New Creative DAC /AMP combo probably too much money (imho)

so all you PC audio people check out this funky looking (love the shape myself) Creative X7 ... kinda want one but I hear it is going to be $400~ which seems like way too much


features Burr-Brown PCM1794 ,TPA6120A2, TPA3116D2

http://www.soundblaster.com/X7/#dac

Looks like a good DAC and amp but the shape is just weird. $400 might be a little much considering we know what a TPA3116 amp board costs :yes: Nice that it will decode Dolby. If the form factor was better it might be a nice 2.1 rig for people's TV rooms.

the shape is weird... but I kinda like it... the shape is really why I want one.. but for the price i just don't see it happening...

All DAC's cost way too much, including the one in my sig...hell, everything in audio cost way too much for what you get (much like just about everything else). It's just how it is.

I bet this will be selling for $200ish soon in any case. That's not bad for a DAC w/headphone outs and amp and some style. (I'm going to call this one the "Darth DAC" as it looks like Darth Vadar to me somehow lol). Hell, there's plenty of just plain old DACs that cost thousands, tens of thousands...

Is this Creative's first out of the comp DAC (soundcard)? 'Bout time they came out of the 90's!

Might have to buy one for the bro-in-law gamer this Xmas season; get him out of the internal soundcard age finally!

^^Cool...didn't know. I haven't paid much attention to that brand.

I'll modify my earlier statement about this maybe going down to $200...more like $300ish in a while maybe. With all those features it will probably hold onto its price for a year or two. $300 is not bad (given what things cost at least in the audio world) for this imo.

Of course I really have no idea here and am just guesstimating.

IMO $400 isn't unreasonable for what you get. Interesting to see the TPA3116 in an integrated package....

I don't feel $400 is unreasonable at all.

Ya gotta make some living too and the target consumer market is niche at best.