Z890 - want BETTER sound-card. Creative X-Fi Go?

Have a Sony Z. Running Bose MusicMonitor speakers for travel. Picked up the incredibly highly rated Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 which I won't be keeping because the Bose sounds about as good when plugged into the headphone jack of the BW. BW does have a small incremental better presence because of slightly greater bass extension. I realize that the BW has a better audio card than the Sony Z.

It makes the Bose almost exactly like the BW which is an incredible achievement as the Bose is less than half the size of the BW. It's a bit more 'tube like' in a fatter rounder sound without loosing clarity. Very nice!

So now I'd like to pick up a USB or ExpressCard audio card that is better than the Vaio Z890's internal sound card.

Would the Creative X-Fi Go work?

Or should I look at something else?

Thanks,
UL

 

Creative Soundblaster X-Fi is worse than what you already have.
Not only does the ExpressCard version lack the DSP and uses the CPU for doing all the effects in software, but Creative cards resample absolutely everything to 48 kHz, which is especially noticeable when the source is 44.1 kHz (because they rates are relatively close, resampling gives moire-like artifacts, much like you get moire patterns when two angles are relatively close).

Echo Indigo IOx is IMO a better choice.

But then again, I don't agree with your speaker choice either, so you might be perfectly happy with a Soundblaster.

 

The Creative X-Fis are all derivatives of the EMU 1212M except the analogue inputs/outputs don't electronically balance and the plugs are the consumer RCA type rather than the 1212M's TRS type (big looking headphone jack with tip, ring and sleave).

The soundcard is just the input/AD/DA/output stage and thats about it really. Sampling theorem is pretty well understood at this point, such that most soundcards are capable of sampling at rates and bit depths far in excess of what is practicable or detectable by the human ear. You can however spend an absolute fortune if you really want to but I wouldn't expect a dramatic increase in sound quality from a soundcard. It samples analogue signals and it interpolates/reconstructs an analogue signal from samples. An important job if you want to get sound into and out of computer memory/permanent storage but barring any sort of design fault, electrical fault or the presence of interference or ground related problems theres not really going to give you much WOW for your bucks. Really, if you are spending any sort of money on a soundcard its usually because you need the connectivity or you need a house sync or an all in one recording solution with proper preamps and everything.

If you want a sudden and dramatic change in what you hear, try bigger, more powerful speakers and/or get a sub. Another thing you can do that will result in a dramatic change for the better is to think about redesigning your listening area or moving into a different one with more pleasant acoustics.

 

Thanks to both of you for your help.

As to my choice of speakers, I'm all ears if you have a better option for PORTABLE SIZED travel speakers. I travel with these for a few months out of a year and they are for near field listening in hotels as I sit working at my laptop. The Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 is already on the large side of what I'd like. To me, they are surprisingly decent for near field listening. If you have better suggestions, I'm all ears.

As to sound card - I think the problem is not the sound card in the laptops but the amps driving them. I thought that the USB soundcards may have better output. Perhaps I am wrong. I've been reading many dozens of reviews from both consumer and 'professional' reviewers and generally, there seem to be consensus that the X-Fi Go is better than laptop headphone jack.

I'm not trying to argue - I really am trying to find the best solution for my needs to give a better output for my travel speakers.

Thanks in advance for any further discussion and insight.

UL

 

Have you considered a good set of headphones?
I'd take a pair of decent open headphones over any speakers small enough to lug around.
So what if my Grado cans make me look like a total dweeb? They still sound better than anything costing less than $2000 (and that includes my studio monitors). Even my $80 Koss Porta Pro ultra-light travel headphones are superior to most small speakers.

Small speakers simply can't move enough air at listening distance (although those in the Vaio laptops are worse than most, I give you that).

 

Yes indeed, have headphones. However, I also want some room filling sound when I'm traveling and away from my family. I may not always be at the desk so that's where the speakers come in. It is no hi-fi but it is surprising how much sound these small speakers can put out for near field. The room filling is simply a bonus. Yes, the larger speakers definitely push more air - no question about that. No substitute for size but the tech wizardy for these $400 and $500 speakers is not too bad. With good sound card output, I think I can push out better results.

UL

 

The best solution for a laptop is to go optical out into your hifi or the nicest soundsystem in your house. Theres nearly always an RCA aux in on the back somewhere.

For mobility you are better off with headphones. I use Shure SE310s, SE420s and Senn CX300s but again you can spend an insane amount of money on custom in ear monitors if you have the means (i.e. JH16 pros). You can also go the cans route.

In all cases, headphones largely eliminate the influence of your environment on the sound you hear which can be good and bad. Imagine yourself in a cave, a bathroom, a padded room and a church all of which have different reverberant characteristics, damping etc, some more desirable than others. Headphones with good isolation (generally ones that seal the ear canal or envelop the outer ear) largely eliminate all of that (both the desirable and undesirable) as well as certain other undesirables mostly related to bass in untreated rooms.

Downside is that panning/directional effects can be weird in headphones unless its binaural recording (see virtual barber shop). I prefer to use speakers where possible and I prefer in ear monitors to cans but its a personal thing. Your ears will adjust fairly quickly to whatever you are listening to, in the environment you are listening to so its rarely a problem for me.