New PC Audio Setup - Need some advise

[Kill_Seeker]

Hiya's,

I'm upgrading my PC audio and I need some advise please.

I currently have a Creative Audigy card (version 1 or something old) and a set of old 5.1 speakers that only have 7watts RMS per speaker.

I'm upgrading my speakers to the Logitech Z-5500 THX 5.1 Speakers and I need to find a good sound card to use with them for Gaming + music + movies.

What can you guys recommend?

I've been reading heaps about the CMI8788 chips and read some people say they have issues with processing audio that creative can just eat up. Is that just crap or what? Also with some of the CMI chips they dont process the information on the card like creative does and rely heavily on your CPU to do the work which in turn impacts on your overall frame rates.. (is this really true?)

Also I've read a little on Dolby Digital Live. And thought maybe this is something I should look at getting to get the most out of my Z5500's but I'm just not sure?

I'm a bit of a n00b when it comes to understand all of this stuff so I thought you guys might be able to offer some assistance.

Some cards I've been looking at so far are:

HT Omega Striker 7.1
HT Omega Claro 7.1
HT Omega Claro + 7.1
Bluegears b-Enspirer 7.1
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer 7.1

What do you guys recommend?

Many thanks,

Kill_Seeker

 

[ashmedai]

As I recall, those take digital input. I'd just use that, the DAC in their controller will probably give you a better result than you could get with most computer audio cards. Not as good as you could get with a receiver, but better than a sound card. And with digital out, it doesn't much matter what is doing the outputting.

EAX may be the only other factor worth looking at, but it's not one I've looked into much.