Xonar DG, essence stx or creative sound blaster z

Hello, I would like to know which is the best sound card for music and games From xonar dg / dgx which is better xonar essence stx or the creative sound blaster z

There is great difference in sound from xonar dg to essence ? Would use with headphones Takstar TS671

• Driver : Dynamic
• Inch diameter conductor: Ø53mm
• Impedance: 120Ω
• Sensitivity: 105 dB / 1 mW
• Frequency Response : 20Hz - 20kHz
• Stipulated power : 500mW

Thanks,

Waste of money, better spend more on the headphones themselves rather than a sound card, just use your onboard one if you intend to use with this specific module.

@PredatorRules: the headphone exposed are a quality, the headphone made in china, but are a very quality headphone

Yeah with 20-20Khz frequency I'm sure of that, the only good thing is the driver is big (doesn't mean quality but it gives in most cases better sound)

In other words pick something more quality if you want to use the full potential of those high end sound cards, if not as I said before use the onboard one (which BTW if the MOBO is new it's pretty good these days)

Go Xonar.

I have Creative Sound Blaster Z (use it for gaming and music a lot) it sounds great.

Me too, much better tan onboard solutions.

For those headphones it won't make a huge difference, sure they're pretty good but they're not difficult to drive and most modern onboard DACs are quite good. Either way I wouldn't recommend a sound card since you can still get lots of interference. If you're going to put in money to sound I'd recommend going external, either separate DAC and amp or a combined unit.

To be honest I'd buy better headphones first anyway.

I would recommend getting a used Audigy 2ZS(need a pci slot though) to install the KX Audio Drivers and use the high quality hardware based parametric EQ to smooth out the frequency response of your headphones to reduce peaks and dips in the response for a more flat response then tweak for preference if you feel you need a little more bass I for one defiantly like a boosted bass response so I can feel it the impact of the bass more but ideally as flat as possible(so no big dips or peaks in the bass response) to as low a frequency as possible at least to 30hz but the closer to 20HZ it can get before rolling off the better but almost no headphone or iem do that even with alot of boosting.

The alternative is using a free global software parametric EQ to do the same thing as above but it won't be as good quality as would be possible with the Audigy 2ZS and KX Drivers when EQing but you don't have to buy anything this way just use your current sound card and get the Parametric EQ and see how you like the sound quality after tweaking it, I don't personally use any software based EQ but I think this would work for a global software based parametric eq for windows.

Online Tone Generator Is a good tool when doing you can test the frequency response using the tones to see how your changes effect the sound and try to get the different frequencys to sound around the same volume. http://en.goldenears.net/ is another good tool they measure alot of headphones and iem and show the frequency response along with what flat response curve would look like this helps alot when doing the EQ as you can use this as a guide as to where to apply eq and then check with the online tone generator as there are variation between different headphones even if there the same model and everyone ears are different so the sound you hear is different from what I hear even on the same set.

If your can't find your headphone there then you just have to do it by scratch using tones and the hearing test as full spectrum tone sweep till you balance the sound I had to do this for the Audio Technica CKM500 still working on them but got them to where I'm happy with the sound the driver is really clean sounding to my ear just needed to correct all the peaks in the sound to get the best possible sound out of them.

And this is a long ass post but besides the EQing I mentioned above the best thing you can do to improve the sound quality of headphones or iem for music listening is installing foobar 2000 and using RPG WIzards Dolby Headphone Config really helps to fix the in your head sound your get from headphones improving the sound stage to be more speaker like while having minimal effect on the tonality of the sound which is where most of these type of headphone surround effects fall flat you may get a wider more out there effect but it destroys the original sound only useful for certain types of music and experimentation not full time use like this is imo.his forward settings is very close to a stock sound but with a improved sense of space and separation its really something to hear especially with a good pair of open headphones the wider the sound stage was before the better the improvements are but all headphones and iem can benefit.

This is only possible because of his impeccable hearing and dedication to perfecting hig plugin for foobar. He by ear used a parametric EQ to correct the Dolby Headphones response back to flat response to maintain the original sound but with improved sense of space and combined a few other plugins to get the effect. He actually used to use the Audigy 2ZS and KX drivers and really liked the EQ on it but that was only the ten band EQ but he loved how much you could boost the bass without any distortion or loss in quality if he had gotten his hand on the parametric eq with equally good quality but far better control over shaping the frequency response I wonder if he would have given it up?

You don't even need to setup anything as he has available for download pre configured mobile installs of foobar2000 so you can try out his dolby headphone effect with no effort I think you will come to like it as much as I do once you try it!

T:DR:Audigy 2 ZS with KX drivers offers incredible hardware based paramtric EQ you can save change setting on the fly for all your headphones,iem, and speakers to improve the sound with no distortion or loss in quality. Download an install a Global Parametric EQ to reduce peaks and dips in your headphones frequency response to improve sound quality at no cost if you don't want to buy the Audigy 2ZS. RPG WIzards Dolby Headphone config for Foobar 2000 is another essential improvement for sound quality of headphones for music listening.

@PredatorRules: Headphones typically have much wider frequencies, but honestly most of that is more for spec sheets than acoustic benefit. My AKG headphones are like 10hz to almost 40khz, But my hearing (which is actually above average for my age) would barely meet half of that frequency range. Below 20kz, more like around 17-18khz is the threshold for the average person. Its why music CDs are formated in lossless wav 16bit, 44.1khz, when halved is the actual frequency response ceiling you would get at that resolution, around just over 22hz.

Which is why I kinda snicker a little to myself every time I read/hear someone go on about how great 192khz, or 320khz is.

As far as the OPs headphones, can't say I know much about them.

Stay away from ASUS sound cards, they are literally shit when compared to Creative Soundblaster.

Asus just recently entered sound card market and they have horrible drivers and support.

Creative has been on the market since forever.

Difference between 192khz and 320khz is noticible, at least in my speakers, not so much maybe for standart in ear earphones.

How are the drivers for creative cards these days?

It seems like the one constant I used to read about when it came to different soundcard brands were that they all had terrible drivers.

@PredatorRules: There is no real audible difference to humans between those. Do not confuse what I am saying. I am not talking about MP3 with rates of 192-320 (there is a definite audible difference there)

I am speaking of a Wav file 16bit 44.1khz, and lets throw out one of these 24bit-192khz Wav files. 90% of the people on the planet will not be able to tell you which is which accurately in a multiple blind test no matter the equipment they are using because the limits of human hearing will be met far before most of the benefits of 192khz is seen.

This may clear up some of the confusion for you. I don't mean to harp on this with you, as you have gave me some great info/advice here in the past, I just really like talking about this subject lol. :P

bit depth, sample rates, interpolation

Here is another on D/A, and A/D conversion D/A and A/D conversions (sorry you will have to restart the video in this one if your interested, it likes to start in the middle for me)

Oops my bad I meant 320Kbps, well most people use MP3s at highest quality possible which is 320Kbps or just listen to FLAC.

Still if you're not using some audiophile headphones - there's no reason to buy top of the line sound card.

No problem. I figured that was the confusion. Also just so you know, MP3 can actually go as high as 450kbps (although I do think this is a fairly recent development, but my DAW can actually render to 450Kbps.)

I completely agree with you on the headphones/soundcard aspect. You will see a much larger improvement going with a great set of headphones, and consumer onboard sound. Than going with alright headphones, and an expensive soundcard.

Almost like you get a better "sound" out of an alright guitar, going through an awesome amp, as opposed to a fantastic guitar going through an alright amp.

@PredatorRules: Actually I am wrong about the 450kbps (my DAW reserves that for .ogg format not mp3) 320kbps is the highest quality for mp3. (so on that you are correct)

Even if I do export (render) 450kbps mp3, it will only really be a 320kbps.

Figured I would clear up the false info I put in the last post.

I heard about the 380Kbps but 450 is a brand new number for me, still most people know only about 320Kbps as the highest.

True thing about the AMP, as I told my friend who owns electric guitar and so do I, when he was picking a guitar I told him the exact same thing, anything will sound awesome plugged to 50Watt AMP especially if it's bulb one.

@PredatorRules: Yea I was wrong about the 450 actually, I was confusing that for rendering in .ogg format, not mp3. 320 is highest fixed rate for mp3.

I had a xonar about a year or so ago and then went to a soundblaster Z.

Personally I think my Xonar had better sound quality but the soundblasterZ has a ton of power behind it for headphones. Both sound great though.

...it's pretty much the other way around.

Creative is known to have terrible drivers and support shortly after the release of the hardware.

@DJ_Headshot: Nice info, thx. I recently got a used Audigy 2 ZS and it offers a lot better sound quality than onboard audio, even tho it's almost a decade older. I don't have any good phones to make use of it, but I do have a hi-fi setup so maybe that equalizer will help improve the sound/put highs on a leash!

Thanks so much for the answers

@kraken2109: @PredatorRules: What headphone is better ?

@shadowbarcelona:

I will recommend the headphones that I use, which I have not heard any better. They are absolutely quiet as far as a noise floor. You plug in, turn on, and hear no hiss at all, just clean sound. Absolutely fantastic stereo imaging, and sound stage.

The lows are nice, and clear, as are the highs without sounding brittle, or harsh. These would be the AKG K712 Pro Headphones. These are true quality headphones, but they are not cheap!

@shadowbarcelona: That's a very subjective question to answer and it depends on a lot of things.

What would you use new headphones for and how much would you be prepared to spend?

@kraken2109:

depends, if there is a great improvement of quality, 300 $

Have myself a Xonar DGX and am super pleased. It's amp gets rid of the lack of noise that my onboard seems to not produce, allowing me to have louder better sounds out of everything I hook up too it. Don't listen to those saying a sound card isn't necessary. It makes a world of difference. Hell for example my onboard wouldn't play flac files (don't know why) but now I can. Also if your buying one in the hopes of using it for surround make sure it's capable as the dgx I believe is not.

@Lach0121: and are comfortable ? I've read complaints that were very uncomfortable

@shadowbarcelona: lol they are the most comfortable headphones I have ever used, and I have big ears.

My ears don't get near as hot as with many other headphones. The weight is distributed evenly, although they aren't that heavy to begin with.

These are headphones that I can wear longer than any other headphones with the least amount of fatigue.

The comfort complaints on the AKG K712 Pro imo are unjustified (although to be fair I didn't even find these complaints on these particular headphones). The closest I find to them that have any real grounds to complain on comfort is the AKG K702, and that is only on the version with the "bumps" on the head band. Which as of now all the AKG K702 headphones I see are without the "bumps." The pair I helped my girlfriend get (AKG K 702) did not have the bumps. She loves them.

There is more different on the AKG K702, and the AKG K712 Pro than the color. Although both are quality headphones.

depends, if there is a great improvement of quality, 300 $

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1414373877&sr=8-2&keywords=audio+technica+open+air

This for example only 150$

or

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50xBL-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUSGM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1414341445&sr=8-4&keywords=audio+technica

if you prefer the closed ones

For better quality go with the Open Air module it's very high quality sound - but as the name says it's build on Open Air so if you live somewhere where there're many noises from the street, neighbors or inside your house you should pick the other module for closed cups.

I can also say that on the musical forums, and ImageLine forums, I hear great things about the ATH-M50 that PredatorRules above mentioned.

Although I have not used them myself, they are a favorite for affordable great quality headphones. At Image Line the two headphones recommended most are the Sennheiser HD280 pro, and the ATH-M50.

For gaming i'd recommend open headphones:

Sennheiser 500 and 600 series

AKG 600 and 700 series

Audio Technica AD series

Beyerdynamic 880 or 990

Sound cards are a waste unless you have a $5000+ audio system.

You won't be able to hear the difference on headphones or cheap home cinemas.

I believe the difference is not going to be significant, but there will be a improvement. I have a Xonar and I forgot I even installed the damn thing until I read this thread. For recording then a good sound card is much needed but for sound quality on headphones then not so much. I would buy the best bang for buck sound card and leave it at that.

Sound cards are shit, have crap drivers and have high latency, just try to use them with Rocksmith and see what happens.

Tbh I'd just get a mobo with good onboard and buy an external amp.