Pros: -Has a great sound quality, beats by far any integrated solution
-Has a lot of connectivity
-Has front panel connector
-A lot of options on the menu
-amazing support team

Cons: -doesn't look good

Overall Review: The card works great, was bought to replace my onboard sound card and the sound was unbelievably better! Even on my cheap Logitech Z506 surround sound. The support team is great, when I first got it I played around in the settings and messed something up, I contacted them and they replied quickly with screenshots of the control center explaining what was wrong and how to fix it.

Pros: Top-quality sound, all around. In my subjective perspective, there isn't a "better" sound solution out there than those provided by HTOmega.

Tons of inputs and outputs. A full 7.1 analogue output array, line and mic in, digital optical in and out, digital RCA out, and a header on board for digital RCA in (requiring an add-in cable and some place on your case to run and strain-relieve the cable going out!)

Cons: I've seen some "kids" complaining about the older user interface... "made for Windows XP" (as if that's a bad thing). So, this new version has an "updated" software user interface. It sure does look MODERN... but it's far, far less USEFUL. Remember, kids, "new" and "better" are not synonyms! I found the new user interface harder to navigate, harder to find the things I was looking for, and so forth. But ultimately, you CAN find everything... it's just "dumbed down" so you have to dig deeper to get to the real "guts" of things.

The other major CON is the lack of on-card digital encoding of surround-sound effects... Dolby Digital Live, DTS, etc. You get those, perfectly well, for your analog output, don't misunderstand. But the digital (SPDIF) output is "stereo only." The Claro+ and the eClaro both allow full surround-sound encoding and output over the optical SPDIF interface. This is probably not a major issue for most, but it's HUGE for me.

Overall Review: The reason I have chosen not to keep this card (and to replace it with the slightly older eClaro) is that HTOmega upgraded this to the newer revision of CMedia's audio chipset. Yes, the "upgrade" ultimately came down to a "downgrade" for me.

I own an HTOmega Claro+ which I've loved, for years. It's a wonderful piece of hardware. However, it uses the PCI interface, and my new system upgrade I've just completed includes no PCI slots, only a sizeable number of PCIe slots. So, I needed a replacement.

I thought the Fenix... PHYSICALLY almost identical to the Claro+, except for the card header... would be a fine replacement. And in most cases it was. However, as mentioned above, the Fenix lacks on-card processing for outputting digitally-encoded surround-sound over SPDIF interfaces. That's how I output to my Steelseries H Wireless (now rebranded something else, but essentially the same headphones). Full 7.1 surround sound over headphones, communicated wirelessly from a docking station which attaches to my computer via optical SPDIF. And the Fenix (and MOST other sound solutions, mind you) simply doesn't support this.

Losing my surround-sound headphones... not an option. So, for me, I'm sending the Fenix back and replacing it with the slightly older, but better suited for my needs. If you don't need surround-sound through optical out, however... this sound card will likely be perfect for you.

Pros: Good quality audio in and out. Relatively easy to install in Win 7 and Win 10 when downloading software from HT Omega website.

Cons: Annoying to have to select output audio separately; must select headphones for that use, likewise must select either SPDIF out or analog out when required. No mixer presentation in control panel as with previous HT Omega cards.

Overall Review: This is my third variety of HT Omega soundcard. The others were Claro II and Striker 7.1 PCI cards. Thought I would try PCI Express for this HP8300 cmt rebuild from empty carcass. As it is a dual boot Win 7/10 desktop, I had to download software from HT Omega website for each OS and install, which was fairly easy. No crackling at the SPDIF jackfield which is about 15 feet from the computer, but I pre-emptively maxed the buffer. The chief annoyance with this card is the necessity of switching SPDIF or analog audio outputs. They should all be simultaneously be hot. Even the front panel header is not constantly hot; must select headphones from control panel. May subsequently install Striker 7.1 from now decommissioned HP DC7600 in this computer since it appears that HT Omega is now providing Win 10 software for this older PCI card, and that card did not have this problem, and still has the mixer in the control panel.

Pros: Quality sound
supports 5.1 and 7.1 surround
Multiple inputs and outputs

Cons: None

Pros: This card has all the right things and all the good things that you need in a Pro-Music-Studio.

Cons: No cons if you use windows10.

Overall Review: It`s a card that makes the real sound as clean as it can get.

Pros: works great in windows 8.1 pro. has windows 10 drivers.
definitely an improvement over my onboard sound.

this is an update to my previous review. ended up using windows 8.1 built-in drivers. no crackles or pops, etc. with these. i would imagine that since cmedia/htomega has windows 10 drivers that microsoft would have windows 10 built-in drivers as well.

i listen to a lot of music and play some games and sound seems good.

Cons: none

Pros: No bloatware

Cons: Pop, crackle, crackle pop! Can only be used with all settings turned off.

Overall Review: This has to be the WORST soundcard I've ever used. I'm actually looking FORAWARD to trying out the on-board sound of my motherboard.

I can use the card if the EQ and all other settings are turned off. Once I set the EQ, I get crackling, depending on how high the EQ sliders are set, the crackling gets worse. But if I try to use the karaoke settings, or the environmental setting, the sound is really unlistenable. I've never experienced this from any other sound card, but I've always used the other big audio card manufacturer previously. I would return the card, but I threw the box out.

Pros: It's 7.1 & all the extra's provided within the software enable the user to set up sounds in various likes.

Cons: Engineering! The Front Audio connection when the card is installed points straight up so if your running SLI this is NOT the card of choice as you won't have clearance to plug in your cable. One would think engineers would have went flat with the card & straight out the opposite end of the connection bar. I deducted three eggs & am considering selling this card & putting my old 5.1 card back in so I can control it the way I intended. I guess I should have researched the subject closer but still it's just poor engineering. Maybe I'll upgrade to something better after this fiasco!

Overall Review: I tried to go the cheaper route & paid the price!