Best sound-card? need one fast...

[Flat]

Whats the best sound card? I need one fast, zapped my Aureal Vortex :disgust:
I was thinking mabye the Creative Xgamer 5.1 , really nice software bundle
Thx for the help!

 

[Ausm]

I would get the SB Live gamer 5.1,or MP3 5.1 or the Platnium 5.1


Ausm

 

[interchange]

Creative's line has the market pretty well cornered. Some may argue otherwise, but you can't go wrong with any of the Live! line. Unless you have a specific need for the X-Gamer (i.e. want the games) or the Platinum's editing features, etc, go for the Value because it will give you identical sound on a standard setup.

 

[Leo V]

Ignore the Creative zealots. SB Live! in my experience actually sounds really bad, fuzzy and tinny. Its marketing hype is the loudest, though. The Vortex2 (which I've also owned) has much clearer, warmer sound; the best of any "consumer" card I've used. Don't take my word for it; take a read at this audio enthusiast forum.

If you can afford $165 shipped for a really good sound card, get the Midiman Audiophile 2496 from Soundchaser.com (cheapest online price). I'm using it with the Klipsch ProMedia2.1 speakers, and its quality blows the consumer cards away. And I mean there is a huge difference, with these same speakers. Downside? No gameport and limited game API support. You'd need to keep the Vortex around for games. Online review for AP2496.

 

[Flat]

Leo, I highly doubt the sound quality problems you refer to were cause by the soundcard itself... simply due to the fact that its a completly digital system (unless you dont have digital speakers) There is not really a need to spend $165 on a sound card either :/ I belive I will just go with the Xgamer due to its very nice software bundle (Platinum seems a bit to much considering I have a ~$15000 audio system @ home) btw Kef speakers own! hehe

 

[LXi]

Our Leo can make the best product in the market sound like the worst, Im not surprised. SB Live! is not the best soundcard, but its a very decent one, no such problems Leo described.

 

[Leo V]

Sorry if I sounded harsh, but I expected much better of Creative given their fiscal muscle. All their money seems to go into marketing and in-house MP3 software. I won't even start a speaker war concerning Creative's digital speakers and their comparative quality.

About Creative's digital-out: it automatically upsamples everything to 48KHz, which slightly degrades most sound (which is normally 44.1KHz). Please don't tell me Creative couldn't afford any better!

 

[LXi]

Well what do you expect out of a 2 year old design anyway, Im looking forward to their next generation of soundcards, hopefully inplementing some Aureal technologies and revive A3D.

 

[dougjnn]

My advice is to get the Soundblaster Live X-Gamer (4.1, not 5.1) from staples for $80, use one of the $25 off 75 coupons, and bring it in at $55 shipped free.

I think 5.1 for computers is silly hype. I think 4.1 actually may sound better. The center channel speaker just muddles the sound seperation of the two front speakers. I mean they are probably just on each side of your monitor anyway. And the same distance from you as the center would be.

I have a full blow high end B&W 801 speakers with Velodyne subwoofer surrond sound system for watching DVD and other movies. There a center channel makes a big difference. I mean the front speakers are consideraly deeper than the big TV, and some distance appart. Dialong sounds floating and weird without the center channel.

But none of that applies with computer surrond sound. Sure, the subwoofer and the two rear surronds make a big difference in games or dvd watching. But loose the center. (Dialog is carried by the two fronts, and seems in between them.)

I'm getting the Cambridge FPS 2000 4.1 speaker system, after hearing it at a friends. Nice pair up with the Live 4.1 sound card.

My .02 cents after a lot of reaseach and listening.

 

[kylef]

I was seriously pissed when Creative sued the crap out of Aureal. Aureal eventually won in court, but caved under the legal expenses. Poor bastards.

I've heard, however, that the new Philips sound cards are picking up some steam, primarily because of the SLICK drivers that go along with them. This is especially true if (like me) you're running Win2k.

Creative is trying to milk as much money from the absence of Aureal as they possibly can. Does this company even HAVE an R&D budget anymore? Or how about a driver development team? I remember when it took like two months after Win2k was released before you could even get Liveware for Win2k. And it STILL sucks on my machine, nearly a year after Win2k was released!

In my opinion, stay away from Creative. We need to find someone else to stand up to their bullying.

Kyle

 

[gittyup]

How about this one..

 

[dougjnn]

Yeah Gittyup, you linked what I was talking about.

 

[Flat]

I do run Windows 2000, hmmmmm interesting post kylef. About speakers Leo, I run the top of the line Altec Lansing model, 5.1 bla bla bla, they are very very good, very very very. Although I heard a friends Bang & Olufsen $1000+ system that was... oh pretty nice Also I have heard great things about the Grado Labs system

 

[kylef]

Here's the link to the Philips AcousticEdge PSC 706. Most people I've talked to have said it has the best Win2k drivers of any good sound card made.

Philips AcousticEdge PSC706

Kyle

 

[kami]

I was interested in the Acoustic Edge but what worried me was that it is not possible to turn off their special emulated surround sound when listening to music. I have a MX300 now, and if anything truly does sound better I WILL notice it on my system (check my sig to see my sound system). I'm going to look more into this Midiman card that LeoV was talking about...how hard is it to run both sound cards simultaneously so I can keep the MX300 for gaming? How do you "switch" between cards, etc.?

I recently got the MAD plugin for winamp and was impressed with the sound. However I can only run it at 16bit...is mp3s at 24bit with the Midiman card really that much better?

thanks

 

[Medea]

Definitely get the Philips AcousticEdge PSC706! I had the SB Live Value & replaced it with the Philips & it rocks! It's not the easiest card to find. If you're near a Circuit City, you can get it there for about $99.

 

[damocles]

A month ago i was recommending the Live, now that i have heard the Philips AcousticEdge PSC706, i's no contest (imho)- the Philips is great

 

[kylef]

I found this place through Pricewatch... I don't have any experience ordering from them, but they DO sell the Philips card:

Techstore.com: Philips Acoustic Edge $82

Kyle

 

[Zero]

Alternative to Creative:
Guillemot Game Theater XP


Zero

 

[dougjnn]

Hmmmmm. YOu guys have got me waivering.

I won't use it for DVD. I do that on my big screen TV/surrond sound system/Atex DVD player.

Does it make a noticeable difference for mp3's and games?

How do you think it would work with the Cambridge FPS 2000 4.1 speaker system. I don't think I want to go much higher than that for my computer office setup.

 

[Maniac9127]

<< Well what do you expect out of a 2 year old design anyway, >>

I expect them to get it right the first time.

<< Im looking forward to their next generation of soundcards, hopefully inplementing some Aureal technologies and revive A3D >>

Yeah, maybe Santa will all bring us one, either that or we can buy one with the money we got from the tooth fairy. Err, anyway...

I've heard lots of good stuf about the Philips Acoustic Edge. Sound quality better than the SB Live! One interesting feature though, all the reviews I've read have said the surround simulation acually works really well. I've also heard good stuff about the VTB Santa Cruz

 

[dougjnn]

Does the Phillips surrond similation work well with a 4.1 speaker setup, do you know? That is what most high end surrond sound systems actually use in surround similation for music. The center channel generally only comes in with video.

 

[Soccerman]

Well what do you expect out of a 2 year old design anyway,.

I expect that it would have been replaced by now...

oh, right, not much competition (stupid creative..). I'd listen to Leo V, he knows what he's talking about.

 

[dougjnn]

Does anyone know if the Phillips card works fully without hassles with all games, as well as being a good music/dvd card?

 

[nortexoid]

I'd get the accoustic edge over any SB Crap! card any day...

if u want a live drive wannabe, get the frontX bay for pretty cheap...it's ports your sound card (and other connectors) to the front 5 1/4&quot; bay.

i just built a new system for someone, and tossed in an aureal sq2500 w/ the win2k drivers and works flawlessly...and it was cheaper than any other comparable card...

i also recently found an mx25 daughter board for digital out w/ the mx300...used it, and sent it back...it worked fine, but i notice NO difference in sound quality in anything whatsoever...and dolby digital wasn't all i thought it might be...oh well.