Audiophile 2496 vs Audigy 1

[Stargazer78]

What do you think is a better card ?!?

I own a audigy 1 external, and it's been pretty good so far.

However, i have the chance to exchanging it with a Audiophile 2696 from a friend.

When i bought the audigy i was more of a gamer, but right now i'm interested in hight quality audio playback and good recording.

I borrowed the card just to try it, and i didn't notice that much of a difference in sound quality. Worst of all, the volume level seems particulary low, making it far infirior to the Audigy as far as audio playback goes.

Is it because i need a preamp ?!? I tried to look for one under the M-Audio website, but the only one that seemed good enought costed around 300$.

I do want great sound playback and recording quality, but i'm not ready to dish that much for a preamp alone, yet.

 

[mrzed]

For playback, it would depend on what speaker setup you are using. If you have computer speakers you are not likely to notice a large difference.

For recording, the M-Audio will destroy any gaming focused soundcard, including any soundblaster. But you have to have something nice to plug into it. If you really want to record (mic's or guitars for example), you will need some sort of pre-amp or direct box to get a decent level in (note this is a different problem than the pre-amp you are talking about for output).

Not sure why the volume level for output would be a problem, can't you just turn up the speakers? On either card, you should be going from line out to powered speakers or amp anyhow. Maybe the audigy line out is set a little hot to appeal to the louder is better crowd?

 

[Stargazer78]

I don't have speakers, but i have a decent set of headphones.

I'm using the card directly, with a female mini to RCA adaptor.

The problem isn't that the Audigy is louder, it's that Audiophile volume is way too low, the hightest settings is not even loud enought for normal listening, that's why i assume i was having problems with the Audiophile.

Also, i noticed this card doesn't have a plug for my CD connector, just a little hook.

Am i supposed to cut the connector and tie the wire around that thing ?!? Was it too hard for M-Audio to put a simple connector ?!?

 

[Stargazer78]

This is wierd, i just loaded a program called RT Player Express that came with the card, and the volume output is excellent, perhaps i need to configure this thing right.

In any case, the sound quality is great, are there even better sounding cards ?!? This one cost around 150$, can't imagine what a 300$ card may sound like

 

[FishTankX]

Eh.. this is about as far as it goes for low end studio..

There's always the insane Optical out->outboard dac->headphone amp system but that costs a pretty penny..

 

[BentValve]

Originally posted by: FishTankX
Eh.. this is about as far as it goes for low end studio..

There's always the insane Optical out->outboard dac->headphone amp system but that costs a pretty penny..

That is correct, the audiophile addiction runs pretty deep. Personally I go with what sound good to me and most of the time
I dont have to spend an arm an a leg for good sound. Some people take it way too far and I dang near jumped off that
bridge myself.

 

[Stargazer78]

Anybody that has the card has an idea of why that RT player is capable of playing wav files at high volume and everything else can't ?!?

 

[dowxp]

i use the 2496 with my senns hd600's and volume is more than enough. not sure what your problem is there. note though during gaming nothing is reallysupported and surround stuff is handled by software simulation, but i dont really care or notice the difference.

the music quality more than makes up for it. an alternative is the new revolution 7.1 ... im too lazy to sell the 2496 and then buy a product that is not much better.

 

[Stargazer78]

If you are using amplified speakers, i'm sure it doesn't matter if the volume is low or not.

Try to run that Rt player, and pump the volume from there, see if you notice a difference, maybe i'm just having driver issues, you know, perhaps the board is not 'supposed' to sound like that...