Sound Card - PCIE

[Fester]

I'm looking for a PCIE sound card (not many options from what I've seen). I can't decide between creative labs and Asus Xonar sound cards. The sound card MUST be PCIE, as my motherboard doesn't have any PCI slots. I pretty much always use my Sennheiser 558 headphones as well. Any advice would be appreciated. Here's the items I already bought for my first PC build:

HARDWARE

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I53570K
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504

Motherboard: ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131821

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 670 FTW 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card 02G-P4-2678-KR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130787

Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Black 1 TB SATA III 7200 RPM 64 MB Cache Internal Desktop Hard Drive Bulk/OEM - WD1002FAEX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

CPU Cooler: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with latest Intel 2011/1366/1155 and AMD FM1/AM3+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

SSD Hard Drive: Crucial M4 CT128M4SSD2 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=20-148-442

Memory: CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Profile Desktop Memory Model CML8GX3M2A1600C9
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233186

Optical Drive: Lite-On LightScribe 24X SATA DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive IHAS424-98 - Retail (Black)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106335

Monitor: Dell UltraSharp U2412M Black IPS Panel 24" 8ms Pivot, Swivel & Height Adjustable LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 DC 2,000,000:1 (1000:1) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824260047

Speaker: DELL UltraSharp and Professional Series 468-7412 10 W 2.0 AX510 Flat Panel Stereo SoundBar http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836260002&Tpk=Dell AX510

Case: Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl w/ USB 3.0 ATX Mid Tower Silent PC Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352020
Sound Card: ?

Power Supply: ?

Head Phones: Sennheiser HD 558 Headphones
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826106515

SOFTWARE

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Productivity Suite: Office 2010 Home & Student Edition

 

[KILLER_K]

Problem solved. Unless you have a budget on the sound card? Asus sound cards have zero support stay clear of them.
Sound Blaster ZxR

 

[atarione]

if you are going to be using it w/ headphones how about something external ? dac /headphone amp

I own the FiiO E07K / E09K very nice... nice to have the headphone jack right on my desk also.


but many other options (some less or about the cost of that CL card)

http://www.amazon.com/AUNE-T1-DECOR...dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1


or the schiit modi/magni

http://www.amazon.com/Schiit-SCH-07...ie=UTF8&qid=1380755487&sr=1-1&keywords=schiit

http://www.amazon.com/Modi-USB-Digital-Analog-Convertor/dp/B00CICPN0K/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_y


or $60~ use the optical out on the motherboard and this thing (well and you'll need an optical cable obviously)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NW-SMSL-SD-..._Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item4ac43da35e

 

[Redshirt #24]

Since majax79 is using just a basic stereo soundbar, I think you're on to something. A simple DAC using digital output, apart from adding some cable clutter, might be the most inexpensive way to drive both that and those Sennheisers apart from finding something on the cheap like the Xonar DGX--that said, that recommendation does go back to KILLER_K's comment about Asus's support for its sound cards; their driver releases now are almost as infrequent as Creative's were a year or so ago for all but one or two of their high-end cards (OTOH, there are some Daniel K-style custom drivers for the lower-end models that generally work pretty well).

 

[Mchart]

Asus's driver releases are infrequent for the Xonar's but they are stable and IMO haven't needed an update in the past two years anyways.

Been rocking a STX for three years now with no issue.

If you are looking at a ZxR i'd think long and hard about not getting the STX instead.

 

[cageymaru]

Asus's driver releases are infrequent for the Xonar's but they are stable and IMO haven't needed an update in the past two years anyways.

Been rocking a STX for three years now with no issue.

If you are looking at a ZxR i'd think long and hard about not getting the STX instead.

Stay away from the Xonar Phoebus if you run Win 8 64. There isn't a driver out yet that allows you to use the built in music player that ships with the OS. Because they are too unstable to pass MS WHQL certification, the music apps ban you from using them. I haven't owned the STX or cheap Xonar so I can't comment on those. But the Phoebus is a complete turd for Win 8 64 drivers, and the control box isn't warrantied by Asus.

 

[Mchart]

Stay away from the Xonar Phoebus if you run Win 8 64. There isn't a driver out yet that allows you to use the built in music player that ships with the OS. Because they are too unstable to pass MS WHQL certification, the music apps ban you from using them. I haven't owned the STX or cheap Xonar so I can't comment on those. But the Phoebus is a complete turd for Win 8 64 drivers, and the control box isn't warrantied by Asus.

I do know from reading reviews the Phoebus is a turd in general. Bad software and the hardware is too expensive for what it is.

The basic Xonar cards and the ST/STX are solid though.

 

[ta addict#2]

my D2X is sounding great with the UNi Xonar drivers and the low DPC install in 8.1 RTM
a 2.1 setup with anolog out to a Carver TFM 55x(400w RMS per channel)to a pair of Bose 901 series IV and an SVS Ultra2 sub(1000w peak,dual 12" drivers)
music and movie content all sound nice,no gaming with this setup so that could be lacking

 

[OFaceSIG]

Unless you can magically find a X-Fi titanium HD somewhere definitely get a Creative Zx or ZxR if you can afford it.

 

[IdiotInCharge]

I'll be keepin' on keepin' on with my HD555's and X-Fi Fatal1ty- I'd replace it with a Z-something if the card died, but I'm keeping the cans until I can afford something actually better along with the gear to make use of it.