Best sound card available at the moment.

[OMG1Penguin]

What is your favorite sound card, and why?
I am looking to upgrade from a SB live value, I would like opinions please

 

[Algere]

Sound card: E-MU 0404

Reasons: Sound Quality/Price ratio

 

[konakona]

according to initial impressions from others, going from 0404 to 1212m is a slight upgrade, prolly not worth extra 75~100bux. the difference stems from different dac being used. if price is no object then you could go for lynx2, RME hammerfall or any bit-perfect digital out card + benchmark1 dac. i am quite happy with my modded 1212m tho, miles ahead of anything else i heard thusfar.

 

[OMG1Penguin]

I mainly use the PC for gaming... would the 0404 still be a viable upgrade? I was thinking something along the lines of an audigy2 zs or something of the like.

 

[Algere]

Then look no further

The Audigy 2 ZS is it.

 

[OMG1Penguin]

Awesome, thanks a lot!

 

[nickmarine]

I just bought an Audigy2 ZS platinum pro from Frys for $149 AR. Its for my new system so I have yet to use it but it gets good reviews and I feel the price was right. I used Santa Cruz cards in 3 of my other systems and they preformed very well also.

Nick

 

[Gamingphreek]

Either that or if you have a M/B that supports it Soundstorm.

-Kevin

 

[zodder]

Originally posted by: Algere
Then look no further

The Audigy 2 ZS is it.

I second that.

 

[Deftonespoop]

Soundstorm is awsome........... if you have a home stereo hooked up to it pumping out the 5.1 surround sound.

 

[pirred908]

Gaming - Audigy 2 ZS

Music - M-Audio Revolution 7.1

(I'd go for the Audigy)

 

[konakona]

pirred908, revo is undoubtedly a good card, but chaintech av-710 is at least just as good @ $23 shipped and the new emu offerings (0404 and 1212m) are significantly better. with even higher budget, there is RME hammerfall. lynx2 pricing is too outrageous to be within reach of an average audiophile with a computer based source.

 

[gizbug]

i have an audigy 2. not going to waste my money on a zs, not much difference at all

 

[NleahciM]

I'd reccomend staying away from the Audigy series. Creative Labs is renowned for their awful drivers and even worse support.

 

[BullsOnParade]

For games its tough to beat Creative and their dominant EAX implementation. Unless you are aiming at some type of super audiophile setup, the AudigyZS is more than sufficient and will likely sound much better than your current card. As for shoddy drivers, I haven't heard very many complaints about them since the Audigy series was released. The bloat is still there, but its not too bad.

 

[konakona]

i am not even a 'super audiophile', and my whole audio setup is <$1k yet i can clearly tell how these sound cards rank in their acoustic qualities :
audigy <<< av-710 <<<<< 1212M
yeah audigy is good for gaming, thats an undeniable fact. but to say it is more than sufficient for anyone is like saying dell and aol are sufficient for average joe consumer. well they probably are but this is anandtech forums isnt exactly a place for general uneducated mass

 

[CSMR]

The thing is, no-one considers sound when boasting about their game performance. Whoever gets the most fps wins, so you don't want to lose a few fps by going to a good non-Creative sound card.

 

[konakona]

exactly. if you consider yourself a gamer at heart just get audigy and forget music. you cant do both unless you get dual sound setup, unless you convince yourself there is no difference you are missing it out and you know it

 

[Lotdog]

Originally posted by: Deftonespoop
Soundstorm is awsome........... if you have a home stereo hooked up to it pumping out the 5.1 surround sound.

i heard that Creative always has problems with his cards!?

 

[CVSiN]

I never have had any issues at all with my SBs.. and Ive been using them since the 286 days..
Ive had the Soundblaster... the soundblaster 16 the SB AWE64 the SB live the SB live Value the SB live 5.1 and now an audigy 2 ZS i got last night =)
all have lasted many years and the audigy went in like a snap..

 

[Lotdog]

heared that zs in general has problems with drivers and adjusting sound performance in gaming

 

[CVSiN]

I havent heard anything but raves about the ZS in games... usually peeps dont like it for music

 

[islandtechengineers]

I'm another thats been using creative drives since the days of sound blaster and they've been good to me. there drivers have never failed and the service/support have lived up tp my expectations = except, i noticed whenever they release a new product they slowly stop providing updates to an old, then they'll stop.

an example.... I bought an audigy 1 platinum when it was released and was able to acquire constant updates for it; recently, there's practically none. hey i dont mind and can undersand.

 

[Stout]

Where can one find the Audigy2 zs for the cheapest???

TKS!

 

[Big Lar]

Originally posted by: Stout
Where can one find the Audigy2 zs for the cheapest???

TKS!

Check the For Sale forum here at anand, occasionally there is 1 for sale there.