audioexcel AV512 sound card - decent?

[nortexoid]

how's this sound card? - anyone own one?
it uses the c-media 8738-6 LX chipset, supports 6.1 channel audio, EAX and A3D and AC-3 pass thru...the chipset at least...i want to know if this particular card + drivers does for win2k as well (i.e. all of the aforementioned features work under win2k with this card, and that none of are "missing" for some reason or other...or if the c-media reference drivers are compatible w/ the card if the card's drivers suck)...

also, is the digital-out optical or coaxial?

this card is so cheap and seems to offer features comparable to the best sound cards on the market oging for 3-4 times its price...(i.e. tb santa cruz, sb live, etc.)

 

[nortexoid]

i think it's made by chaintech, but not completely sure...

apparently the chaintech one doesn't come w/ any digital connectors...and gives jack for information...i.e. if a daughter board is available or something.

 

[Quickfingerz]

when did this come out?

 

[ApacheXMD]

here's a review of a zoltrix soundcard based on the same C-Media chipset and looks to have the same features as the board you mentioned. All the c-media soundcards seem to be based off one reference design, so the differences between them should be minimal.

i have a zoltrix card based on an older version of the chipset. it doesn't have 6.1 sound, but it does indeed have spdif. I'm running it in my dad's win2k system and it works ok.. the drivers for win2k were junky. it was hell to get them loaded. the win98 drivers were better. But that was months ago, they probably updated it since then.

-patchy

 

[Quickfingerz]

I might get this if it's just as good as a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz...

 

[nortexoid]

interesting review, too bad it's for the zoltrix
while the chipset is the same and they're generally based on the cmedia reference design, i don't think the audioexcel card comes w/ any digital connectors...i'd like to confirm this tho.

audioexcel doesn't seem to have a website...or i just can't find it.
sweet card for like 20 bucks tho, even if it doesn't come w/ digita out...