External Sound Card, whats good?

[xbiker321]

I need a sound card where I can access it from the front of the PC so I can plug in headphones if I want. I was leaning toward the Game Theater XP or the Sound Blaster Platinum. I was wondering if there were any other choices and which one has the best sound quality?
I posted this in the Sound Card section but no one has responded so I thought I would get more help in this main discussion area, I want to buy a sound card within a couple days so quick reply's would be appreciated. Thanks
;)

[ninthebin]

the Extigy looks pretty sweet...thats pretty much the only one I have heard of - I think its just an external audigy - but you would have to compare its features side by side with the audigy and the audigy 2 to be sure

[Metallica God]

why not get speakers with the headphone jack?

[SpoonMaN]

i love my game theater XP man
its a great card with all the connections u can think of
but im gonna get me a Audigy 2 plat. for the pure fact that it can use 5.1 all the time unlike the XP which can only use it in DVD movies anyway the XP is pretty cheap at around $90
adn as far as the exitgy i would read what www.tomshardware.com said about it first
thats the reason i didnt get me 1

[illig]

if all you need is an external headphone jack, then don't buy an entire external sound card... just get yourself an extension cable OR a port extender link (http://www.active-hardware.com/english/reviews/div/frontx.htm) and you'll spend about 1/2 as much

if you need all those ports, take a look at upgrading your current setup with a newQ link (http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/avcards/37a7/) ... depending on model, you'll get complete audio control from the front of the pc, as well as sweetly amplified sound, and fm radio, etc...

[xbiker321]

I want a good sound card because i am currently using onboard Via AC97 Audio, and i think i should upgrade. I enjoy listening to music, watching movies and playing intense games like Medal of Honor. A new sound card should increase the sound quality for all 3 things. :)

[nealric]

i second spoon man on the gtxp- It has the separate box with out the problems associated with usb. Its 7.1 too!

[MEAT BAG]

GTXP is the way to go

[xbiker321]

Originally posted by nealric
i second spoon man on the gtxp- It has the separate box with out the problems associated with usb. Its 7.1 too!

Well the Sound Blaster Extagy wasnt really in my list to choose from. The two Sound Cards that I have to choose from are the Game Theater XP and the Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum. Is there a great sound difference between these two?

Like I said I play a lot of PC Games/Listen to MP3's/and watch DVD Movies.

[ToiletDuck]

Tom's hardware was flat wrong on the extigy. I currently own one and could not be happier and I can tell you why I enjoy the card. First of all it is external. Which is good for a few things. First of all the electrical noise of the system does not interfier with your music quality, second reason is it saves you a 5 1/2" bay. Third reason is the fact that I can lay on my bed, and control my entire computer for movies and music from there. With it being external you can place it anywhere on your desk or room. If your tower is under a desk or not out in the open then you are screwed. I've used one for well over a year, I had a Soundblaster 5.1 platinum before this. I can honestly say that I have zero complaints about the card. Except one and that's I lost the disk with cool software :( However I was running on-board sound for a bit when I first moved into my new place until I got everythign set up and the second I pluged that baby back in BOOM I noticed such a difference. I play very intensive games on some occasions and even on-line gaming such as Urban Terror where you plug in microphones to communicate with your team and the rumors about this baby using 5% of your processor is just plain folly. You CAN'T go wrong with it. I'd take an external card any day of the week! But that's just MHO since I've been threw a few :)

[ToiletDuck]

also it is a great AC3 decoder for DVD playing so you will notice a HUGE difference there... Most PCI cards can't do that

[Evnas]

My vote goes for the Soundblaster. I currently have a Live! Platinum and i use the Live! Drive for not just headphones, but recording music with my guitar or turntables. Im currently thinking about picking up an Audigy2 Platinum or Platinum Pro

[NiTCOM]

Originally posted by Metallica God
why not get speakers with the headphone jack?

I'm looking for some exellent speakers that have a headphone jack. any suggestion? :D

[NiTCOM]

Originally posted by illig
if all you need is an external headphone jack, then don't buy an entire external sound card... just get yourself an extension cable OR a port extender link (http://www.active-hardware.com/english/reviews/div/frontx.htm) and you'll spend about 1/2 as much

if you need all those ports, take a look at upgrading your current setup with a newQ link (http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/avcards/37a7/) ... depending on model, you'll get complete audio control from the front of the pc, as well as sweetly amplified sound, and fm radio, etc...

I have a Audigy and speakers without headphone jack.
How do I get an headphone jack out of it??

[PatrickBateman]

I used to use on-board sound from my mobo: AC97, I think.

I recently upgraded to an Audigy.
It was the platinum model which has the "live drive" deal with the connectors and headphone-with-volume-control for mounting on the front of your case. I didn't think I'd ever use these ports, so I sold the "live drive" to somebody that wanted such a thing; I kept and still use the soundcard.

I immediately noticed a profound improvement in sound quality with the Audigy: much more detailed, crisp and dynamic. I port my sound out only in stereo, but to a Parasound Zpre to Zamp, and then to a couple NHT SuperZeros and a Phase Technology super8.

The Audigy2 has some slight improvements (SNR and something to do with the 24bit 96KHz or something-er-other) and I had slight reservations about getting my Audigy plat, but I got it at a rock-bottom price and couldn't say "NO!" Just the same, I'm very pleased with its sound.

The sound quality of the Audigy2 is supposed to be superb. Better only on professional cards, i.e. things we haven't heard of.

The platinum version's "live drive" ports and box can be had for front mounting, but also in an external box (the "EX" version, I think). This should not be mistaken with the Extigy, which is an entirely external sound"card".

My guess is that the Audigy(2) series is going to give you better sound quality than most other cards, certainly a lot better than your MoBo.