Help me pick a sound card for Linux use!

[deanjo]

Beyond the shadow of any doubt, this is the card that I --HIGHLY-- recommend. Absolutely perfect linux drivers, and the sound is soooooo good.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829271001

That uses the C-Media 8770 chipset which has much more mature drivers then the 8788. Maybe someday when the 8788 drivers mature I can recommend something with that, but until then I just cant.

Get the HT Omega Striker, you wont be disappointed.

The snd-oxygen module in alsa is very good, on par with the CMI8738, 8768+, and 8770 cmipci module.

If going for a 8770 based board the X-plosion does offer better analogue output because if it custom designed board and higher end components. It achieves better crosstalk and noise levels then the Striker. As well the X-Plosion has upgadable opamps.

[duby229]

The snd-oxygen module in alsa is very good, on par with the CMI8738, 8768+, and 8770 cmipci module.

If going for a 8770 based board the X-plosion does offer better analogue output because if it custom designed board and higher end components. It achieves better crosstalk and noise levels then the Striker. As well the X-Plosion has upgadable opamps.

I also have a B-Gears B-Inspirer, and that card uses the 8788 chip, and I'm just not impressed. The mixer controls suck, and I'm just not all that interested in designing my own asoundrc. Also it still pops and skips even after the new code base. I've since replaced it with a Striker, and it is worlds better.

The reason why I chose the Striker over the X-Plosion was that it had a front panel audio connector. Now I can plug in my headphones (easier then reaching around back) and have real good sound when my wife is sleeping. On the other hand upgrading the opamps was an enticing offer until I read up on the opamps that it uses. I'd have to pull the card out to see what they are, but when I was researching it, all the audiophiles seemed to love them.

[Licaon]

i've got the ASUS Xonar DX and it has a front panel connector, it works natively in 64bit

according to the ALSA sound matrix it's well supported: [PCIE] [ANALOGio] [TOSo] [24bit] [192kHz] [7.1]

the only gripe is that you need to compile your own ALSA until version 1.0.17 is released, since the card just got added in the drivers in April: http://www.alsa-project.org/main/ind...ClemensLadisch

[deanjo]

i've got the ASUS Xonar DX and it has a front panel connector, it works natively in 64bit

according to the ALSA sound matrix it's well supported: [PCIE] [ANALOGio] [TOSo] [24bit] [192kHz] [7.1]

the only gripe is that you need to compile your own ALSA until version 1.0.17 is released, since the card just got added in the drivers in April: http://www.alsa-project.org/main/ind...ClemensLadisch

snd-oxygen was included in 1.0.16

http://www.alsa-project.org/main/ind...ygen.29_driver

[EDIT] I just realized that you were talking about specifically the DX.

[Licaon]

it's snd-virtuoso for Xonar DX

[sandaili]

Beyond the shadow of any doubt, this is the card that I --HIGHLY-- recommend. Absolutely perfect linux drivers, and the sound is soooooo good.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829271001

That uses the C-Media 8770 chipset which has much more mature drivers then the 8788. Maybe someday when the 8788 drivers mature I can recommend something with that, but until then I just cant.

Get the HT Omega Striker, you wont be disappointed.

Do you know if it works for 64 bit natively, or will I have to use ndiswrapper?

L

[EagleDM]

snd-oxygen is part of the c-media support for oxygenhd, but xonar uses a separate snd-virtuoso kernel module which is included and working in intrepid ibex out of the box, btw, does anyone with the xonar had experience mixer problems when changing volumen? I can't believe i'm the only one with this huge bug...

[deanjo]

Do you know if it works for 64 bit natively, or will I have to use ndiswrapper?

L

ndiswrapper has nothing to do with soundcards.

[Panix]

Please recommend a sound card:

Among these:
M-Audio Revolution 7.1
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio
Asus Zonar DX 7.1
Auzentech X-Plosion 7.1
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE 7.1
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer
E-MU 1212M
or used Creative Sound Blaster 4 or 2ZS (or 2 Value)

I can find the Asus Zonar DX 7.1 and Auzentech X-Plosion 7.1 locally for around the same price. It's for a 2nd machine. I am contemplating either one of those cards v.s. buying a used Audigy 2ZS or Audigy 4.

[deanjo]

All three of these cards have excellent linux support.

Asus Zonar DX 7.1
Auzentech X-Plosion 7.1
M-Audio Revolution 7.1