need sound card advice

[grim.reaper]

I purchased mx5021 for my pc, and now willing to buy a sound card.
Asus xonar dx is what I zeroed down on (5k)
But after a year I'll start using a laptop instead of PC, and hence feel that a usb soundcard could be a better investment.
I found out about Asus xonar U1 audio station (usb sound card).
Is it fine to go with it instead of pci XONAR DX?

If no, then can someone sugest any usb sound card better than or equal to xonar dx. need it mainly for music.
budget~5k

Thank you

 

[marsilians]

I don't know much about PC sound cards but I have used this one before under XP and Vista. I liked it a fair bit and the sound quality was decent on my AKG 501 and Grado sr80s. I gave it away as a gift as I can't listen to music on headphones and work too long since they are mutually exclusive for my tastes.

I purchased mx5021 for my pc, and now willing to buy a sound card.
Asus xonar dx is what I zeroed down on (5k)
But after a year I'll start using a laptop instead of PC, and hence feel that a usb soundcard could be a better investment.
I found out about Asus xonar U1 audio station (usb sound card).
Is it fine to go with it instead of pci XONAR DX?

If no, then can someone sugest any usb sound card better than or equal to xonar dx. need it mainly for music.
budget~5k

Thank you

 

[moserw]

The Asus Xonar range is the best available in terms of performance and VFM factor. My experience has however been that a laptop is pretty limited to play your music on. It's good for portability but hardly has any upgrade options especially once your music collection starts growing. A PC is a much better option to store and play music on. However, if you have settled on the laptop then you can go with the Asus.

 

[thevortex]

Moserw is right. The physical cards are the best way to go if you are serious about audio quality. But if laptops are the way you have decided then for that budget the Asus Xonar USB audio station is a good option.

 

[iaudio]

Moserw is right. The physical cards are the best way to go if you are serious about audio quality. But if laptops are the way you have decided then for that budget the Asus Xonar USB audio station is a good option.

What about this?

Creative USB Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit External Sound Card - EAX enhanced

or this

Creative USB Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Sound Card - Get more out of your music and movies

My requirements are similar to that of the OP, I also have to use it on a Desktop(onboard asus motherboard on board sound pathetic!) and a laptop too. Plan to hook it up to the onkyo sr506 for music and movies.

How does the asus xonar u1 compare with the above?
thanks in advance

 

[moserw]

Actually I've not heard any USB powered card, but having heard/used both Creative and Asus, for music Asus is the winner hands down, games both are good, but Creative wins because of its VFM more or less though not much to differentiate for games and movies.

What about this?

Creative USB Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit External Sound Card - EAX enhanced

or this

Creative USB Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Sound Card - Get more out of your music and movies

My requirements are similar to that of the OP, I also have to use it on a Desktop(onboard asus motherboard on board sound pathetic!) and a laptop too. Plan to hook it up to the onkyo sr506 for music and movies.

How does the asus xonar u1 compare with the above?
thanks in advance

 

[thevortex]

The Xonar series of cards are indeed better than the Creative Soundblaster series. But if you are going to anyway use the digital output to the AVR, it may not make that much of a difference.

At any rate the Creative cards are going to be head and shoulders better than most onboard solutions.