StarlareI don't know where you looked. This is 100 off of the creative price for basically every piece if not more than that because you get the Bluetooth usb on top of everything.
StarlareStarlare: Like RyanF23, I have no idea where you're finding $299/399 as the price on Creative Labs' site. The prices are clearly $399/499:
http://us.creative.com/p/sound-blaster
I just added both models to my cart to check for hidden discounts and, unless you're using a code you haven't divulged, they're still the same price. Even with the cost of shipping factored in, MD charges $80 less in each case.
If you're not in the U.S., then which Creative Labs site are you using? Please post the URL. It would be helpful to see exactly what you're talking about.
VarholiaglimpIt wasn't in US, forgot to mention that. It's 299 euros but free shipping and here its 58 shipping. But for the money I think it's better to go with a dedicated amp/dac from Schiit and maybe a sound card if you want the surround or the software itself but Idk how to get it to work without the sound card in that case.
StarlareIn which case the price of the X7 on your mystery Creative Labs site is $337 USD, not $299. However, depending where you are, I can see how that price combined with free shipping might be a better deal for you. For MD members in the U.S., the Massdrop price is better by far and I doubt that Creative Labs' official site includes the bluetooth transceiver (model number: BT-W2), which appears to be a $36 to $40 value depending on the vendor.
I don't know where you live, but doesn't it seem likely that other MD members in your area might be interested in the $337 deal? They might benefit from a link.
satchmoBecause the specs are better and Creative is still a gaming brand and when you think, "hey, I wanna change smth", well you can't because it's 1 package. That's a logical reason to go for smth else. But it is tempting because of that, no hassle just 1 item. I'll do more research though.
StarlareI don't think the specs *are* appreciably better, though. The Magni 2 does like 100mW more at 32 ohms, which is a basically insignificant amount when you're talking an output above 1W. (And honestly, both are sufficiently powerful for ALMOST any headphone ever made.) The FR is flat on both and distortion is vanishingly low on both. With the X7, you pay more, but you also get a lot more: mic input, DSP, a speaker amp, etc.
Being a "gaming brand" is meaningless in this context. You can look at the exact parts that Creative is using in the X7 and they're the same op-amps that you'll see in "audiophile" brands and "Chi-fi" brands and all kinds of stuff in every market segment.
IMO a Schiitstack only makes more sense if you don't need or want a mic input or a speaker amp. Like if you're not using it for gaming at all, it's a pure music system and you don't own speakers. In which case you'd probably never be considering the X7 anyway, because you wouldn't need most of its features and you could save a good amount of money. But to recommend a Schiitstack PLUS other stuff like a sound card, etc., just to achieve feature parity? You'll end up paying just about the same price but for more of a hassle. Not worth it, just buy the X7.
satchmoWell with a Modi 2U you can also amp a speaker, and you're right about the op-amps being good quality. And it's true about the price but it's also versatile and performance at 32 ohms doesn't matter. I wish there were more exact specs on the X7 and comparisons vs that stack or with a tube amp.
StarlareDetailed X7 power output measurements:
Calculated power rating:
Max power output at 32 ohms: 1,328 mW
Max power output at 50 ohms: 850 mW
Max power output at 300 ohms: 142 mW
Max power output at 600 ohms: 71 mW
From a very exhaustive review thread on Head-Fi. It's very, very powerful. The Magni 2 is basically inconsequentially more powerful at higher impedances: less than a 3dB difference in output.
Modi 2U can't amp speakers. That's just a DAC. The Magni 2U does have pre-amp outs that you can run to a speaker amp, but you need a speaker amp, too. And it's additional wiring, an additional power plug, etc.
satchmoYe that's why I said you need the Magni to use the Modi 2U's features but ok I didn't know it was only a pre-amp.
And even the Magni 2 is more powerful. I'll look for more comparisons. Thank you for those specs.