.5mm MIC/AUX Input on your PC.

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Converter-Adapter-Desktops/dp/B06XP5R449/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511643145&sr=1-3&keywords=usb+3.5mm+aux+input

Something like this could work on your PC if you didn't have a 3.5mm aux input.

Obviously you'd need the 3.5mm cable like this.

https://www.amazon.com/FosPower-Stereo-Auxiliary-iPhone-Samsung/dp/B00LBJ77ZK/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511643286&sr=1-3&keywords=3.5mm+audio+cable+25ft

And you'd need an optical cable that would plug into the adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Digital-Optical-Audio-Toslink/dp/B00NH11H38/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511643360&sr=1-3&keywords=Optical+cable

In terms of power, the Amazon listing specs a Maxim MAX97220 chip amp that is rated for 2Vrms into 600ohms.

Implementation matters a lot here (along with supply voltage), but since this is all I can find to go on, that's slightly under powered (~108dB SPL) by the 110dB 'rule'. If you don't listen to a lot of really loud high dynamic range music, you probably won't notice.

Personally, the thing I find most annoying when it comes to soundcards is the typical lack of a physical volume control.

> fiio e10k

Will this beat out any internal sound card I could get? For example something like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ISU33E/ref=nav_ya_signin?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=KVP7QS4HK6NECPF1YZSQ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=202b99be-dd6c-5402-b007-d88175803d72&pf_rd_i=284823&

What's a good sound card thats under a hundred that would work? https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009ISU33E/ ?

This is a good budget card. If you want to swing the full 80 That will be a bit better and is amped.

I cant decide what I need, this FiiO E10K which from my knowledge is a DAC/AMP in one or just a soundcard, was thinking about this one Soundblaster. I dont know a whole lot about this so the best thing for me is what I want. I have a good gaming PC and a pair of Sennheiser 598's I dont like how they sound directly into my mobo so I want to try something else. What is the difference between those two products? Do they do the same thing? Thans in advance :)



EDIT: I have a msi gd65 gaming mobo

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009ISU33E/ref=ox_sc_act_image_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I have a decent sound card but I thought my current headphones were 7.1 or 5.1.

Apparently not lol

The new HyperX models seem to be nice. There was a Seinnheiser around $200 that was supposed to be amazing but current reviews don't seem to agree.

This page lists the new HyperX as a top one. I don't mind spending the money I just want to hear from those who have the 7.1 headphones on how they like it

its a [sound blaster z pcie] (https://www.amazon.com/d/Internal-Sound-Cards/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1540908988&sr=1-3&keywords=Sound+Blaster+Z+Pcie) is it possible that it could have even better sound than the e10k? i dont know what specs to look for when comparing the two.

Yah it's whatever for me. I bought the motherboard for gaming specifically, I was going to get a sound card or DAC regardless of the audio, but I thought I could wait a little longer because audio quality wouldnt be as bad.. The amount doesnt surprise my, my headphones are 400 ohm and that means they will be quiet with almost anything, my cellphone especially (note 7and note 4). I was looking for the chipset in my HP Pavilion Dv6 with Beats Audio, maybe you would know how to find what audio chip is used? It just honestly blows me away, I've had this for 6 years, and although it's on the Fritz I still bust bust it out for music). Very very little static (better than my brothers Sound blaster using the onboard amp) and the audio quality in my ears is clearer, closer, and voices sound even more defined (amped).I also user foobar2000 btw, idk what else there is, or if it will of change sound, but just for reference.

Edit: Also both my desktop and laptop might not need an amp, it's just for the volume I enjoy (a little on the louder side)I need and and amp. If i was walking around in public with either of these computers I would not amp it, and I bet people could still hear it (ignoring my open back headphones). comparing at 90% on my laptop, and matching volume on my amp, it definitely gets a little tighter with the amp. I didn't notice anything with the desktop.

Amazon warehouse soundblaster z for under $70

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_sc_1_olp?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1405903649&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=soindblaster+z&condition=used

Newegg refurb same price
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102066&cm_re=sound_blaster_z-_-29-102-066-_-Product

Hey fuzeebear,

First off thank you so much for replying! I've looked at different audio interfaces, and I prefer the mixing boards. Originally I was going to get a Scarlett 2i2, which seems to be pretty standard for people who make Youtube videos. However, my goal is to get my EQ and compression set so that I don't have to do it in post. That is why I was looking at the Mackie ProFX8 because it has inserts and AUX so that I could experiment around with different setups.

I think there was a miscommunication, probably stemming from me trying to type this on my phone. Anyways, my question is: Is it better to use the USB output or to go through an internal sound card. The sound card I have on my mother board I linked. I would be looking at about $100 for an internal sound card such as the ASUS Xonar DX or Sound Blaster Z. Is it worth it to get a dedicated sound card or just use the one on my mother board? Obviously I will spending more on the rest of my setup.

The Akai EIE Pro looks more promising. I'm not sure the Komplete Audio 6 fits with the setup that I am trying to accomplish because I would have to do my EQ and compression in post.

What I am looking at right now is my mic going into the Mackie ProFx8 with a compressor in the Insert. Then either a USB to my computer or directly into an internal sound card. will this work?

Oh! Oh! A chance for me to ask someone else about sound stuffs!

I've been using Sony MDR V6's for awhile now. I'm not so extensively knowledgeable to be able to discern good from bad in headphones. So I bought a pair that I liked for a variety of other reasons. So TL;DR are Sony MDR V6 headphones good enough for a game such as CS:GO?

One more question. Is onboard audio usually fine or is it worth investing in a sound card? I really don't know what a PCI-e card could do for me sound wise. However as a bit of a computer nerd. I am under the impression that it could take some of the load off of my CPU. Or so I've read. However that was a few years ago so I don't know if it applies anymore. I was looking at cards like this and this but I really don't know enough about what I'm looking at.

I was about to buy a soundcard like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1505938163&sr=8-2&keywords=sound+card

What is better for my HD598?

Hi guys, I want to get a sound card. Your thoughts on this: https://www.amazon.ca/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1503404345&sr=1-1&keywords=sound+card

and does it fit in these pcie gen 2 x1 slots on this motherboard: http://www.asrock.com/mb/intel/h97%20anniversary/

Thank you

Do you know if something like this would do what I need? Plug my current headphones into the usb and then stick the 3.5 into the sound card slot for headphones in? This is the sound card btw, and thanks for the help.

>Im using software to switch between but don't like the constant unplugging

New sound card. internal if you have a desktop or external if you have a laptop.

Few of the top sellers today, i have the Xonar hooked to my home stereo.
Both companies make several models to choose from. just check Amazon or Newegg reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/PCI-Express-Channel-XONAR_DX-XD-90-YAA060-1UAN00Z/dp/B00198DM2K

https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E


While there is nothng wrong with onboard the jump in quality and sound level after installing the card was impressive.

> You're overlooking one factor. There are some people who will come to this thread, misguided in the fact that adding a new soundcard will make a magical difference on their system no matter what. That's where I have the issue.
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> It needs to be stated, quite clearly, that a dedicated sound card isn't always going to make a difference. It's not a fix-all. It won't make your crappy speaker systems sound nice, and it won't make you magically able to hear the faintest of footsteps on crappy headphones.
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> I'm all for discussing higher-end solutions, as long as it's made apparent that only higher-end sound setups will notice the difference.
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> I've personally been burned by the psychotic hipster audiophiles in the past, and don't want to see other people throwing away money fruitlessly.
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> EDIT: Oh, I forgot to factor in another thing, as well. Some people literally cannot hear the difference, even with all the high-end bells and whistles. It could be due to partially damaged hearing (which is a very common thing, thank you loud rock music over extended periods of time), or other similar factors. Pitching several-hundred-dollar solutions like they're a godlike gaming fix for everyone is just ignorant, and it's just begging people to waste money when they genuinely might not be able to hear any difference.
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> Like I said above, when I see posts like this, I just think of all of those people that spent a ton of money, just trying to justify their costs, even though it's entirely possible that they can't genuinely tell a bit of difference.

It seems like you did not actually read any of my posts, or listen to the demo.

This is not an "audiophile" change where someone is claiming that a new DAC or a new amp will significantly improve your sound quality, when there was nothing wrong with what you had before. (no hiss or interference, and things played loud enough)

This is the difference between stereo audio and surround audio - which should be noticeable on all but the crappiest of headphones.

If anything it goes against what "audiophiles" recommend, since that's usually along the lines of: ditch the sound card and spend $200 on a Schiit Stack. (Magni+Modi)

A Sound Blaster Z is $77 on Amazon right now and has been as low as $55.

If you're happy with how your on-board audio sounds, and it's using a supported codec, X-Fi MB3 for $30 is also a potential option.

Additionally, a sound card can do exactly what you say above: "it won't make you magically able to hear the faintest of footsteps on crappy headphones."

That's what Creative's "recon mode" option does - though it's not a feature that I use.

Many recomend the ASUS Xonar cards, but I had too much problems with drivers for other ASUS products to even consider them anymore. I'm using Creative Labs ZXR and Im very satisfied with it. As far as I can tell they are equally good. If you are on a budget chose Sound Blaster Z or ASUS Xonar DGX. Sound cards below these perform as well as the built in solutions of the high end motherboards.

Also dont forget that for good sound quality beside a soundcard you need an equally good headphone.

You can try picking up this super cheap USB sound card to plug in the speakers and or your headset:

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Headphone-Microphone-Desktops/dp/B01N905VOY/

This is not a high quality or permanent replacement, just for testing.

If after you test with the super cheap USB sound card, and you don't get static, then you might consider purchasing a replacement sound card, and here are some examples from cheap to expensive that will work in your motherboard:

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Audigy-Performance-Headphone/dp/B00EO6X4XG/

https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-70SB174000000-BlasterX-Hi-Resolution-Gaming/dp/B073HT4GM4/

​

If however, you get the cheap USB sound card, and you still have static in both your headphones and speakers, I would consider at that point the PSU.

Actually yes, I did. My motherboard used the Realtek built-in sound or whatever it is, which was alright, but once I got the soundcard (I got this one on sale for like $75) the sound was much clearer, and insanely louder with better control over everything. You do need decent headphones, so like a $30 headset isn't going to be affected as much as something like the ATH M50x's I got a year or so ago (Also very good purchase). I used to listen to music at 75-95% usually which was pretty loud, and now the equivalent is around 25-30%, and its quality is enough to very noticeably tell the difference between stuff like spotify premium and YouTube audio.

Awesome, thanks again. I have one last question for you if you're up to it...

Would I find a substantial increase in quality(or whatever anything) by picking up something like a Sound Blaster Z or a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi?

I've never amplified anything before besides guitars haha, so this is a very big learning experience for me. I cannot say I've heard high fidelity audio before so I'm not sure what I've actually been missing out on by just running my cans through the default input.

DGX will work... If you want to spend more money for a little better card, that will be up to you. Another popular sound card seems to be this...

www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/

I have this in my rig and it sounds awesome.

If you do and need any help getting the audio to set up let me know. Here is a link to the card that I have but the model below it. Its about $30 cheaper but has the same inputs and decibel output.

https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498845975&sr=8-2&keywords=creative+sound+blaster+zx

I honestly wish that I had gone with this one because I have never used that volume controller and I don't have studio headphones so I have no need for it.

Lately i've been thinking if I could run Xbox audio through an external soundcard and my laptop via optical line-in. Point of this is having better audio quality and having xbox and pc Audio on the same headset. Party can be run on the xbox pc app. I know it works with this one, having tried it myself on a diffrent setup. So there shouldn't be a problem doing the same with this external card and a laptop? Am I right?

amazon

>3.5mm gold plated headphone jack driven by the 600 Ohm Maxim MAX97220 amp

I think I have the same (got it from a friend so I have not looked into it) Though I disabled all the buildin gaming functionally and removed the software altogether. It made the music sound much worse for me.

The bass was too intense and it crashed when I swiched from back to front panel.

I don't think you get much out of a better amp, unless you invest some serious money.

If you want to be sure you can also ask in /r/headphones

I personally doubt there are any gaming headset that make you hear footsteps more. Unless they use some weird EQ to highlight specific frequencies?

How about this? The price is good and It has really good reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E

Today i found a Soundblaster Z (this) for 30€, ofc is a second-hand product.

Now i have this dubt:

Sennheiser HD 598SR + Soundblaster Z (160€ in Italy)

or

Beyerdynamic DT 990 + Soundblaster Z (170€ in Italy)

I know that a DAC woud be better but i was wondering if this Soundblaster would help me, mostly at this price

I know you say the cords bother you, but hear me out.

I have a Sound Blaster Z, which comes with a mic that sits on top of my monitor. I never notice it, and I don't see any wires. I use the Sound Blaster Z to power my Sennheiser 598 headphones.

My setup is expensive, but it is also amazing. There are cheaper alternatives. The Sennheiser 558 headphones are 100 dollars, though you'd still need a small mic like the one that comes with the Sound Blaster Z.

Sennheiser does make headsets. This one is (if i recall correctly) the 558 headphones with a mic attached for you.

If that is also too expensive I can leave you with this advice. Get yourself a pair of open headphones and a mic like the one that comes with the Sound Blaster Z. Open headphones are better for gaming than closed headphones / noise canceling headphones. Open headsets have a much larger "Sound Stage" compared to closed. The "Sound Stage" is how big the area appears to be that the sounds are coming from. Open headsets with large sound stages allow you to better pin-point where a sound is coming from. This allows you to much more easily tell that the footsteps you hear you coming from your 5 o'clock and that player is 20 yards away, for example.

The only time a headset is better closed than open is if you live in a very loud house/apartment, you live in a college dorm and don't want your roommate to hear your games/music, or you plan to use the headset in public at a library or on a bus. If you are buying strictly for gaming, open is the way to go.

Most headsets you can buy at retail shops are closed. This is a trend that started maybe 5-6 years ago when eSports were getting bigger. The pros play in tournaments with closed headsets because they need to block out the sound of the crowd. People want the same gear their favorite pro uses, so suddenly open headsets disappeared from retail shops.

The three Sennheiser products I linked are all open headsets.

Here is a $100 one from Creative. Popular choice, but still likely overkill.

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Beamforming-Microphone-SB1500/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408936408&sr=8-2&keywords=sound+card

Card

Speakers

Headphones



And here is my motherboard


I also tried my roommate's studio beats and still nothing. He said they were $300. I might just have bad hearing but I wouldn't recommend a sound card to anyone who isn't making music professionally.

For the curious:

Sold separately on amazon:

• $96 Sound Blaster Z https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009ISU33E/
  
• $70 Inspire T6300 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009T9YU4K
  

First time PC Builder, are my parts compatible? Am I missing anything?

Part | Item | Price
---|---|----
CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO | $32.00
Motherboard | ASUS ATX DDR3 1800 Motherboards H170-PLUS D3 | $117.91
CPU | Intel Boxed Core I5-6400 | $242.99
Graphics Card + PSU Combo| XFX Radeon RX 480 | $389.98
RAM | Kingston HyperX Fury 16GB Kit (2x8GB) | $87.99
HDD | 2 x WD Blue 2TB Desktop Hard Disk Drive | $95.50 each
OS Drive | Corsair Force Series LE SSD, SATA 6Gbps 480GB | $142.49
Sound Card | Sound Blaster Z PCIe Gaming Sound Card | $129.98
Case | Corsair Carbide Series SPEC-02 Mid Tower | $74.99
Optical Drive | LG Internal UH12NS30 BD-ROM | $56.99

PS: a suggestion for a black and red motherboard at the same price or lower would be much appreciated!

Shoutout to /u/spamsince, /u/Cerelius_BT for assistance with this build.

I have the DT990 Pro 250 Ohm and I use a dedicated sound card. The motherboard will definitely not be enough to power them properly.

A few suggestions:

• Creative Sound Blaster Audigy FX is cheap and will get the job done but you won't get a 100% out of the headphones tho.
  
• Sound Blaster Z costs a bit more but will fully power the headphones (please note that it comes with an annoying red LED but it's possible to wrap electrical tape around the LED to make it stop (I use this personally and the sound is amazing).
  
  
  Those are the sound card suggestions. There are also Amps and DACs that sit outside the PC and power the headphones:
  
  
• FiiO E10K is the cheapest you can probably find for a Amp/DAC.
  
• Schiit-Magni costs a bit more but you do get more.
  
  There's obviously even better/more expensives one but you get the idea. Just google DT990 Pro soundcard/amp/dac and there will be loads to read.
  
  Good luck and enjoy the headphones.

Perfect! This one?

You think you'd recommend that Xonar I linked or one of the other ones in the line? They seem to have quite the price spread and I'm not exactly sure what the difference is...

Someone also souggested a Creative Sound Blaster Z. How do you think that compares quality wise?

I'm trying to figure out whether I need to buy a sound card.

I want to be able to play a twitch stream, spotify through my 3.5 speakers and have my my game and mic through my headset.

If I do is this https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E a good option?

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----

> I have $70 on steam that is burning a hole in my pocket. What single player games would you recommend?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7e0sbm/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_19_2017/dq24v1h/

----

> I'm trying to figure out whether I need to buy a sound card.
>
> I want to be able to play a twitch stream, spotify through my 3.5 speakers and have my my game and mic through my headset.
>
> If I do is this https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E a good option?
>

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7e0sbm/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_19_2017/dq2cd43/

----

> is there an updated guide for windows 10 like this?
> https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/3f10k0/things_to_removedisable_in_windows_10/
> Things to disable or turn off?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7e0sbm/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_19_2017/dq2hjy7/

----

> Can anyone recommend a good remote desktop application for playing games? My plan is to keep my desktop at home and play from a laptop in dorms.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/7e0sbm/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_19_2017/dq337ih/

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I'm completely new to this (basically have zero experience in the audio world) but I'm looking at getting a dedicated sound card. My use case is pretty much purely gaming, but I also listen to music a lot, just not hardcore like a lot of you folks do. I'm also a VR enthusiast and would be using this heavily for VR games. My setup would consist of 2.0 speakers, IEM's, and whatever sound card I get. What's important to me, in no particular order, is audio quality, immersiveness, surround sound, positional audio, ease of use/lack of hassle, build quality, and proper EMI shielding/lack of signal noise. The quality of audio through IEM's is more important than the quality of audio through the 2.0 speakers, since I wear IEM's while in VR. I'm not considering a DAC/amp at all, so please don't suggest that. My budget is $100 or less.

Here's what I've found so far, again in no particular order:

ASUS Xonar DSX

Creative Sound Blaster Z

Creative Sound Blaster Audigy RX 7.1

ASUS Strix SOAR

ASUS Xonar DGX

Out of these options, which do you think is best for my use case? Are there any better options in this price range I haven't considered yet? Will this even be a noticeable improvement over onboard audio? (Z270 motherboard)

Also, kinda unrelated but also kinda related: If I'm not horribly confused (which I am), the 2.0 speakers would require a left audio input and a right input, like this. However, I've noticed that none of these sound cards have left audio out/right audio out ports. Just front, rear, center, and woofer. (Plus a few more, like line in/mic in, but never left/right audio out.) So, uh... Where would I plug my speakers in? >.>

Also also, a lot of these sound cards advertise support for surround sound. Do I HAVE to have a 5.1/7.1 system in order to use surround sound, or would I be able to get surround sound with 2.0 speakers? Ditto for headphones - if I was using IEMs, would I be able to get surround sound? Or would it be the same as using onboard audio in that regard/make no difference because it's still only two speakers (one in each ear)?

Hello all. I've been using a pair of DT990 250ohms for a few months now. I've also been considering picking up an amp as it would seem the general consensus is that you need something to drive them.

However, I've come across some conflicting opinions from the various forums and posts that I've read and would appreciate some opinions of those more knowledgeable than myself before I spend any money.

Firstly I'm running the headset straight out of my motherboard. The motherboard in question is an EVGA Z270 Classified K which comes with the Creative Core3d solution. Out of a forum post by an EVGA dev I learned the technical specifications are as follows however much of it goes over my head and I would appreciate if someone translated it for me.

DAC: CA0132
AMP: MAX97220B
SNR: 109dB with RL=600Ω, 112.5dB with RL=1KΩ
Supports up to 192kHz Playback and Record
Dolby Live and DTS Connect Not Supported

Here is a link to the particular amp specifications

https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/products/analog/audio/MAX97220B.html

This is the same amp that is present in the Creative Sound Blaster Z based off of the information present on the linked Amazon page below. Many state that the the Sound Blaster Z is capable of driving 600ohm headphones and can drive the 990s with just fine.

https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

The "Best Solution" post within the following forum link below claims that the Sound Blaster Z can drive the DT990s decently, to maybe 80% of their potential.It also claims that they are notoriously hard to drive. I would like to know if these are relatively agreeable statements.

http://www.tomsguide.com/answers/id-2545260/amp-beyerdynamic-990.html

On the other side of the spectrum however I've seen it said various times that even the best motherboard sound doesn't even compare to a $30 discreet sound card. I don't know if this is hyperbole or if that claim is no longer true relative to motherboards today. What is your opinion on this?

My concern is value. Ideally I would like to have my 990s not be crippled. On the other hand purchasing an amp and dac would be dependent on how much they are being crippled as I don't know if I could be bothered for 10%

So my real question is is my motherboard proving adequate? I have a hard time answering this myself because of the conflicting opinions and my nigh complete lack of expertise within this field.

Would I to purchase a amp would I need to also purchase a dac to compliment it?

My primary considerations along the purchase route would be Magni 3/Modi 2 combo. Alternatively if it would be a better value and able to power the headphones 100% a Fulla 2.

My usage is generally gaming. When I'm not gaming I'm listening to Spotify Premium. Additionally, as further information I do not have an issue with my headset being too quiet while playing games or listening to music. I can very easily have it way too loud. I understand that amps/dacs do further things than just provide more power to the device (at least I think) and that they provide better audio in general by some other form of magic.

However this leads to another question from me.

Would a $2000 amp beat a $300 amp in audio quality if the $300 amp could provide ample enough power to the device? Why?

Sorry, testing how PriceZombie works...

www.amazon.com/Creative-Blaster-Beamforming-Microphone-SB1500/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395608030&sr=8-1&keywords=Creative+-+Sound+Blaster+Z+Sound+Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102048

Hello headphone people!

Long post, so here's a TL;DR: What soundcard, DAC or AMP do I need that greatly enhances my virtual surround experience in Sennheiser Game One headset?

After a long research on gaming headsets, I went ahead and purchased Sennheiser Game One headset. I know I could have gone different routes but that one was the best I could have done with my budget. Going separate headphones and mic was a bit too expensive since I wanted claritiy in mic also (which would require investing in a good mic). This Sennie was kinda was the bang for my buck.

When I plugged the headset to my motherboard, the sound was a bit low (at which point I thought maybe I need an AMP). However some tweaking in Windows 10 (such tweaking being turning on "Loudness Equalization" in "Enhancements" tab in playback device settings) made the sound too high and introduced a background hiss (permanent noise). Fiddling around the equalizer did help a little bit but the sound felt super artificial and bloated, also considering the fact that I am not the best person to understand what each equalizer column actually does. The end result is drowned out footsteps which is totally undesirable.

Other than this, I noticed almost no difference to my directional audio (i.e. where the footsteps or gunshots are coming from) compared to my old Steelseries not-so-very-good headset. I feel like there absolutely needs to be some sort of hardware that does this virtual surround processing. I tried the software route first; dolby atmos, Windows sonic for headphones etc, did not change things one bit. I think those things are nothing but fancy gimmicks. Feel free to correct me here.

Today I plugged the headset to my iPhone 7 via 3.5mm adapter and boy the sound was awesome. Which led me to think that my on-board motherboard audio (RealTek) is not that great. I feel like I need a sound card, a DAC or an Amp of some sorts.

Which brings me to my question and TL;DR: What soundcard, DAC or AMP do I need that greatly enhances my virtual surround experience in Sennheiser Game One headset? Now that I have made the investment, I can save up for something and get it if it will enhance my experience.

I have found Sennheiser GSX 1000 and Creative SoundBlaster Z which may quench my thirst. Anyone had any experiences with these?

I appreciate any input from you knowledgeable audio people.

Thanks!!

Cannot get Rocksmith or Rocksmith 2014 Remastered to launch. Black screen on start, sits there a while, black screen disappears, executable stops running. Behavior on RS2014 unchanged by enabling rs_public_beta build.

PC:

• Win10 Pro x64
  
• Intel i5-3570K
  
• MSI AMD Radeon RX 480 8GB
  
• Sound Blaster Z
  
• 27" AOC 144hz FreeSync monitor (main)
  
• Two other, 60hz monitors (side)
  
• DxDiag
  
  Notes of things tried:
  
  
• changed Fullscreen=2 to Fullscreen=0 and set ScreenWidth=0 and ScreenHeight=0, caused game to attempt to open in a window, window was solid white, and sat there and then crashed just like the black fullscreen
  
• set ExclusiveMode=1
  
• set 144hz monitor down to 60hz, additionally tried disabling FreeSync
  
• disconnected secondary displays
  
• set Real Tone cable to 48khz
  
• disabled anti-virus
  
• verified game cache
  
• delete and reinstall
  
• deleted Rocksmith.ini
  
• attempted to run Rocksmith2014.exe with "Run as Administrator"
  
• attempted blood offering
  
• unchecked "Enable audio enhancements" on my Sound Blaster card's Windows audio settings
  
  Things yet to be tried:
  
  
• Unplugging lots of USB devices (I have a HOTAS, steering wheel, and gamepads, having to unplug all this would be a terrible workaround, but need to try as a test)
  
• moving guitar cable to other USB slots

Hi, I am looking for an Amp because I just buy the Beyerdynamic DT-990 250Ohm Pro

I am between this https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=11567 or this sound card: https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1483848934&sr=8-3&keywords=sound+card

What do you recommend? Do you have another amp for the same price? I have $80 budget

66.48 on Amazon right now. Still a great price IMO.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009ISU33E

>better on board sound

I just built a PC with this board and the on board sound is unfortunately nothing to write home about. Tried it out with my HD 598s and it sounded horrible. Debated returning my sound card until I compared the sound. I agree with your other points tho.