Creative X-Fi HD

Advantages: Beautiful, there are optics, Good software (works under Win 10).

Disadvantages: Not yet discovered

Comment: I bought in order to throw a digital signal on the receiver in optics and for this task it copes perfectly.
But I can also say that my mini JBL speakers with this card started to play in a new way too.

P.S. In the photo card on the receiver, baby))

Advantages: Great sound in headphones, listening - Sennheiser HD 558.

Disadvantages: Terrible dances with tambourines for output in ASIO

Comment: For me, the best option in terms of price-quality.

Advantages: Price-quality sound for this price (sound digital chip is not bad, up to 96 kHz, but this is enough with good tuning and pairing with the audio path)

Disadvantages: there are no native drivers for Linux, but it was determined right away too, everything works

Comment: The normal initial music card, on the audio output, is only slightly higher in terms of sound quality (or even similarly) than the built-in notebook realtecs and other Intel HD audio. At first, I just listened through the stereo audio output connected to the receiver, then I wanted more, read about the tweaks of this card, climbed inside, to start short-circuiting the output electrolytes (these are SMD elements) - deeper bass appeared. And then I just connected the SPDIF to the optical output - and the sound quality improved immediately to the level, now the lowest levels are enough (in frequencies, but this will be noticeable only on large speakers) and the tops, the detailing has increased, the feeling is similar to SD, although compare I did not try to sound in the forehead with a normal CD player. Yes, besides, in Linux manually (in the terminal) I increased system sampling by 96 kHz and the sound quality was set to maximum, because the processor resources for sound are not required large (it turned out there was something average by default, where in Windows these settings are generally unknown and unavailable). After all the instrument measurements done, I didn’t carry out measurements, the sound is now close or similar to the CD player. Two cards are now defined in the system: Creative - always works as a hi-fi player, configured to work only through the DeaDBeeF player and at the same time the built-in audio card works with it - it works independently for all other needs.

Advantages: Great card. SOLO 7c played just fabulous !!

Disadvantages: I did not notice, oh yeah, the remote would be more !!

Comment: By comparison with the built Realtek earth and sky. On Windows 10 Drivers from the site got up without any problems. After the purchase, the difference in sound is heard with the unarmed ear ... I advise

Advantages: Finally, the Pioneer HDJ-1000 headphones (thought I bought a fake) that had been rejected for bad sound for about 5 years, sounded, moreover, resilient bass, amazing middle, top without enthusiasm, but very good. Conclusion, for high-impedance headphones need an amplifier, in this device it is)))

Disadvantages: Price, but I found on Avito for 3 thousand, so do not care)))

Comment: For not subject to audiophile kinks, but appreciate a decent sound

Advantages: Budget, mobile, high quality.

Disadvantages: no mini jack adapter mom rca.

Comment: Before that, I listened to music, games from the built-in codec, the asrock h55m-le motherboard, I’ve been reading reviews for what, the same thing ... I started to doubt, do I need it? read the tests, a good chip, a headphone amplifier, an adequate price [74 euros], must be taken, ordered from the online store, picked up, convulsively unpacked plugged in and ... complete immersion in the ocean of sounds ... the crystalline clatter of high, velvet and depth of the bottoms, a surprisingly realistic mid-range scene ... yes, I listen through JVC HA-RX700 headphones, but they are low-cost but good. games, Combat Arms, at first it was scary ... the feeling of full presence, the explosion of a grenade ... the feeling of complete doom ... the low-frequency rumble and the vibration of the whole house ... In a word, who doubts - a worthy thing.

Advantages: 1.DCP AK 4396
2. Sound better than ALC 883.
3. All advantages of USB connectivity.
4.Digital optical output (can be used as a USB-SPDIF converter)
5. 6.3 mm headphone jack (for me personally, this is very good)
6. Headphone Amplifier with resistance up to 330 Ohms (just great)
7.Support ASIO (added all the same in the latest drivers)

Disadvantages: 1.No support for 44.1kHz sampling rate (although I think that the sound quality when resampling to 44.1 at 48kHz worsens slightly. If it deteriorates at all.)
2. Not a very convenient "software" volume control. Moreover
low (almost near the surface of the table), it is also smooth (it’s impossible
what was there to do with the notches so that the fingers do not slip).
Someone wrote about clicks - I don’t have them.
3.Any there EAX, SBX effects, maybe not bad in any films
or games, but to listen to music nafig not needed. Speaking of EAX: how
written on the manufacturer’s "special site" supported by EAX Advanced
HD 5.0. Specially installed the game Bioshock, which supports EAX
5.0 and compared the sound with Realtek - did not notice the difference. All this support -
Frank, I apologize, bullshit. And of course, what could be the difference
if the card does not have hardware EAX support resources in games, but programmatically
to process the effects qualitatively is simply unrealistic. But I took the map for
music, not for games and it did not upset me very much.
That's probably all the flaws.

Comment: Took to listen to music with headphones. This is my first discrete SQ, so I expected more from her. Yes, in general (compared with ALC 883) sound
has changed. I will not be clever, and use the phrase: "improved
the scene "," the sound was not so squeezed ", etc. What really heard -
the sound is clearer and clearer. Difficult to express in quality change
maybe 30%, maybe 50% - I can not say. Just a good sound, but with
Observance of the following conditions: 1.Good headphones (I myself listen on Sennheiser HD 558) or acoustics. 2. Player foobar 2000 with the ASIO plugin installed. 3. Music in flac format. In general, a good card and I think for that kind of money there is hardly anything better. It’s the same quality, yes, but it’s better hardly.
Total: good ZK for those who want to improve the sound on a laptop or stats.
computer. But is it worth it to pay 4 tr. you decide.

Advantages: sound

Disadvantages: indicator color, volume control layout

Comment: The sound is good. Juicy, detailed, powerful. Foobar, resampler sox, kernel streaming output

Advantages: Not a bad inexpensive external audio card. With the exception of the support of the sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz. The sound quality suits more than completely, since I listen not to the equipment, but to the music) The main thing is that it brings pleasure)
Of the benefits will highlight:
1) ASIO support
2) Compactness
3) Power amplifier
4) Automatic shutdown of the line output when headphones are connected

Disadvantages: 44.1 kHz, you have to use the resampler

Comment: Audio Card Settings (24, 48) - All enhancements are disabled. Foobar: Sox resampler (48), ASIO