what is the best sound card for music >>Then Gaming<< ???

The Xonars are great cards. They cannot keep up to the Prelude for gaming though.

 

Probably true, but if music is the OP's first priority, it might be a different story.

 

For me ASUS xonar is the best of the best.I think its even better than prelude,i dont know about games,but in music and movies for shure.

 

Different story? The Preude is a Kick A$$ card for music also.

 

:bang:

 

really true!!! The Prelude is awesome for music too!

 

I'm sure it is, but it is not better than the Xonar for Music/Movies, which is the point I was making.

 

That is your opinion and of course opinions vary.

 

That's from Guru3D's very own review of the Xonar D2x.

You really can't go wrong with either card though, and the Prelude is a tad cheaper!

 

Yes and I can show you quite a few reviews that say the opposite. Not to mention, this months issue of Computer Power User (CPU) Magazine, gave the Prelude 4.5 and the Xonar 4... Stock I still prefer a Prelude but with a opamp upgrade makes the Prelude is KING of consumer level cards. Have you actually heard a Prelude or are just going on other people's opinions?
As I said though I find the Xonars are good cards also and stock they are both very close for sound quality.

 

As I already said, no, I haven't used the Prelude so I am just going by the opinions of others and reviews. Most of the reviews I have found have said the same thing I am saying though. Anyway, it is all opinions so I'll just end it here and we can agree to disagree

Although, I am curious about the Opams upgrade. Can you fill me in a bit on that?

 

Sure, the Prelude has a upgradable opamps on the front channels. You can install better opamps and improve the sound. The one you have on the front channels or your D2X is worth about $4. I have a OPA637 on my Prelude worth about $75....They Povide a better output amplifications section with lower noise and less distortion.
the LM4562 on the D2X sounds good though compared to others at the same price. Actually if you look back through the forums I was one of the first people to ever use a LM4562 on a soundcard many guys around here and on AVSforum started using them long before they started being used on consumer level cards. I was using a full set on the X-Meridian. Which was basically a decendant of the Xonar series both sporting the same chipset.

 

You know what sad, people keep thinking the prelude is the same as the XFI from creative when it isnt. They see XFI in the title and go omfg its the same card and blah blah.

This why it shouldnt been called a XFI prelude, they should had left the XFI out and just named it Prelude.

 

Yeah I know exactly what you mean, you just can't compare Creatives X-Fi's to the X-Fi Prelude, they are just so far apart in terms of sound quality, features, components used etc.

 

Coolio, thanks for the info man Is this possible on the Xonar?

 

No. Well not without voiding your warranty and soldering in new opamps. The Prelude front opamps are fitted in a socket you can pull them out and put in new ones easily.
The X-Meridian had all four opamps replacable that would be optimal on newer cards.

 

I see. I wonder why they solder them instead taking the route x-meridian took. Ah well, it is what it is.

 

ok from where can i get this prelude

 

Are you serious? If yes, i feel sorry for you. I guess you have never heard the Prelude before? If yes, how did it sound for you?
The Prelude is how Creative SHOULD have made their own X-Fi's in the first place, with good components and no cheap ass bs.

I've had a CL X-Fi Fatal Pro before my Prelude (The fatal pro now resides in my gf's system) and i was surprised by the Prelude's clarity and overall sound quality.
Sure, the Xonars are great cards, but for gaming and entertaining purposes, the Prelude is still the king.

I'm even thinking about buying another Prelude (or waiting for the HDMI Prelude) for my HTPC.

 

if your in the usa, then newegg has the prelude for 179.