Recommended sound card

[Wingfan]

Would like to get one for under $100USD.

Ive used Sound Blasters in the past and really liked them, but im open to other brands.

[Nightowl224]

I do have the ASUS Xonar AE, which does sell for under $100.00, and I really like it. I can leave my headphones plugged in, and easily switch between speakers and headphone in the soundcard app. I do plan on carrying it over when I do my computer upgrade. The card plain flatout works the way it should.

[mmettin]

Would like to get one for under $100USD.

Ive used Sound Blasters in the past and really liked them, but im open to other brands.

What exactly are you looking for ?

toslink output for home theater? Gaming ? Virtual surround ?

Driving big headphones ?

[Wingfan]

What exactly are you looking for ?

toslink output for home theater? Gaming ? Virtual surround ?

Driving big headphones ?

Music mostly, onboard audio is fine for gaming. My headphones are DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm.

[Wingfan]

This one? ASUS Xonar AE 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Express x1 Interface Sound Card

[Wingfan]

I do have the ASUS Xonar AE, which does sell for under $100.00, and I really like it. I can leave my headphones plugged in, and easily switch between speakers and headphone in the soundcard app. I do plan on carrying it over when I do my computer upgrade. The card plain flatout works the way it should.

This one?

ASUS Xonar AE 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Express x1 Interface Sound Card

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9SIA4RE8DR8895

[Nightowl224]

Yes, that's the one that I have and love it. It plain flat out works. I use it for music and gaming. Had driver issues with the onboard ALC 1150 on my motherboard, where I couldn't get 5.1 surround on the onboard sound, unless I plugged the rear speakers, in to the analog 7.1 jack. Don't pay attention to the reviews that people write, some of them just don't know what they are talking about.

This fall my Xonar AE 7.1 will be on a ROG Maximus XI Hero motherboard, with a 6 core i7 8700 cpu, and 16GB's to 32GB's for DDR4 2666 ram, along with a full Win10 Pro License and full tower case.

[Wingfan]

I am also using this FiiO E10K USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier . It definitely drives them good, but no enough.

[Nightowl224]

Hmm, never heard of that USB AMP you are using. The ASUS Xonar AE 7.1 uses a CMEDIA 6632AE chip which is nothing more than a CMEDIA 6632A chip paired with an ASMEDIA PCI Express to USB 3.0 bridge chip, and a ESS Sabre ES9023P DAC.