Which sound card?

[scrimstar]

Ok thanks for all of the help. I'll be getting a Asus Xonar STX, and DX for my two builds.

 

[Apokalipse]

Ok thanks for all of the help. I'll be getting a Asus Xonar STX, and DX for my two builds.

The one thing about the STX is that it's a stereo (2 channel) sound card. It won't run 5.1 speakers.
As long as you're using it with stereo speakers/headphones, it'll work great.

 

[scrimstar]

Wait.. I think that just changed everything, because I'm using a 7.1 set up! Uhh.. I think I change my mind to a D2X now.. Why can't they make a super sound card that owns everything?? ];

 

[Apokalipse]

Wait.. I think that just changed everything, because I'm using a 7.1 set up! Uhh.. I think I change my mind to a D2X now.. Why can't they make a super sound card that owns everything?? ];

there are reasons the STX is a stereo card: most high-end sound equipment is stereo. And having only two channels allows them to have more expensive (better) components for those channels.
If it was a 7.1 card with the same quality components for all the channels, it would cost much more. And they probably would not have been able to include the amp, without making the card huge.

It has higher sound quality than the D2X, as well as a headphone amp that competes well against dedicated amps that cost more than the STX itself. So in that respect, it's a bargain for what it costs.

if you need 5.1/7.1 support, the D2X is still a very nice sounding card. It's the card I'm using at the moment, with my headphones, and does beat the X-Fi's in terms of quality. though I probably would have gotten an STX if they were available at the time.

 

[scrimstar]

Will all of the speakers sound a lot better than onboard with the D2X? Why does it say virtual 7.1 channels for the STX?

 

[Apokalipse]

Will all of the speakers sound a lot better than onboard with the D2X?

If you have crappy speakers, they might sound a bit better. But if you have at least semi-descent speakers, they should sound a lot better than onboard.
sound quality depends not just on the sound card, but also on your speakers/headphones, and on the recordings.

Why does it say virtual 7.1 channels for the STX?

It can't actually run 8 channels. It uses stereo speakers to try and emulate 8 channel surround.
Humans only have two ears, so it is possible to emulate the effects necessary for directional sound, based on the ways the human ears process directional sound. I'm guessing it would processes the directional effects from an 8 channel source, hence why they call it 'virtual 7.1'.

 

[scrimstar]

lol, are Infinities good enough? They aren't super high end, but were pretty expensive.. =.=
I have some JBL, bose that I can use too.

So the D2X has all the speakers doing differnt sounds, and the STX has all the speakers doing the same sound? (Sorry I'm a noob at sound systems, my brother supplies me, and tells me what to get.)

 

[Apokalipse]

lol, are Infinities good enough? They aren't super high end, but were pretty expensive.. =.=
I have some JBL, bose that I can use too.

Don't know much about Infinity or JBL speakers, though I would stay away from the Bose speakers.

So the D2X has all the speakers doing differnt sounds, and the STX has all the speakers doing the same sound? (Sorry I'm a noob at sound systems, my brother supplies me, and tells me what to get.)

no, the STX doesn't run 5.1/7.1 speakers.
It just produces surround effects, from 2 speakers, using a 5.1/7.1 source.

 

[scrimstar]

Ok, I will get the D2X for sure. My Bose sounds pretty for how old they are.. o.o 10 years old, I think.

Do you know any good speaker makers? I might replace my old speakers, only my infinities are new.


I notice you reply pretty fast.. how are you doing this??

 

[Apokalipse]

Ok, I will get the D2X for sure. My Bose sounds pretty for how old they are.. o.o 10 years old, I think.

Well, you should compare them to some other headphones/speakers. In short, Bose speakers don't really reproduce the sound as it's supposed to sound.

Do you know any good speaker makers? I might replace my old speakers, only my infinities are new.

I'd ask EricB or Oreo about what speakers to get. I usually use headphones.
They would probably recommend some studio monitors (stereo), which the Essence STX would work well for.

I notice you reply pretty fast.. how are you doing this??

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