Best inexpensive sound card?

[Locarno]

Assuming cost is equal, what is the better sound card: The Sound Blaster Live Value or the Hercules Gamesurround Fortissimo II? I don't care about DVD movies; my biggest concern is playing audio files/CDs while using the computer to do other stuff. Good 3D game performance is nice, but I don't think any 3D game above Half Life is very playable/desireable on this system of mine. Thanks in advance.

P-Sz

 

[Tsaico]

In situations like that, I usually go for the generic sound card, when I just want sound. Get them for 6.99 at most shows... I think they have the old opti chips in them

 

[flyerI]

Unless a client asks for something special I usually disable the onboard sound and use a SB128 PCI card. The last one I bought was about $25 shipped. I have used the $10 cards and speakers and that is exactly what it sounded like. With any above the cheapest speaker the SB128 gives good sound and the client usually smiles when her hears " The Microsoft Sound" for the first time on his new machine.

 

[Texun]

Locarno

I've had great success with the SB Live Value. Have had the TB and still like the SB Live or Live Value better. Just my two cents worth. I think the last ones I bought off of Pricewatch.com were about $30.

 

[oldfart]

The Hercules Gamesurround Fortissimo II is a very nice card for the $$. I've used it a couple of times. Works well.

 

[HouRman]

Currently I have a soundblaster pci512.

The card that I would get next would have to be the Turtle beach Santa Cruz.

With a name like that how could you not buy it

 

[Daovonnaex]

The Fortissimo II is much better. The SB Live! has terrible sound that always pissed me off.

 

[bockchow]

<< my biggest concern is playing audio files/CDs while using the computer to do other stuff. >>



that being the case go with the fortissimo, it handles alot more load than the live does so your audio won't be eating up your cpu time playing a stinking mp3. but keep in mind the fortissimo only goes up to 4.1, thats fine for me because thats what i have but if you have a 5.1 speaker set or intend on getting one soon go with the live.
and if you switch between headphones and speakers and don't like switching around cables the fortissimo has a dedicated headphone jack and you can direct the output for the equalizer program. thats one of my favorite features.

 

[darkside9923]

Personaly I would say go with the Sblive you can pick up a 5.1 oem at Newegg for $32 dollars. Ive always insisted people to use creative cards when I build a system, never ran into any problems with them with one exception the Audigy I recently installed had a few driver problems but creative has appeared to straightened them out.

 

[Daovonnaex]

<< Assuming cost is equal, what is the better sound card: The Sound Blaster Live Value or the Hercules Gamesurround Fortissimo II? I don't care about DVD movies; my biggest concern is playing audio files/CDs while using the computer to do other stuff. Good 3D game performance is nice, but I don't think any 3D game above Half Life is very playable/desireable on this system of mine. Thanks in advance.

P-Sz >>

Locarno, since I can't PM you, and you don't have AIM, I need to go temporarily off topic. Is your name a reference to the Treaty of Locarno?

Anyhow, back to the topic, both of the cards have relatively neglible CPU offload, but [imo] the Fortissimo is superior for sound quality.

 

[TimeKeeper]

CMI-8738 series. ALL OS support and works beautifully regardless what chipset your mobo has.
I got one w/ 6-speaker 5.1 w/ daughter card for only $13.

hmm.....if you have faith in ubid (where I got mine), here is the most recent item.

 

[brainalien]

I just picked up a Fortissimo 2 from Newegg for $32, very satisfied. Slick menus and sounds great.

 

[mithrandir2001]

A used TB Santa Cruz should do the trick.

 

[Bovinicus]

I have an SB Live! value. It sounds pretty good, but there's nothing special about it. I have heard the Fortissimo II sounds better for music and games, but I have never heard it for myself. The believe the audio chip on the Fortissimo is the same as the Game Theater and Santa Cruz.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

want 5.1 analog output and play with soundfonts? sblive 5.1 oem

want optical in and out for your md? fortissimo2

 

[Daovonnaex]

<< The believe the audio chip on the Fortissimo is the same as the Game Theater and Santa Cruz. >>

The DSP is similar, but not the same. The Fortissimo II has a Cirrus Logic CS4624 DSP, whereas the Santa Cruz and the GTXP have a Cirrus Logic 4630. The sound is the same, but the 4630 supports 5.1 channel sound (and the GTXP supports 6.1 channels).

 

[Locarno]

Thank you all for your advice. I have ordered the Fortissimo II from newegg. I hope it is a good buy. (isn't $9 a little high for shipping? I could ship it for $4. OTOH, it is a Retail product, I believe, so it may be a bigger box than I expect.)

Bokchow said: "that being the case go with the fortissimo, it handles alot more load than the live does so your audio won't be eating up your cpu time playing a stinking mp3. but keep in mind the fortissimo only goes up to 4.1, thats fine for me because thats what i have but if you have a 5.1 speaker set or intend on getting one soon go with the live.
and if you switch between headphones and speakers and don't like switching around cables the fortissimo has a dedicated headphone jack and you can direct the output for the equalizer program. thats one of my favorite features."

Do you know of any web site that talks about the CPU/bus utilization in this and other sound cards? This interests me.

Daovonnaex, I'll add my ICQ # to my sig for ya. Anyway, I had not previously heard of the "Treaty of Locarno", though I am both French and Polish. It is actually a reference to an obscure Star Trek character.

P-Sz

 

[meaty]

Turtle beach santa cruz has been cruzing for me no conflicts what so ever
My SB value had major issues on serval mobo's ( via based).