Asus Xonar DX vs Creative Soundblaster Z

Discussion in 'Soundcards, Speakers HiFI & File formats' started by Kicek, Oct 16, 2013.

  1. Kicek

    Kicek Guest

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    Gigabyte GTX970 G1 Gaming
    Hey

    After countless battles with my old creative x-fi xtreme gamer I'm finnaly giving up on this card. Every few months there is an issue with it on win7. I've visited plenty of forums and guides, used official and unofficial drivers yet every few months there is a crash. It served me well and I liked its perfomance when it worked but its time to get something new.

    I want to get a new sound card mostly for gaming to use either with 5.1 system or a headset (depends wich game I'm playing). I'm not an audiophile but I've tried some onboard sound cards and most sound... well empty for me, just to say sound is important to me.

    My budget is 100$ plan is not to go over it... rarely works :)

    My choice for now is Asus Xonar DX vs Creative Soundblaster Z so I would like to hear some pros and cons for someone who used one of them or both.

    Best regards
     
  2. eclap

    eclap Banned

    Messages:
    31,468
    Likes Received:
    4
    GPU:
    Palit GR 1080 2000/11000
    haven't had a DX, but had a DG and now have the Z. I'm not sure if dolby headphone is any better on the DX than it was on the DG, but I know that the Z surround is better than DG's.

    Imo, Z is a great card, you really can't go wrong, not a single issue whatsoever, unlike my old XtremeMusic I used to run a few years ago.
     
  3. Bleib

    Bleib Guest

    Messages:
    374
    Likes Received:
    1
    GPU:
    MSI RX 480 8GB
    I had the DX about 6 months after release and the drivers were horrible. Enabling hardware audio crashed tons of applications, even 3dmark03.

    I found the sound to be good, but for gaming Creative is a far better choice. I need(ed) good legacy EAX support and Asus does not provide.
     
  4. Ghosty

    Ghosty Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    7,960
    Likes Received:
    1,177
    GPU:
    RTX 3050
    Go with the Xonar DX, you wont be disappointed. If you are using Windows 8.1 then the drivers wont work very well. Not sure why people always complain that the driver support is bad, it's not like they have to release drivers every month, it's just sound.
     

  5. Kicek

    Kicek Guest

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    Gigabyte GTX970 G1 Gaming
    I've heard a some opinion that Soundblaster Z is a card dedicated for gaming and Xonar DX is dedicated for music and movies. Is this true? What is real diffrence between them, if there is any? Soundblaster Z is a newer design so didn't they use better technology or sound enchancments?
     
  6. eclap

    eclap Banned

    Messages:
    31,468
    Likes Received:
    4
    GPU:
    Palit GR 1080 2000/11000
    Z sounds great for both.
     
  7. Ghosty

    Ghosty Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    7,960
    Likes Received:
    1,177
    GPU:
    RTX 3050
    Not really sure what to say. Sound is sound to me. I wouldn't notice if sound was different in a game compared to music or a movie. All games I have played is crystal clear though, even with 5.1.
     
  8. Kicek

    Kicek Guest

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    Gigabyte GTX970 G1 Gaming
    I've searched some more about these cards and opinions differ. Seems that there is no real diffrence between those two. I still have some time before I will make a purchase, so I might search some more.
     
  9. Kicek

    Kicek Guest

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    Gigabyte GTX970 G1 Gaming
    What about overall sound quality between them? Strange noises in games or problems with bass? Any stability issues with drivers on Win7?
     
  10. GenClaymore

    GenClaymore Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    6,067
    Likes Received:
    52
    GPU:
    3070 TI 8GB
    Both do uses different methods for virtual headphones, Asus Xonars uses Dolby headphone while creative Z cards uses a different form of it.
     

  11. Fearf

    Fearf New Member

    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    EVGA GTX 650Ti Boost SC
    Xonar drivers are rarely updated, but they works great with "GX" disabled in DSP Mode.
     
  12. gridiron whirlw

    gridiron whirlw Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    4,105
    Likes Received:
    315
    GPU:
    RTX 3070Ti
    Personally, I have never had a driver problem with any Xonar card.

    They have worked flawlessly for me .

    I have them in two pc's.
     
  13. flimbo

    flimbo Guest

    Messages:
    759
    Likes Received:
    8
    GPU:
    MSI GTX 970
    No problems for me with several Xonar cards too. The drivers work flawlessly.
     
  14. MaxBlade

    MaxBlade Master Guru

    Messages:
    907
    Likes Received:
    13
    GPU:
    980Ti/970/390/+ more
    Some may not have problems with drivers but they don't update for years sometimes and this is a old card. Granted Soundblaster does the same yet the Z has had updates where as the DX might not see any for another year.

    I've had the better Xonar and sold them on Ebay. I like the Z better yet no fan of the surround sound.

    You should if you can try both. Were talking sounds here like headphones people hear things different. If its about money go with the DX just make sure you can return it if you dont like it.
     
  15. Kicek

    Kicek Guest

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    Gigabyte GTX970 G1 Gaming
    I bought sound blaster z. I think its ok so far.
     

  16. Tacoboy

    Tacoboy Guest

    Messages:
    450
    Likes Received:
    5
    GPU:
    AMD 7800
    The Z and DX both use the same CS4398 DAC chip :)
    The Xonar DX's front out/headphone jack has an impedance of 100-Ohm :(
    Where as the Z's headphone output impedance is only 22-Ohms and should be able to work well with headphones up to 300-Ohms,
    The Z is rated for headphones up to 600-Ohm, but if you buying 600-Ohm headphones, you going to buy something with a better headphone amplifier, then the Z's amp.
    So, getting the Z is better then getting the DX.

    Did you disable your motherboard's on-board audio? In the BIOS.
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2013
  17. Kicek

    Kicek Guest

    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    Gigabyte GTX970 G1 Gaming
    Ofcourse. Btw I'm using Koss SB40 headset and I'm wondering if getting CAL will be an improvement?
     
  18. Tacoboy

    Tacoboy Guest

    Messages:
    450
    Likes Received:
    5
    GPU:
    AMD 7800
    I prefer to use the Gemini HSR-1000 (Takstar Pro 80) closed headphones, $50-$60.
    I found the cups on the CALs to be a little too small, I found the CAL makes the bass fatigue my ears with in 10 minutes.
     
  19. HonoredShadow

    HonoredShadow Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    4,326
    Likes Received:
    21
    GPU:
    msi 4090
  20. GenClaymore

    GenClaymore Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    6,067
    Likes Received:
    52
    GPU:
    3070 TI 8GB
    They are the same card shadow.
     

Share This Page