audigy2 zs or x-fi

[ming2000]

I am shopping a sound card for my htpc. I can find a really cheap audigy2 zs. But I dont know how much difference x-fi can make comparing with audigy2, is it worthy paying some extra money to go with the x-fi?

 

[Captante]

Depends on how much extra money were talking about.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

What are you hooking it up to? A2 or X-Fi might not be the best choice.

 

[ming2000]

i am gonna hook it up to receiver+loud speakers, not gonna be really good one, most likely will grab one from local craigslist

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: ming2000
i am gonna hook it up to receiver+loud speakers, not gonna be really good one, most likely will grab one from local craigslist

Any idea on number of speakers and what you're going to be playing on them?

(Music, movies, computer gaming?)

 

[ming2000]

most likely would be 2 front speakers+one center, It is mainly for movies and music. I dont think i will use it for games, i dont have a good video card anyway.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: ming2000
most likely would be 2 front speakers+one center, It is mainly for movies and music. I dont think i will use it for games, i dont have a good video card anyway.

Ok for gaming there are some cards that may be better suited for gaming because the cards can encode DD or DTS to stream to the receiver.

If gaming isn't a concern, you have a lot of options for hooking up.

If you're planning on hooking up the card digitally, you might just want to try your integrated sound first if it has that ability.

 

[ming2000]

ic, but i still dont what the difference is between x-fi and a2? in what situation, ppl should consider x-fi?

 

[krotchy]

I would avoid Creative like a hawk right now, especially if you dont plan on gaming. Their Vista Drivers are absolute crap (My X-Fi Fatal1ty has never worked fully well in Vista and their customer service/forums are a joke).

As far as the difference between the Audigy2 and X-Fi. The X-Fi contains a much faster audio processor than the Audigy series. The audigies came out in like 2000 or so and the X-Fi's in like 2005 if IIRC. The audigy has support for later revisions of EAX and can do some more things involving digital encoding.

Since you are doing music/movies my suggestion would be looking into the HT-Omega Striker 7.1 or perhaps the Asus Xonar which is coming out soon. I think those are on par with an X-Fi but you havent specified which model X-fi you're looking into so its hard to say.