Asus Xonar DS? DX? - OR CREATIVE!

If you're a gamer, look nowhere else than X-Fi cards really. I've bought Xonar Essence STX, it has a great sound quality, but game compatibility is piss poor and they don't update drivers any more often than Creative does.

- Many games have problems with sound (missing sounds/voices, broken 3D positioning, sounds looping till you leave the area of effect)
- GX mode is a disaster. I can't remember a single game where it worked without a crash in one or another way. ALchemy on the other hand worked in all games that i tried
- drivers are not updated any frequently than Creative ones

With Xonar cards you have to make a compromise. They offer kick ass audio quality but they suck at games. Forget perfect 3D positioning, forget any EAX 2.0 in older games (especially if you're using Vista or higher). But when the sound does work right in games, it's also good. But thats not too often or only in software audio mode.

 

Well, thats frankly very depressing, I heard so much good about Dolby Headphone. and GX mode (offering direct sound support in vista/windows 7)

 

I guess you are just interested in blowing money?

Umm, why don't you just use your onboard audio????? 7.1 HD Audio is on your mobo! If you aren't going Creative/Auzentech which I think is a serious mistake, I see no sense in wasting money on an Asus sound card which imo, is a mild step up from what is on your motherboard. If you don't go Creative or Auzentech, imo your sound will be nowhere near what you are used too. It will be less.

Personally I think you logic is a little out there. You are on Creative for so long, served you well and so now it's another brand?

 

Yes, I am sure, I'm using XP.

No, I'm not using Alchemy, and I have Sennheiser HD 595 headphones as well btw.

Positioning is perfect without CMSS-3D

 

ur on XP so ofc positional audio is perfect, and u dont need alchemy on XP, u already have directsound

 

Edited by moderator....

FIRST off plenty of people have GREAT things to say about Asus Xonar, reviews, and forums.

SECONDLY I said my card served me well until I went to Vista, perhaps u never noticed my post?

"however after a short spell on vista, and a useless attempt with creatives alchemy, back to XP I went due to abismal audio (positional audio)

Anyway that was a while ago, and now, I am on WINDOWS 7 ULTIMATE (nice!)

BUT HERE WE ARE AGAIN! CRAP SOUND."


THIRDLY I think u will find ALLOT of people will disagree with you... in fact.. just in general...

:/

 

First off take a pill bud. Your attitude is NOT welcome.

X-Fi Titanium
Auzentech Prelude
Asus XONAR

If you are a gamer. That's how they rank. If you haven't heard them and only base judgement on biased reviews and people who probably can't discern quality sound then you are a n00b. I don't care what some cheesy review site said, or someone said in a forum. Means jack unless you hear them. I've heard them all and that short list is how they rank. And no, let's leave your left nut for your pet, it seems quite attached to it.

 

Asus cards are not a mild step up from the motherboard, true they don't have hardware support for EAX games, but you don't get that on Vista/7 anyway, for the highest sound quality Asus is the way to go, Creative/Auzentech don't even come near, but as has been said Asus cards can't be buggy for some people, though im sure thats more fault of the users.

Me though, my Xonar D2X gives me perfect positional 5.1 for every game i play through DTS, or 7.1 through analogue with no crashes in any game, and music playback only better by the Xonar Essence STX.

Wow, keep it civil guys
Flukester, what features and which games do you think benefit from having either the X-Fi Titanium or Auzentech Prelude?

 

stay out of my shizzle innit, tell it to the other guy, I responded with the atitude that was directed towards me, I nvr started. AIGHT


Other than that, thanks for the advice.

Edited by MOD.

 

ROGER SORRY lol tis like putting naked flame in a gas station if I feel I have detected any atitude in my general direction

my bad

and interesting post redemption, SPECIALLY this bit

now, I wonder, I bet ur not using headphones r u, tbh after MUCH reading on here and other forums, I am starting to break it down, with regards to MY situation.

1) Dolby Headphone vs CMSS-3D
2) WHICH card has best/most reliable SUPPORT for positional audio/directsound in Vista/W7
3) Driver Quality/Support.

 

Just with the sort of language your throwing about, your likely to put people off as they will think your a EDIT, or the thread will end up getting locked, so you may want to edit the monkey bit lol.

 

NEVER ! I found it funny! lol (dw I am well aware I am entirely NOT funny mind )

 

I been using my Xonar HDAV1.3 for a very long time, I havent ran into any GX/DSGX issues in my games, all my games work just fine with it on. Also I have not had any positonal issues and for me postional sound been great for me.
I Dont have problems with it in my XP boot which I use for recording Music from my casio nor when I use it to game aftewards. I also Dont have issues with it in Vista or windows 7 build 7600 beta.EAX5 emulation been working great for me even if its not perfect in some games. Still good enough for me since I not EAX5 picky any more.Nor care able not having eax3-4.

For the People that keep saying xonars are a mild step up from on board no offense but you need to get there ears check And stop trying to confuse people. Your not helping with bs Xonar DX/DS D2X are not mild setups from onboards why would you even say that.STX/ST/HDAV1.3 Def better then onboard some of you guys dont make sense at all. And just look like you just posting just to be posting.

Also the DS edition should have dolby headphone, I dont see why it wouldnt. it wouldnt make sense for it to not have it. Also the main feature the DS has which the DX doesnt is swapable Op-amps for the front dip socket. So you can change the signature of your sound. But if you can find the DX its fine as since you prolly not gonna care about the dip8 op-amp swaping feature any way. As the DS was supposey a replacement for the DX.

Other then Xonars I would also recommend Forte but remember the forte uses the X-FI chipset. it does have a headphone amp that supports up to 600ohm headphones. Butif you dont want that because of it using X-FI chipset then the Xonar is your only choice.

As for dolby headphone I like it over CMS3D as CMS3D messed up the sound for me when I was on my prelude, I tend to have it setup as 5.1 in the speaker controll and headphones in the Xonar control panel when I use Dobly headphone as it spreads the sound out when set like that.

 

I edited both posts. We get readers here from different age groups so have some respect for others and watch the language. If you cannot voice your opinion without vulgar rude posting then say nothing or go elsewhere.
It is not funny and is not appreciate by anybody especially the staff here.
Consider yourself warned.

 

Awsome thanks mate.

 

ArCElM, no, i rarely use headphones, spent thousands on HT receivers, speakers and cables, so like to make sure i use them lol, but i have used Dolby Headphone, and fed with a good multichannel signal, it can produce great results.

GenClaymore, all Dolby techs have been removed from the DS to save costs since its a budget card.

 

So for positional audio with headphones and windows 7, my best bet is the Xonar DX? the auzentechs are over twice the price.

I also wish to avoid CMSS-3D anyway after SEVERAL reports of Dolby Headphone being better.

 

I found both technologies great. Really CMSS-3D was designed for gaming and Dolby Headphone was designed for music/movies.
I used DH for gaming for a long time and used CMSS3D for gaming....both are pretty good for gaming using stero headphones.

 

More or less agreed. Don't go Creative (I can't belive they STILL don't support 192Khz playback...even my Razer could pull that off...), at least go Auzentech.

The only issue with the DX is that its a watered down D2, so in terms of quality, the Forte probably beats it by a smidge. That being said, the Forte costs around twice as much, and quality is comprable between the two. I have yet to have a major issue with EAX emulation (except for a single non supported EAX 4 title), and the quality of audio is astounding to me.

To me the order is (remember, I will NEVER recommend Creative):
Razer Barracuda (PCI)
HT Omega (PCI)
Auzentech Prelude (PCI)
ASUS Xonar DX (PCI-E w/ bridge chip)
ASUS Xonar D2/D2X (D2 = PCI; D2X = PCI-E w/ bridge chip)
ASUS HDAV 1.3 (PCI-E)
Auzentech Forte (PCI-E)
ASUS STX Essence (PCI-E)

Theres a ton of reviews out for the D2/D2X, DX, Prelude, Forte, and Essence to compare with. It really comes down to feature set between all the cards. I went with the D2 over the Forte simply because I didn't want to put up with Alchemy; thats how close the cards match up.

 

Creative has pretty much went to the bottom of the line up now. Their cards are really built for entry level and budget minded consumers who want hardware gaming features.

At one time they offered the best gaming cards based on hardware gaming features but now that is the domain of Auzentech. For sound quality they cannot compete with ASUS or Auzentech so their market share is becoming smaller and smaller everyday.