Upgrade from Prelude, mostly for gaming

[bobn4burton]

So I've been considering a soundcard upgrade. I've been using the Auzentech Prelude for the last few years and its worked ok. Wondering what would be better?

I've been using Audio Technica AD-700's for my gaming headphones with use of Creatives Virtual headphone surround (similar to Dolby Headphone).

So a couple questions...is a 'virtual surround sound' option still a good way to go? If so, which card would be good that supports this?

Been out of the loop for a while on the sound card front...so not sure what is the best these days...

 

[Redshirt #24]

Even now, the Prelude is probably still a perfectly viable card (it apparently has some nice DACs and opamps, AIUI)...if it's working and rock-solid, I'd consider sticking with it.

That said, the best--hey, you used that word first--sound card you'll probably find nowadays is the Sound Blaster ZxR. (Its closest direct competitor, the Asus Xonar Phoebus, is a case of good-to-great hardware kneecapped by wonky support for various issues; there are multiple threads about that in here.) It's also upwards of $200. I'm not sure if the lower cards in the Z series, the stock Z and Zx, would do as well with headphones as the ZxR reportedly does...somebody will likely be along to answer that part of things shortly.