!! Important currently (04/2014) for some other headphone users: !!
My 5.1 speakers are arranged somewhat unbalanced. Not much.
I therefore submitted to the Speaker Settings Left Front "1.4" a. Right Front "1.2"
This had an impact on the headphones out (!) So I switched to on headphones, I had these settings no longer, but they made sure I heard right about 1/4 less. Thought I got something with your ears or the headphones are defective.
Featured thus to 1.4 at both front speakers, in which you can not hear the difference very much, on the headphones but is now all Central and ... fits. In addition, I use 90% of headphones for my little offspring sleeping above my room;)
So do not return equipment, the hardware is ok, it is (still) the driver.
I currently have the "Sound Blaster Z-Series Control Panel, release 2:04:10" and there is no update available.
But suppose it will eventually resolved.
For the actual recession:
I had until now the "Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion Series" with front module. Would not the headphone output went flutes at the front I would now use yet.
However, the driver has not been updated. Therefore ordered the Zx.
The "software-based switch between headphones and speakers" sounded very tempting. Also works very well.
So I would not unplug the headphones every time ...
The sound .... for which with onboard sound, it is certainly a feast for the ears.
Against the X-Fi Titanium I had I do not hear much difference. At least with no music.
The "Hall, Jazz Club, ..." I have never used in the old X-Fi. So I do not miss him.
Am Equalizer you can change some settings, and the SBX Pro Studio could activate Surround and adjust the strength.
One can therefore then create profiles for themselves what probably then is even better in total than in the old X-Fi (?)
With Asus sound I have no experience, so I can make no comparison.
A shortage still with my card: are very loose Optical Out / In. Not the ports themselves but the plug did not hold fast. With 3 fiber optic cables tested, also using the supplied ... barely hold. On other units, and the old X-Fi raced the correctly and keep sufficient.
But will probably not be with any card, for me it's ok, "Optical In" I'll probably never use and the optical out is just fixed, or I use the analogs.
Sending back is too complex for me (and who knows if the next is not easy again ...)
Therefore, only 1 star deduction, mistakes happen, guarantee would be available .... and in sum, it is - I think - a good card that also acts quality.
The "module" as many already written only regulates the volume on the headphones. So it's basically just an extension of the cable "Mic / In" and "Headset" with a Micro inside and volume control.
Mute is none I read? Right. Had not noticed. When TS is anyway "Push to talk" so I never really needed a mute for a Micro.
Visually see the module out nice, has rubber on the ground that it is not so much slip.
The volume button does not look cheap and is pleasant to shoot.
I find it handy, because otherwise I would have every time I crawl the headphones / abstecke behind the PC.
Ok, could it actually be infected because you anyway can switch in software between speakers and headphones.
The red LED of the map are quite strong. Unfortunately, my body is otherwise rather white lit ...
Who does not like it but it can safely without masking the suffering of the sound)
Optical me the old card addressed by setting lighted discreet "X-Fi" little window more, also fit better to my system.
Fatal it would be if you separate trims the entire casing to blue, and then comes so ne strongly illuminated card and makes the device colorful. Mine is from scratch illuminated daher..kein Drama.
