Best Sound Card for Windows XP

cbsmith

Member
Sep 18, 2001
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I am using Windows XP Pro. I have a cheap no name sound card that doesn't work good with XP. IT will be fine for a while, then it will just start making static noises until I reboot.

So I am looking for a new sound card now. I have an AMD CPU on a Via motherboard. I have heard that the Sound Blaster Live had some compatibility issues with Via Chipsets. Have these been resolved? Is the Audigy different? Does it work okay with Via chipsets?

If the SB Live will work, I can get one of them really cheap. The Audigy is a lot more money. I can't seem to find any Turtle Beach or other brands at all.

Thanks,

Chris
 

Mem

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
21,476
13
81


<< Is the Audigy different? Does it work okay with Via chipsets? >>




Yes mine is working ok with my WinXP and VIA board (Epox 8KHA+),anyway you may want to look at the OEM version of the SB Audigy or Philips Acoustic Edge soundcard since you said the Santa Cruz is hard to find.


In general the SB Live problem is now gone.

You don`t say what motherboard you`ve?
 

cbsmith

Member
Sep 18, 2001
129
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I have an Asus A7V-E motherboard.

I would like to get the SB Live OEM as I can get one for around $50 CAD where an Audigy OEM is around $100 CAD.

Was the SB Live issue fixed through drivers? I just resolved a problem I had with my video card and don't want to create another one with a sound card.

Thanks,

Chris
 

Mem

Lifer
Apr 23, 2000
21,476
13
81
Your board will be fine with the SB Live,my friend has the Asus and SB Live and his is fine,also your board is VIA KT133 and my MSI board is KT133 which also has a SBLive in it with no problems,the KT133A were the boards that had the SB Live problem not the KT133 boards.


:)
 

Ronstang

Lifer
Jul 8, 2000
12,493
18
81
I have had both the Live! and the Audigy working flawlessly in Windows XP. I now have the Live! in my mother's computer using XP Home and it works great. My Audigy card sounds great to me and everyone who has heard my setup. I have never had any of the problems with Creative cards that everyone else claims exist and I and my mother both have VIA motherboards. I personally think the problem is fixed and had more to do with certain motherboards than Creative sound cards.
 

Skibby9

Senior member
Feb 3, 2002
208
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I am aware that there was a great big deal about the SB Live cards and Via chipsets, but I haven't seen the problem in my small experience. I have the Asus A7V-133 (KT-133A Chipset) with SB Live (not 5.1), and have had no problems ever under win98 and 2000. My neighbor had the A7V (KT-133), and both SB Live, and SB Live 5.1 running fine with windows 2000. We pretty much stuck with the latest 4in1 drivers from Via, and I couldn't tell much of a difference in any of them.
 

Daovonnaex

Golden Member
Dec 16, 2001
1,952
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I recommend the Philips Edge series (Rhythmic, Seismic, and Acoustic). They all have amazing sound.
 

richleader

Golden Member
Jan 1, 2001
1,201
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A lot of games have sound problems in windows XP with my Live, but it's not really Creative's fault, now is it. *cough*MS*cough*
rolleye.gif
 

TheWart

Diamond Member
Dec 17, 2000
5,219
1
76
i have two Acoustic Edge cards working with two different system setups both running xp flawlessly. one powers the Klipsch 4.1 beatys, one gets to handle the Logitech Z560s.
 

jiffylube1024

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
7,430
0
71
SB Audigy OEM or SB Live 5.1 OEM are great for XP .. my Live! Value worked for me in XP before, now all of a sudden it totally craps out and doesnt work at all, and crashed my comp when I try to instally any drivers. I've tried re-installing XP about 5 times, it crashes the installation! Looks like I'm going to have to buy another 5.1 OEM!