Razer AC-1 or Creative X-Fi sound card?

James Crysis · 08-04-2008, 07:31 AM

I'm thinking about upgrading from my onboard sound to a good quality sound card. It's either the AC-1 or an X-Fi Fatal1ty Pro. I'm leaning more towards the AC-1 because it's $20 cheaper, but I recently had a bad experience with Razer (got two Lycosa keyboards in a row that had faulty touch-panels).

I'm mainly looking for suggestions from people that own/have used these cards before. Let me know what you think about these cards - good and bad!

Thanks.

Rob Williams · 08-04-2008, 01:29 PM

How much are these cards going for nowadays? I think you'll get better sound from the X-Fi, but sometimes Woot.com offers the AC-1 for insanely low prices ($~60).

The ASUS Xonar is the card I'd personally recommend, but I'm no audiophile, but rather a wannabe audiophile.

Kougar · 08-04-2008, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Williams

The ASUS Xonar is the card I'd personally recommend, but I'm no audiophile, but rather a wannabe audiophile.

Who says you need to be an audiphile to enjoy the $80 Xonar DX? I am so loving this card, don't need a high-end speaker setup to hear the difference between it and HD Azalia.

I'd vote for option three, the Xonar DX. Probably doesn't help ya though, sry.

Rob Williams · 08-04-2008, 04:23 PM

I'll pretend I didn't forget about the nicely-priced Xonar DX...

James Crysis · 08-05-2008, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kougar

I'd vote for option three, the Xonar DX. Probably doesn't help ya though, sry.

Sure it helps me :P
I'm open to all options. I haven't been able to read through reviews for all the cards out there so let me know if there is anything else I should be considering aswell. I'll have a look at the DX.

b1lk1 · 08-09-2008, 12:13 AM

Xonar. There is no other sound card as far as I am concerned.

Doomsday · 02-15-2009, 11:38 AM

hey guys i only have Creative sound cards available here. thinking of buying this one,

CREATIVE 7.1 SOUND CARD X-FI XTREME GAMER

i already have these speakers:
CREATIVE M-4500 INSPIRE 4.1 and a Creative 5.1 Sound Blaster 5.1 sound card

will the combination be Ok?!?

Rob Williams · 02-16-2009, 11:00 AM

The combination will be alright given that speakers don't sound good without a sound card! Nah, the X-Fi is great, I just prefer other cards such as the Xonar for music and such.

Doomsday · 02-18-2009, 05:34 AM

i now have $740 and though i am itching to spend some mooney i am a bit hesitant on saving em for wen i would wanna upgrade or change my system in the future. Does a good sound card really make that Big a difference!??

Rob Williams · 02-18-2009, 11:28 AM

My general rule lately is... don't spend money if you don't need to. Unless you have an appropriate setup (I'm not familiar with those speakers, so I can't comment on them), the card might make no real difference to you. If you could get the card for a decent price, and you game a lot (especially with games that use EAX extensions), then it might be worth the cost-of-entry.

Doomsday · 02-18-2009, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Williams

My general rule lately is... don't spend money if you don't need to. Unless you have an appropriate setup (I'm not familiar with those speakers, so I can't comment on them), the card might make no real difference to you. If you could get the card for a decent price, and you game a lot (especially with games that use EAX extensions), then it might be worth the cost-of-entry.

Aaaye thaat be truuue. When i first build this system i was like, WOW the sound quality is very good! unless i get to see that sound card in action and be blown away, i'll save for important stuff. thank u!

Rob Williams · 02-18-2009, 12:59 PM

Well, chances are you wouldn't notice a difference, but it's hard to say. With my headphones for example, I used to be content with generic models found on NewEgg or whatever, and I was worried that when moving up, I wouldn't notice a difference. Well, I was wrong... I heard a huge difference.

For the most part though, where audio cards are concerned, I believe the speakers will play a larger role than the card, but it's really tough to say. As long as you are happy with your sound currently, an X-Fi probably isn't going to change your life.

Doomsday · 02-20-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Williams

With my headphones for example, I used to be content with generic models found on NewEgg or whatever, and I was worried that when moving up, I wouldn't notice a difference. Well, I was wrong... I heard a huge difference.

which head sets u be using?!? i started playing games while wearing the $25 A4Tech 7.1 Dolby Surround Head Sets and the experience was totally different than on my 4.1 Speakers. It Felt more like i was Inside the game cause there was no outside sound!! now i am wondering how it would be with those Psyko ones or Razer Barracudas!lol!

Hey u have reviews on the Barracudas and others,niice!, i'll check em out too!

08-04-2008, 07:31 AM	#1
James Crysis E.M.I. Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 93	Razer AC-1 or Creative X-Fi sound card? I'm thinking about upgrading from my onboard sound to a good quality sound card. It's either the AC-1 or an X-Fi Fatal1ty Pro. I'm leaning more towards the AC-1 because it's $20 cheaper, but I recently had a bad experience with Razer (got two Lycosa keyboards in a row that had faulty touch-panels). I'm mainly looking for suggestions from people that own/have used these cards before. Let me know what you think about these cards - good and bad! Thanks. __________________ My computer: Coolermaster 690 Case, MSI 9600GT, Intel E6750 2.66Ghz CPU, ASUS P5KSE Motherboard, Team Elite 2GB 800Mhz RAM, WD 320GB HDD, Coolermaster 650W PSU Logitech G15 Keyboard (original), G9 mouse, Razer eXactMat, Creative I-Trigue L3800 2.1 speakers, Sennheiser 201 headphones. ASUS 22" VW222U Monitor

08-04-2008, 01:29 PM	#2
Rob Williams Editor-in-Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 13,231	How much are these cards going for nowadays? I think you'll get better sound from the X-Fi, but sometimes Woot.com offers the AC-1 for insanely low prices ($~60). The ASUS Xonar is the card I'd personally recommend, but I'm no audiophile, but rather a wannabe audiophile. __________________ Intel Core i7-990X EE @ 3.43GHz, GIGABYTE X58A-UD5, Kingston 12GB DDR3-1333, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD, WD VR 1TB, WD 2TB, Seagate 2TB, LG BD-ROM, ASUS DVD-RW, Corsair 1000HX, Corsair H60 Cooler Corsair 800D, Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Gentoo (KDE 4.10, 3.7 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter <Toad772> I don't always drink alcohol, but when I do, I take it too far.

08-04-2008, 04:23 PM	#4
Rob Williams Editor-in-Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 13,231	I'll pretend I didn't forget about the nicely-priced Xonar DX... __________________ Intel Core i7-990X EE @ 3.43GHz, GIGABYTE X58A-UD5, Kingston 12GB DDR3-1333, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD, WD VR 1TB, WD 2TB, Seagate 2TB, LG BD-ROM, ASUS DVD-RW, Corsair 1000HX, Corsair H60 Cooler Corsair 800D, Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Gentoo (KDE 4.10, 3.7 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter <Toad772> I don't always drink alcohol, but when I do, I take it too far.

08-09-2008, 12:13 AM	#6
b1lk1 Tech Monkey Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ontario Posts: 821	Xonar. There is no other sound card as far as I am concerned. __________________ Oldschool PC: Intel E6300/Nouctua NH-9U w/dual 92mm Panaflos XFX 680i LT Patriot PC2-6400 2X2GB LL 2 X BFG 8800GTX in SLI Enermax Revolution 620W PSU ASUS 24X DVD/Seagate 250GB SATA 2/THermaltake A90/Windows 7 Ultimate 64

02-15-2009, 11:38 AM	#7
Doomsday Tech Junkie Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: KHI, PAK Posts: 1,539	hey guys i only have Creative sound cards available here. thinking of buying this one, CREATIVE 7.1 SOUND CARD X-FI XTREME GAMER i already have these speakers: CREATIVE M-4500 INSPIRE 4.1 and a Creative 5.1 Sound Blaster 5.1 sound card will the combination be Ok?!? __________________ PSU: Corsair AX850 - Case: Cooler Master HAF X - CPU:Core i7-2600k - Cooler: Cooler Master V6 GT - Motherboard: Asus Z68 Maximus IV Extreme Z - Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8 GB-1600Mhz - GPU: AMD MSI R6970 Lightning - HDD: WD Caviar Black 1TB, Seagate 2TB Barracuda Green - SSD: Intel 520 Series 120GB - K/B: Razer Lycosa Mirror - Mouse: Logitech G700 - MouseMat: Steel Series 4HD - LCD: Samsung 2333SW 23" - Speakers: Creative Inspire M4500 4.1 - Headset: Logitech G35 7.1 "Do not look at a man's prayers nor his fasts, rather, measure him by how well he deals with others, the compassion he shows his fellow man, his wisdom and his integrity" - Umar Ibn Al-Khattab Last edited by Doomsday; 02-15-2009 at 11:48 AM.

02-16-2009, 11:00 AM	#8
Rob Williams Editor-in-Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 13,231	The combination will be alright given that speakers don't sound good without a sound card! Nah, the X-Fi is great, I just prefer other cards such as the Xonar for music and such. __________________ Intel Core i7-990X EE @ 3.43GHz, GIGABYTE X58A-UD5, Kingston 12GB DDR3-1333, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD, WD VR 1TB, WD 2TB, Seagate 2TB, LG BD-ROM, ASUS DVD-RW, Corsair 1000HX, Corsair H60 Cooler Corsair 800D, Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Gentoo (KDE 4.10, 3.7 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter <Toad772> I don't always drink alcohol, but when I do, I take it too far.

02-18-2009, 05:34 AM	#9
Doomsday Tech Junkie Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: KHI, PAK Posts: 1,539	i now have $740 and though i am itching to spend some mooney i am a bit hesitant on saving em for wen i would wanna upgrade or change my system in the future. Does a good sound card really make that Big a difference!?? __________________ PSU: Corsair AX850 - Case: Cooler Master HAF X - CPU:Core i7-2600k - Cooler: Cooler Master V6 GT - Motherboard: Asus Z68 Maximus IV Extreme Z - Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8 GB-1600Mhz - GPU: AMD MSI R6970 Lightning - HDD: WD Caviar Black 1TB, Seagate 2TB Barracuda Green - SSD: Intel 520 Series 120GB - K/B: Razer Lycosa Mirror - Mouse: Logitech G700 - MouseMat: Steel Series 4HD - LCD: Samsung 2333SW 23" - Speakers: Creative Inspire M4500 4.1 - Headset: Logitech G35 7.1 "Do not look at a man's prayers nor his fasts, rather, measure him by how well he deals with others, the compassion he shows his fellow man, his wisdom and his integrity" - Umar Ibn Al-Khattab

02-18-2009, 11:28 AM	#10
Rob Williams Editor-in-Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 13,231	My general rule lately is... don't spend money if you don't need to. Unless you have an appropriate setup (I'm not familiar with those speakers, so I can't comment on them), the card might make no real difference to you. If you could get the card for a decent price, and you game a lot (especially with games that use EAX extensions), then it might be worth the cost-of-entry. __________________ Intel Core i7-990X EE @ 3.43GHz, GIGABYTE X58A-UD5, Kingston 12GB DDR3-1333, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD, WD VR 1TB, WD 2TB, Seagate 2TB, LG BD-ROM, ASUS DVD-RW, Corsair 1000HX, Corsair H60 Cooler Corsair 800D, Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Gentoo (KDE 4.10, 3.7 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter <Toad772> I don't always drink alcohol, but when I do, I take it too far.

02-18-2009, 12:59 PM	#12
Rob Williams Editor-in-Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 13,231	Well, chances are you wouldn't notice a difference, but it's hard to say. With my headphones for example, I used to be content with generic models found on NewEgg or whatever, and I was worried that when moving up, I wouldn't notice a difference. Well, I was wrong... I heard a huge difference. For the most part though, where audio cards are concerned, I believe the speakers will play a larger role than the card, but it's really tough to say. As long as you are happy with your sound currently, an X-Fi probably isn't going to change your life. __________________ Intel Core i7-990X EE @ 3.43GHz, GIGABYTE X58A-UD5, Kingston 12GB DDR3-1333, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD, WD VR 1TB, WD 2TB, Seagate 2TB, LG BD-ROM, ASUS DVD-RW, Corsair 1000HX, Corsair H60 Cooler Corsair 800D, Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Gentoo (KDE 4.10, 3.7 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter <Toad772> I don't always drink alcohol, but when I do, I take it too far.

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