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Slizza
Posts: 2345
Location: Bulgaria
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 Posted: Sun, 26th Feb 2012 00:01 Post subject: |
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Should have got the Essence ST/STX instead. Better card for the money. The titanium is good, but the ST/STX is better where it counts for that price range.
As for headsets - They are OK, but really not all that great. If audio quality is really a concern you are better off buying $150-$200 good studio cans and then just get like a clip on mic or something.
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Slizza
Posts: 2345
Location: Bulgaria
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| Posted: Sun, 26th Feb 2012 00:34 Post subject: |
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Had a xonar.. nothing but problems. so switched to the X-FI and it's all been roses.
Past creative cards i owned were a nightmare with drivers so i was dubious when i got it.
Corsair 750D :: 750W DPS-G:: Asus x370 PRO :: R7 1800X ::16gb DDR4 :: GTX 1070::525gb SSD::Coolermaster 240MM AIO::
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garus
VIP Member
Posts: 34200
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| Posted: Sun, 26th Feb 2012 00:49 Post subject: |
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snip
Last edited by garus on Tue, 27th Aug 2024 21:20; edited 1 time in total
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| Posted: Sun, 26th Feb 2012 02:09 Post subject: |
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| Slizza wrote: | Had a xonar.. nothing but problems. so switched to the X-FI and it's all been roses.
Past creative cards i owned were a nightmare with drivers so i was dubious when i got it. |
I find that hard to beleive. The Asus cards are bullet proof on the driver side. Minimal interface, small footprint, and do exactly what they need to do. On the other hand, the Creative driver suite is a massive software bloat with superfluous applications.
The ST/STX is -the- card right now.
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Slizza
Posts: 2345
Location: Bulgaria
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| Posted: Sun, 26th Feb 2012 15:12 Post subject: |
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Wrong. They have issues like everybody else.
Much happier with the X-FI, only switching between entertainment and game mode is a pain. But at least my sound is actually working now and sounds great, while the xonar would just cut out mid game.
Corsair 750D :: 750W DPS-G:: Asus x370 PRO :: R7 1800X ::16gb DDR4 :: GTX 1070::525gb SSD::Coolermaster 240MM AIO::
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Werelds
Special Little Man
Posts: 15098
Location: 0100111001001100
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| Posted: Sun, 26th Feb 2012 15:18 Post subject: |
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| Mchart wrote: | I find that hard to beleive. The Asus cards are bullet proof on the driver side. Minimal interface, small footprint, and do exactly what they need to do. On the other hand, the Creative driver suite is a massive software bloat with superfluous applications.
The ST/STX is -the- card right now. |
If you're a retard and install them all, sure. All I've got installed is the console and the driver; console doesn't even have to load on startup for anything to work. It switches to headphone mode perfectly fine when I plug my headset in. The driver does all that work anyway, not the console. So bloat? I have nothing loading on startup, control everything through the built-in Windows audio control..where's the bloat exactly?
Quite satisfied with my X-Fi Titanium as well. All this nonsense about driver bloat is just that, it's like complaining about <insert random freeware> coming with Ask/Google/Yahoo toolbars and/or browser start pages. I don't use the preset modes though, I've got my own equaliser setup which is a bit more balanced than the presets.
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LeoNatan
☢ NFOHump Despot ☢
Posts: 73213
Location: Ramat Gan, Israel 🇮🇱
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| Posted: Sun, 26th Feb 2012 17:12 Post subject: |
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HD-555 are still much better.  garus go for them.
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garus
VIP Member
Posts: 34200
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| Posted: Sun, 26th Feb 2012 17:42 Post subject: |
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snip
Last edited by garus on Tue, 27th Aug 2024 21:20; edited 1 time in total
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| Posted: Sun, 26th Feb 2012 17:57 Post subject: |
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Seems Sennheiser has the HD-555s listed as archived indeed. I guess there is some kind of a replacement model available (HD558 looks like - look for that).
Can't say much about the new ones, but HD555 is something I use myself, and they are quite good. They are open back though, so if sound leakage is an issue, you'll need to look for closed back alternatives.
Also those are priced higher than your typical headsets. It's still what you might call a midrange for phones of that class though.
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garus
VIP Member
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| Posted: Sun, 26th Feb 2012 18:00 Post subject: |
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snip
Last edited by garus on Tue, 27th Aug 2024 21:20; edited 1 time in total
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| Posted: Mon, 27th Feb 2012 18:04 Post subject: |
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| Werelds wrote: | | Mchart wrote: | I find that hard to beleive. The Asus cards are bullet proof on the driver side. Minimal interface, small footprint, and do exactly what they need to do. On the other hand, the Creative driver suite is a massive software bloat with superfluous applications.
The ST/STX is -the- card right now. |
If you're a retard and install them all, sure. All I've got installed is the console and the driver; console doesn't even have to load on startup for anything to work. It switches to headphone mode perfectly fine when I plug my headset in. The driver does all that work anyway, not the console. So bloat? I have nothing loading on startup, control everything through the built-in Windows audio control..where's the bloat exactly?
Quite satisfied with my X-Fi Titanium as well. All this nonsense about driver bloat is just that, it's like complaining about <insert random freeware> coming with Ask/Google/Yahoo toolbars and/or browser start pages. I don't use the preset modes though, I've got my own equaliser setup which is a bit more balanced than the presets. |
Thats fine then. It still doesn't change the fact that the STX has better specifications on every front. Granted, the Titanium HD costs less and does have EAX support. (Worthless to most people now though.)
Last edited by Mchart on Mon, 27th Feb 2012 19:12; edited 1 time in total
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Werelds
Special Little Man
Posts: 15098
Location: 0100111001001100
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| Posted: Mon, 27th Feb 2012 19:19 Post subject: |
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Yeah, just made an edit on that. I think you agree that EAX is pretty much dead. The only game in recent memory that I would actually miss it in is BF2 - But I don't play BF2 anymore since BF3 came out, and EAX up to version 4.0 is supported by the ST/STX anyways. So you are only missing out on a very limited number of older titles.
In the end, i'd rather have the STX due to the superior audio quality. I have my left/right channel outputs on the STX going to an older Marantz stereo amp which then goes into my good pair of B&W loudspeakers. On the headsetfront I have a Beyerdynamic MMX 300 for the times when I need the headset. I have some decent headphones, but given the quality of the MMX 300's and the fact that my stereo setup is so good - I really only use the MMX 300's now. Sure, they aren't as good as Beyerdynamic's high impedance studio headphones.. But if I care about audio quality i've got my amp + B&W's.
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Werelds
Special Little Man
Posts: 15098
Location: 0100111001001100
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| Posted: Mon, 27th Feb 2012 19:49 Post subject: |
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Yeah, EAX is pretty much dead nowadays. There's still some stuff using OpenAL, but very few developers even give a shit about audio anymore since most of their audience doesn't either.
Still, you've got a good audio setup; that's hardly comparable to a "crap" (sorry for derailing it Slizza, audiophiles at work  ) headset like the above - or any other headset for that matter. I say "crap" because I find that some headsets actually produce pretty decent audio; by no means comparable to any half-decent pair of headphones, but decent nonetheless. Good enough for a simple gaming session; especially in a game like BF, where a lot of work went into the audio (the only thing I liked about older BF games and the thing I like most about BF3 - unrivaled);
Boasting a pair of old Bose speakers and AKAI amp from way back in the 80's here
Cost my dad 2 grand back then and it still kicks ass. Good speakers really do last a lifetime, only had to replace the front texture on one of them once in the 28 years these have been in use. The amp probably isn't the very best (although it's AKAI before they turned to shit), but still beats the crap out of any average x.1 speaker set "amp" you can buy now.
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Slizza
Posts: 2345
Location: Bulgaria
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| Posted: Tue, 28th Feb 2012 00:31 Post subject: |
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ST/STX Superior audio quality? it has a better DAC.. but is it noticeably much better than the X-FI? No.
It's a good alternative these days that we didn't have before but it's no clear winner by any meaningful degree.
I just shifted my Old Denon PMA 350 MKII amp and wharfdales recently.
Those were pretty sweet.
On topic, according to most reviews i have read the Asus headset is comparible to some more expensive studio cans. Though i wont be using them for anything other than games.
I look forward to testing them tomorrow. Can always return them if theyare disappointing.
Corsair 750D :: 750W DPS-G:: Asus x370 PRO :: R7 1800X ::16gb DDR4 :: GTX 1070::525gb SSD::Coolermaster 240MM AIO::
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| Posted: Tue, 28th Feb 2012 18:00 Post subject: |
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| Slizza wrote: | ST/STX Superior audio quality? it has a better DAC.. but is it noticeably much better than the X-FI? No.
It's a good alternative these days that we didn't have before but it's no clear winner by any meaningful degree.
I just shifted my Old Denon PMA 350 MKII amp and wharfdales recently.
Those were pretty sweet.
On topic, according to most reviews i have read the Asus headset is comparible to some more expensive studio cans. Though i wont be using them for anything other than games.
I look forward to testing them tomorrow. Can always return them if theyare disappointing. |
No, it is a clear winner by measurable and factual 'degrees'. Besides SNR the THD+N (Total Harmonic Distortion) are orders of magnitude cleaner on the ST/STX. SNR is the most advertised number, but it means little if the distortion doesn't keep on par. The Titanium HD is a very good card though. It /isn't/ better by any margin besides EAX support and price, however.
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Frant
King's Bounty
Posts: 24642
Location: Your Mom
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| Posted: Tue, 28th Feb 2012 19:02 Post subject: |
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Hmm, SB-drivers used to be bloated but for my X-Fi Platinum everything is separate. Driver set only contains driver and setting console, the rest are separate downloads (and there are lots of stuff to download if you choose to).
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!
"The sky was the color of a TV tuned to a dead station" - Neuromancer
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Werelds
Special Little Man
Posts: 15098
Location: 0100111001001100
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| Posted: Tue, 28th Feb 2012 19:24 Post subject: |
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Creative moved away from the stupid "MUST INSTALL ALL THE THINGS" strategy years ago.
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Slizza
Posts: 2345
Location: Bulgaria
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| Posted: Thu, 1st Mar 2012 00:16 Post subject: |
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Just to say here after a couple days with this headset it lives up to the reviews i read.
Only thing i would change and i don't think it was touched on in the reviews is i would like the in-line volume controller to be a bit more resistant to turning. you can adjust volume by lightly brushing over it.
V minor flaw though and i'm happy with the purchase.
Corsair 750D :: 750W DPS-G:: Asus x370 PRO :: R7 1800X ::16gb DDR4 :: GTX 1070::525gb SSD::Coolermaster 240MM AIO::
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| Posted: Thu, 8th Mar 2012 11:18 Post subject: |
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| garus wrote: | Seems HD 4X9 is more in my alley. HD 419,429,439,449.
Worst part is, there's nowhere I can try them before buying. And I already bought ones without trying and I regret that. |
You live in Poland, so you guys also should have that EU standard that you can return orders in 14 days without any cost, right? Why not just order some headphones at Amazon, try them out for 2 weeks and then send most of them back?
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All times are GMT + 1 Hour |
). Both have pros and cons; but if I'm perfectly honest, a headset will never make such a soundcard be worth it. No headset I've ever tried sounds anywhere near as good as a pair of proper headphones.
