Changing my setup

[Riddleofsteel]

I have a pair of Equation RP-21's running from an HT Omega Claro Halo sound card. I play games and listen to music in equal amounts, and I do watch movies sometimes.

For games, is the HT Omega lacking in features? At the time, I bought it because I wanted better music quality but I didn't give much heed to gaming features. I've never tested to see if it drops FPS over a different solution, but it might be possible.

Would I be better served to just use an external DAC with a better pair of headphones, and probably sell the Claro? Thanks.

 

[Odin75]

The only real feature it lacks I would say is EAX and CMSS-3D, but those only apply to games. As far as FPS, the difference is not big at all if you have a modern computer.

What is your budget?
If you want the best of both worlds I would recommend you change your soundcard and start with an X-Fi. Since you only plan to use headphones, doesn't matter which one, as long as it has digital out. From there, you decide if you want to use an external DAC and headphone amp, or better headphones. Just make sure the X-Fi has digital, so you are not stuck with their quality in the long run.

But if you want to simplify things, and maybe save a few dollars, you might wait for the Auzen X-Fi HomeTheater HD. That will be the best soundcard with everything you need built in. It supports EAX 5.0, CMSS-3D, and has a headphone amp.
Is it the best? Of course not, but it sure will be the best all-in-one solution.
Is it worth it? That's entirely up to you.

 

[ashmedai]

Features...CMSS-3D maybe, and the fact that it's more limited than an external amp.

I'd go better headphones first, then an external amp, and only then worry about replacing the Claro with an external DAC. Depending on what you want, the last two could overlap e.g. the Compass.

 

[Riddleofsteel]

Yeah, I'd like to get a pair of AKG's but I need to sell some things first. Thanks for the replies.