SBX using either an X7 or G6 indeed works with any amp via line out or any spdif capable dac/amp via optical out. Creative's Super X-Fi is frustratingly more limited but superior in its virtual surround capability. There is no digital line out, you have to double amp with all Super X-Fi...
I too have tried almost every commercially available virtual surround solution and have the total opposite opinion. It's a subjective field given how the science of it works, so I think we both can be "right" because we both hear different things. I can say Super X-Fi and Out of Your Head, which...
Look into HRTF. It's a deep rabbit hole but basically: you can simulate, with delay and EQ tricks, the sounds audio makes as it enters our ears and travels around our heads in a way to trick your brain into thinking the sound is actually coming from a specific place in space. A simple example is...
I have the bluetooth versions of those. They're great and your wife has good taste. :)
If not those I'd second the JBL LSR305. I also have them and they're also great. A little more neutral I'd say.
It's really not meant for music. There is no reason to use this for listening to music and if you do, particularly if you use headphones not on its list, yeah I am not surprised it is not going to sound like what you like. You're taking a 2 channel recording and simulating it coming out of 7...
I have the Super X-Fi dongle. Same tech. Amazing little device, I can't game without it. It really is a very realistic virtual surround experience, particularly if you have headphones on their list. (There is a large number of headphones supported, including popular ones like Sennheiser 650...
That remains to be seen. Many big companies have come out of these just fine. Microsoft is basically just doing the exact same thing that got it into trouble 20 years ago. (I.e. shoving its browser down everyone's throats).
Anyone else's top plate bow slightly in the middle? I can't figure out why, unless it is a size issue (too small) or is it because the riser if pushing on it?
The Respawn guys are the guys who did MOHAA for EA 20 years ago, went on to wild success with the Call of Duty series, had a nasty divorce with Activision...and are now back at EA doing MoH again. What a world!
Gigabyte is making a blower style 3090 that will fit.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/gigabyte-geforce-rtx-3090-blower-gpu
It might melt your house, but it will fit!
The 3090 is just not an SFF friendly card. Size, power draw, all of it.
Even the 3080 is pushing it in a lot of cases. All the SF PSU's are already or are going to get crazy expensive. And the FE fan design is kind of an issue for small cases.
I really want one of these cards but I am looking...