quick sound card question

[wowie]

I'm looking at both these sound cards:

Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS SB0350 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102178


Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102188

however the price difference between the two is like $60. I'm not an "audiophile", as many here put it, but i do appreciate good quality. I have some decent harman/kardon speakers and Sony headphones(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002SQ3Z6) which i wont be changing. is the audigy2 good enough for me? Does it support surround sound with my speakerphones? I might go into some music and video editing and play a few games but nothing like a pro. plz need quick help!

 

[efd753]

get the audigy2 ZS. getting the x-fi wont make your games faster or your computer.

 

[NosBoost300]

i suggest the x-fi.. i went to it... and love it, sounds never sounded better.. with an x-fi you can turn up open al or whatever its called along with using thx 3.0 which makes just about ever game sound amazing........ but the downside of the x-fi is that you'd need amazing speakers... such as the z-5300's, z-5500's and so on and so fourth..... otherwise.. just get the audigy..

 

[wowie]

the x-fi has no option to connect audio to the front panel of the case, but still has the connector pins to do it I heard. however, the audigy2 doesnt even have the connectors?

if i want front panel audio, which soundcard do you recommend?

 

[Nukem]

for a good price I got my A2 ZS and coupled with the Logitech Z-680's (The Z-5500 predecessor's) and they sound awesome. fully manipulative in the program and tweak out all the sounds. I say go for the Audigy2 ZS.

 

[NosBoost300]

i think front panel audio is all dependant upon having your front panel connected to your motherboard... but your sound is to come out from you sound card.... soo... i think no matter what card you get... you have to put it in the soundcard

 

[atomic tofu]

get a diamond mm soundcard

http://www.maximumpc.com/2006/06/diamond_xtremes.html

http://www.techspot.com/reviews/hardware/diamond_xtremesound71/

 

[003]

Do you want gaming features or sound quality?

 

[wowie]

well, I'm looking for a card which can connect to the front panel of my NZXT Apollo case for headphones and mic without any fuss. And preferrably, I'd look into sound quality.

 

[003]

That front panel thing is only for onboard sound, AFAIK.

You can get sound quality but you will lose things like EAX, hardware accelerated sound and things like that. Games play fine, you just can't enable any of the fancy sound options.

Also, do you need multichannel sound or would stereo be fine? It is harder to set up a high quality surround sound source.