Need some help on a soundcard/headphone combo before Quakecon!

snowysnowcones

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Apr 2, 2006
Messages
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Quakecon is coming up in just a few short days so of course my beloved Turtle Beach HPA2's that I've had for over 6 years now have decided to start crapping out. These had individual drivers in each cup to provide a "true" 5.1 surround sound. How "true" that actually was, I don't really care but, they did provide decent sound for gaming.

I've decided that I don't want to go for another headset with individual drivers, I'd rather just get a decently nice stereo headset and pair it with a sound card (either now or in the future) and use the "virtualized surround sound" that so many sound cards can provide these days.

So I'm in need of a little help here... my budget for both would be around ~$110... as far as headphones go, I think I would like ones that are more "open-ended" because I have read that you get better positional effects from them (also, I don't care a whole lot about tons of bass).

I'm looking at these so far:
Samson SR850
Sennheiser HD419
and JVC RX900

I was also considering the Audio Technica AD700 but they're probably a bit more than I'd like to spend right now...

For sound cards I have no idea, and I'm not entirely sure I should rush into a purchasing decision on this just to get it before Quakecon. General advice on a sound card would be nice. I plan on having a speaker set up as well when I go back to college and if any sound cards have a dedicated headphone/speaker output line that so I can change from speakers to headphones via software that would definitely get my attention (or is there a way to do this with onboard? without actually having to physically unplug one or the other)

Right now I'm using the onboard that came on my ASRock 870 and it's comparable to other onboard that i've used in the past.

If anyone could help me narrow down my choices, add new choices, or if there's any more information that's needed from me, please let me know!! :)

Thanks [H]!
 
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Asus Xonar DX + Samson 850 is going to be the best combo in your budget range. It's what I have now.
 
It's worth considering that you're heading to QuakeCon which isn't the most quiet place in the world. I rarely bring open headphones to a LAN for this very reason.
 
Eh they are not really open. Just ask my wife when she is yelling at me lol.
 
Asus Xonar DX + Samson 850 is going to be the best combo in your budget range. It's what I have now.
Thanks for the quick response! I will start looking into the Xonar DX... are creative sound cards out of the question? Last time I was really considering one was the time Windows Vista was being released and they had so many driver issues.. did they ever get those fixed?

It's worth considering that you're heading to QuakeCon which isn't the most quiet place in the world. I rarely bring open headphones to a LAN for this very reason.
True.. I haven't thought of this.. My Turtle Beach HPA2's aren't totally open or closed but they have preformed well enough at previous Quakecons. I will keep this in mind though!
 
The SR850 are better for precise positional sound cues, the JVC RX700/900 are more fun sounding and more comfortable. Neither's a bad choice and both are so cheap you could easily improve on their shortcomings without fear of messing them up. The JVC will definitely block outside noises better tho...
 
I'll leave most of the headphone suggestions to others, but for the sound card I suggest looking into the Asus Xonar line. Creative cards really don't stack up in many ways any longer (I am unsure about the very newest, but pretty much everything else), especially when you consider price. I am assuming you're in for a PCI-E (likely x1), card. I'm doing this list from memory so I may be forgetting a a few details

The Xonar DGX (I think this one is PCI-E, however if I'm wrong there IS a PCI-E version of this card) is dirt cheap and will give you much better sound quality and options compared to most onboard solutions. Most people can afford to spend $30 and get away from the problems of onboard.
The Xonar DSX is a step up from the DGX , but not quite at the DX level. Gives you 7.1 analog capability up from the DGX 5.1 $40 methinks
The Xonar DX is a great card for the price and a great starting point. If you don't want to spend a ton but want to get a lot back, this is a great card. You'll have support for a higher grade of headphone, 7.1 analog audio, and digital S/PDIF Coax/TOSLINK options too. Think these run about $50-110 last I checked, but I bet lots of people on the forums have these to sell!
I suggest skipping the Xonar D2X and HDAV Deluxe models. They are considerably more expensive, have limits and issues compared to other offerings in the line unless you're looking for some very specific stuff they're kind of outmoded.
The Essence STX (internal) and Essence One (external, USB) are pretty much king of the hill if using high-end headphones (300-600 ohm impedence etc...) is what you're into. Fantastic sound quality, swappable opamps etc... but little support for say, analog speakers as an option, though you do have digital S/PDIF coax/toslink out. If you really want to spend more than 80% of your time on headphones (especially those with Balanced Outputs or big RCA studio plugs) the STX and Essence One have made many people happy. Expensive, in the $150-225 range.

The Sennheiser/Asus Xonar Xense is next, and is the one that I personally own. This is one that I can suggest to you if you want the best of both worlds. It combines ultra high audio quality with multiple chips for various outputs and swappable op-amps, just about nearly at the STX level for headphone use (including 6.3mm studio sized headphone/mic jacks), with full 7.1 analog audio options through a discrete DVI-like breakout converter, and the option of digital coax/TOSLINK at the highest quality levels too. It also includes newer and complete support for technologies like Dolby Digital Live and much more. It is important to note that the Xense package also comes with its own headset included - a custom 6.3mm jacks, audio profile modded version of the Sennheiser PC350, which is amongst the best headsets available in its own right, that stacks up favorably to many headphone options.. Those with more critical ears than mine find the Xense-mod version to be superior to the standard version. The Xense gives you the ability to do a bit of everything at high-end quality for PC audio cards. It can be a bit expensive in the $200-250 range, but considering you're getting the headset too I found it a good deal

RoG Xonar Phoebus - lastly we have the newest option, carrying the RoG branding that Asus puts on their highest end products. The Phoebus seems to be similar to the Xense in many ways when it comes to the card itself, but with a handful of changes such as the loss of the 6.3mm jacks, and changes to audio chips though with a similar SNR. The software package is definitely the newer though. Unlike the Xense this one doesn't come with a headset, but instead a very useful headset breakout box that allows you to place it on your desk and easily connect your phones/headset when you wish and control it from there. This one seems to be available around $180-200.

In summation, my suggestions considering you wish both headphone and speaker options. Don't be afraid to look at the Asus pages for more info. I suggest using the Global designation, not USA as the Phoebus hasn't shown up yet.

Xonar DGX - $20-40, a good budget entry to quality sound
Xonar DSX - $$50-60 - a step up with 7.1 and newer features. MAY have newer options than DX in some cases? - read closely
Xonar DX - $70-80, all around higher quality. Likely a sweet-spot for price/performance. Solid recommendations from many
Xonar Xense w/Senn PC350 headset Xense-mod version - $200+, high end in all categories with upgradable hardware giving it even more potential, software slightly outdated compare to Phoebus.
RoG Xonar Phoebus /w breakout headphone control box - $200, similar to Xense with some trade offs and newer software package. Compare the two closely if you are considering making a choice at this tier.

Enjoy and hope this helps!
 
There's nothing wrong with speaker output on the STX... Other than the fact that you're restricted to stereo over analog (still does 5.1 over digital out). It may also be the only one that can switch from speaker output to headphones without resorting to using a case's front panel output (which is often awful), I believe that's something the OP was looking for...

The card's software actually controls a tiny actuator motor that performs the switch for a cleaner signal (between the RCA line out and the amplified headphone output on the back). I'm not sure if any of the newer X versions have separate speaker/headphone output, none of the older Xonar did.

That being said, the STX is overkill given the OP's budget, unless he intends to step up to higher end headphones eventually; in which case it's actually a pretty good value if you can find it for close to $150 (Newegg puts it on sale every few months). I'm pretty sure the Xense is discontinued and the Phoebus looks like a downgrade from the STX unless you really need analog 5.1 output (in which case you probably don't need a $200 sound card for the PC speakers you're probably using).

TL;DR: Grab a DGX or DSX and if front panel headphone output on your case is disappointing just get a 3.5mm extension cable and run it to your desk along with the speaker's cable and swap manually between that and headphones.
 
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