A better soundcard for a notebook?

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Notebook (ExpressCard)
or
Creative SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS för Notebook (PC-Card)​

First of all I don't know if these two are compatible with my notebook, but say they are. Do they bring some performance difference to my gaming?

Better sound I hope, but less CPU usage?



CreX

 

Looking at Creative's website, it looks like the X-Fi Xtreme Audio goes into an ExpressCard/54 slot, and the Audigy 2 ZS is a PCMCIA card.
Searching for specifications on your notebook ( Znote 6324W), it has an expresscard slot. So you'd want the X-Fi Xtreme Audio card.

As for improved performance; I don't think a sound card will have a noticeable impact on performance when you play a game, just better sound.

 

X-Fi Audio is the option for you(BTW I remember NBR have review about X-Fi Notebook edition....Read it)

 

Okey! Thanks! But it do have better sound than the built in "RealTek High Definition"?

 

Generally, external sound cards are better than the ones that come with a notebook.
This really depends on you though and how much of an audiophile you are. If you're satisfied with the sound from your current card, why bother buying a new one?
Also, what speakers do you have?

I wasn't happy with the sound quality of my sound card so I bought a USB card:

That's what I use and it works great.
You'll have better sound with an external card, the real question is do you need it and will you notice it?

 

First, the review answered all my questions.
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3847

Well on my desktop there is a HUGE difference between my integrated and my Creative Audigy. When I listen to music and play games like WoW. Even tho I only use a headset and no fancy speakers.

But I doubt it is the same difference in this notebook case. Since the Realtek HD should be a lot better then the integrated in my desktop.

 

Realtek HD is pretty good. Its on par with using some of the lower-mid end usb sound cards.

 

Hmm.. okey. I still want to test it myself though.... but the card is kind of expensive.

 

The Audigy is better than the X-fi, as it's not a proper X-Fi, but a X-fi Audio, a rebranded Audigy SE, meaning no hardware sound processing. Still as it's not available for Expresscards, that kinda limits you.

 

Just to bring up this discussion. The sound quality when playing music is way worse on my laptop compared to my old desktop with an OLD Soundblaster Live 5.1. And I'm using the same headset so it's not about that.

So the question is, could it be worth purchase a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Notebook after all? I HOPE it has the same and even better sound quality as my old Soundblaster.

Any suggestions?

 

If you're not satisfied with the sound from your current onboard soundcard, I would certainly look into an external sound card.
I have no experience with that sound card, though I have a few friends who have used Creative sound cards before and they're very satisfied with it.
Try to read some reviews online about it, or look at the m-audio sound card I suggested above (I recommend it).

 

Okey, I'll will! Thanks man.

 

If good headphone sound is important to you check out:

www.head-fi.org

Tons of info on all things headphone related.

Check out the Ray Samuels Predator, it's a USB DAC w/amp designed to power headphones, could be just the thing for you. It's a bit pricey but if it's the type of solution you're looking for there are plenty more to chose from moving down the price spectrum.

 

Cool. Thanks man! Is that Predator thing a soundcard with USB connector?

 

Yes,the Predator is a 'soundcard' - of sorts. It will take the digital audio signal from the USB port and convert it to analog (DAC). Then it will amplify it to drive just about any headphone on the market. Keep in mind, you only get stereo from this device, after all, it's designed strictly for headphone use.

After a fair bit of reasearch, I've heard several times that the cleanest, unaltered digital signal comes out the USB port. There are many other devices like this one that can take the digital signal from other ports ie, coax or spdif. Some are portable some aren't.

 

I've been looking for an external sound card for my laptop as well. I've looked at the creative offerings and it seems like there are a lot of driver issues (the usual from creative) so I decided to go with a set of logitech usb speakers.

Specifically...

Logitech Z Cinema USB Speakers

 

heh i'm not sure he's looking for a sound card that is 400+, since the predator like you said is a USB DAC w/ amp and is really meant to be used with audiophile headphones. I have a Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...118107&Tpk=turtle+beach+audio+advantage+micro

which for me removed all the electronic noise that I could hear from the laptop when paired with the headphones that I used with it. I didn't bother installing the software either. ASIO4ALL + foobar = clean noise free music. Either way, by using a USB external sound card you will get noise free sound.

The one I mentioned is only 25 bucks

 

I'd be careful. There are a lot of negative reviews on that product.

I use the GWC 5.1 units. Have 2 of them so far and they are plug and play. There is almost no way it can't work.

 

negative? i plug it in and it works...a lot of ppl say that they have to use the software which is bull..i only speak for XP, but some users have reported issues with USB1.0 (which is rare nowadays) or problems with vista. Either way, I bought this because I needed a USB soundcard and not for the garbage software that fakes 5.1 or other useless effects

 

Anyone knows anything about this product?
SteelSeries Siberia Full-size Headset White

Comes with nice looking headset and a USB 2.0 soundcard.

Code:

SOUNDCARD:
USB: 2.0
Surround sound: Virtual 7.1
Equalizer: 12 channels
Jack: 2 x 3.5 mm (USB cable included)
Operating systems: Win XP/Vista/Win 2000/Win 98/Win ME/Mac OS

 

Interesting find there Crex. Made in Sweden. Available from Dell for $67.99. Might be worth a listen. I wouldn't be expecting Sennheiser HD650 SQ from the 'phones but if ordering from Dell one should be able to return them. Also as jterp pointed out, that soundcard/DAC will be using some form of special effects to fake multi-channel sound; you might like that you might not.

 

Hmm.. okey. Thanks for the info.

 

let me make this clear..a lot..or most of these usb external soundcards on the consumer end come with garbage software. Do what I did and do not even bother installing it. Good soundcards or professional level DAC use hardware to do the work anyways.

 

Sounds correct. But the question is. Would I get better sound with that Steelseries USB soundcard and headset, than with my integrated Realtek HD Audio?

 

i think almost any USB soundcard will be an improvement in some way..for me using a USB DAC(soundcard) removed the noise that is inherent in some laptops through the audio out port. THis is especially noticeable for IEM users, where the headphones are extremely sensitive to noise. The difference in going from my realtek to my turtle beach audio advantage micro was like going from a lot background noise (you can tell when the hard drive is searching for something) to pure silence. Either way, for me, the $20USB soundcard was a nice stand in until I bought a real DAC/AMP for my hd650s (you can do a quick search on these on head-fi.org for more info). In short, I noticed a difference due to my equipment, but if I were using the same headset I used in college for counter strike (lol) it'd probably be a small difference, albeit my college setup was a desktop with a SB Live card

 

i just got my x-fi expresscard and have to say its an amazing imporvment over my integrated realtek HD audio, EAX+crystalizer makes a big difference, CMSS-3d is also pretty nice but only works in some situations (not good for music but great for games for eample). and even though its software driven it still knocked my fps up by a bit

plus i didn't think it use the headphones that came with them, but they're quite an improvment over my logitech headset and ipod earphones so i may be using them for both now (great build quality too)

 

Nice to hear!!! I've been waiting for someone with experience with the X-fi expresscard. I think I'll get one quite soon. Now I only have to start looking for a good headset too.

 

Just thought I should bring up this now since I've bought a Creative F-Fi Xtreme audio Notebook.

The sound quality compared to the integrated Realtek HD is INSANE!
I gave my old Creative HS-900 headset to my brother and bought Sennheizer PC 161. And I must say I'm so happy with the sound right now. Listening to music is a pleasure again!

I REALLY recommend the Creative X-Fi Notebook Audio card!!! All the configuration you can make is awesome! Just make sure to get a good headset too!

I listen both to trance/dance/techno and various metal and the music is just toooooo great atm!

 

Hi... I have a Creative X-fi expresscard... I'm actually selling it. Check the B/S/T Folder later today for an "official" post on it...

I just got the Turtle beach Amigo, and it's nice. Only $40... I paid $75+ for the Expresscard and only used it a few times. I personally prefer the USB card. So I'm selling the creative... just thought I'd throw that out there. I'll have that listing up later today.

Later.