Sound-Card Question, Please Help!

[vegettoxp]

Hello there Guys, I just needed you guys help in this really hard decision for me. As some of you may know, I am building a new system and I was look into which Sound Card I should get. I have been using Creative Labs Sound cards in the past, but when Vista came out, Creative really p***ed me off. There drivers were really bad and I made a decision that in my new PC I wasn’t gona put Creative Sound Card. But for some reason, Creative Keeps coming in my head and know I am not sure which way to go. This is where I need your guys help. If you guys can threw in your two cents, which would really help me make my final decision on which soundcard to get.

Here is a quick description of what this soundcard will be used for. I am not a Hard-Core Gamer, but I do play games. Mostly Need For Speed Titles and Madden. I might play some other titles, if I find something interesting. I listen to a lot of music, watch DVD and TV.

So after reading this, Which Soundcard would you guys recommend me. Remember I am gona be running Vista as my OS (64Bit System). If you guys can help me out this decision, it would really help me out.

My List of Sound Card:

ASUS Xonar D2X PCI-X Version

Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic

Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series

Sound Blaster® X-Fi Platinum Fatal1ty Champion Series

Sound Blaster X-Fi™ Fatal1ty FPS

If you guys have any other recommendations, please let me know those too. Thx for all you help guys!

[419cyclist]

Unless you're a musician, just stick with the soundcard in your new motherboard. The casual user's soundcard is dead.

[slipk487]

i have a x-fi extreme gamer. suites my needs perfect. i use it for gaming, music, and videos. i haddnt come across any problems running it in both x86 and x64 vista.

i would say anything about the extreme gamer is a bit overkill but its all up to the user. dont know much about the extreme music card tho. i know that on the extreme gamer the felxijack is also an optical output but you need a special adapter from creative.

the nice thing about the ASUS card is that it has a hardware decoder/encoder for Dolby®/DTS sound. i have read nothing but good review for that card to. was thinking of getting that card but when it came down to getting a sound card i didnt have much cash to spare.

still saving up to upgrade. thinking of getting that card. the only problem with that card is that it only supports EAX1/2.

Edited February 15, 2008 by slipk487