Finally, a good deal, Auzentech XPlosion 7.1, $81 shipped

[OsamaBinAthlon+]

in order to use headphones/normal PC speakers with that to I have to buy an red n white to 3.5mm adapter?

[Thasp]

Probably.

 

I currently have this issue with the M-Audio Delta 24/96. It's driving me nuts.

 

Usually you have source, preamp, amp, speakers. The preamp resists, or amplifies the source signal, and the amp amps accordingly, depending on input. However, if your source can tone itself down(as a soundcard can), why get a preamp? So I spent the money on a better amp instead of an integrated model.

 

The trouble here is, I have to switch cables when I want to watch porn to headphones, and then back to the other ones attached to the amp for music, movies, and TV. It's quite the issue. I wish there were some sort of splitter box that didn't suck(or, even a splitter box at all). I may make one someday for myself if I can get a schematic, a parts list, and another spool of solder, but for now, I have no idea.

[red930]

Were there any ABX tests done on the op amp upgrade, between a card with and without it? Placebo plays a huge role in this, I've seen it a lot. Before ABX, I actually knew someone who thought WAV and AIFF sounded different. Because the terms he uses to describe it sound a lot like placebo.

 

You gotta wonder...

 

Maybe I will go ahead and do the upgrade. I'm not super hardcore about audio, I certainly don't pretend to believe that different cables (like, $1000 cables vs. $70 cables) make a difference. I know what I like though, and if there is a noticeable difference I'll say so. My mains are certainly capable of reproducing the differences, though my center/surrounds might not do it noticeably.

 

All right, tomorrow I'll hook up that cables and use them for audio for the next week or two, then switch out the chips and see what the difference is.

 

 

As for headphones, don't know. The Meridian has a built in mini-amp that's supposed to work fairly well. My phones out the back of the XPlosion sound much, much better than straight off the 2-channel output on the mobo, much louder, stronger on the bass, and more accurate all around. never had phones for the M-Audio, so I can't help you there....but man I don't think that thing could be beat on 2-channel audio out my receiver.

 

I still kinda miss it.

[likewhoa]

WTF they changed the prices, lol

 

Original Price: $99.99

You Save: $18.00

 

$81.99

 

damn $5 more dollars now i can't buy that porno to test it out with. see what they did there,.. they lowered the Original price and savings but you're still not saving enough for a porno to test it out with compare to old price, i'll just have to buy then download the pr0n

 

 

umm damn look at here,.. $100 rebate on the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS Platinum

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16829102163

[Thasp]

I don't doubt speakers can show differences, but I am 100% sure your brain can fool you into thinking such.

 

Audio memory is one of the worst of all our memories. We can remember what someone sounds like, what components sound like, but not an exact sound.

 

I'm not above the placebo effect either. Just try it. Try comparing a certain kind of MP3 file to the original with winamp/foobar, and you'll notice a difference if you're looking for it. Then try with ABX, and you'll think there's a difference, until you see you got 5/20 right.

 

In this case, it is hard to tell, but luckily it is measureable. You can't measure psychoacoustic compression perfectly, so we rely on ABX tests to develop audio codecs, but with soundcards, it's all measureable.. I don't believe a thing I don't see in measurements for DACs and op amps.

 

The reason I feel this way about electronics is because, where does it end? They make 10K/amp monoblocks for a home stereo, and people actually claim to hear a difference. But then when blind tests were done between tons of different amps, at best, someone was right 49% of the time... they included NAD, Rotel, Krell, a panasonic receiver out of best buy. I do think there's a difference between good and bad equipment. But, all it takes for shady companies to prevail in marketing $1000/channel DACs and $20k amplifiers is "I don't need a blind test, I know what I heard" to be the consesus when buying audio equipment.