Sound card for music?

R

Rob Hawkins

New Member
I have an NAD amplifier and JBL speakers that I want to use with my computer for listening to music from MP3 and CD sources.
What would be a compatible sound card to compliment these audiophile grade components? RCA jacks for line out.
Something you've used please. I can read reviews and look at prices. What have you actually tried and liked/didn't like.
I use Win 7 64 OS.
Thank you,
Rob
 
What JBL speakers? I am pretty sure you are not going to notice a difference when using only a Nad amp(integrated?) and JBL's.

The best Audiophile card for the money is the ASUS Xonar Essence ST(X). It is what I am curruently using but I do not think you will be able to hear a difference with your current setup.
 
I see some contradictions - mp3 is not the best compressed format nor audiophile quality. You should be using lossless FLAC or similar. Perhaps no choice if they are LQ downloads.

For best data transfer you should be using SPDIF (or other digital method) not analog line out RCA. Presumably that is a limitation of your amp. Some NAD amps have SPDIF inputs.

I've not heard JBL but the true audiophile equipment does not list the prices on the web pages. You get referred to a dealer list and it's the old, "If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it".
 
linkin said:
Creative X-Fi Titanium HD if you can afford it.
Click to expand...

Im not saying Linkin is wrong in advising that card,But by past experience with 2 diffrent creative cards i would never ever buy a creative card again....their drivers are just crap.

Never had any drivers issues with my Xonar.
 
Nevakonaza said:
Im not saying Linkin is wrong in advising that card,But by past experience with 2 diffrent creative cards i would never ever buy a creative card again....their drivers are just crap.

Never had any drivers issues with my Xonar.
Click to expand...

I've not had any driver troubles with my card, but plenty of people have. Most people chalk it up to user error but bat hardware can cause software issues too.

Actually I have had issues with the drivers, but not major ones. Just my settings would reset all the time until I installed the newer version (my fault for using outdated software :P)
 
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linkin said:
I've not had any driver troubles with my card, but plenty of people have. Most people chalk it up to user error but bat hardware can cause software issues too.

Actually I have had issues with the drivers, but not major ones. Just my settings would reset all the time until I installed the newer version (my fault for using outdated software :P)
Click to expand...

Creative cards are great for gaming as they support the latest EAX, but they don't stack up to Xonars and other music oriented sound card. For the money I'd recommend a xonar over a x-fi for music.
 
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