Chaintech 7.1 Channel PCI Sound Card w/Optical Digital Out

[corinthos]

Here's a good thread for further info on this card

 

[Smokin Gunn]

Nice

 

[dderidex]

Originally posted by: Wedge1
Would these work well with the
Logitech Z-3 Speakers w/ Subwoofer? I bought these speakers and the Chaintech soundcard as Christmas gifts for my two neices.

Don't see why not.

I'm going with the Cyber Acoustics speakers, myself.

 

[batmanuel]

Originally posted by: dderidex

Originally posted by: Wedge1
Would these work well with the
Logitech Z-3 Speakers w/ Subwoofer? I bought these speakers and the Chaintech soundcard as Christmas gifts for my two neices.

Don't see why not.

I'm going with the Cyber Acoustics speakers, myself.

I'd recommend spending a bit more and getting something a bit better. I've listened to those CA speakers in the store and the sats are pretty tinny compared to the name brands. Bass isn't so great either.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: dderidex

Originally posted by: Wedge1
Would these work well with the
Logitech Z-3 Speakers w/ Subwoofer? I bought these speakers and the Chaintech soundcard as Christmas gifts for my two neices.

Don't see why not.

I'm going with the Cyber Acoustics speakers, myself.

You should stick with the Logitechs as well. CA is not a credible speaker company.

 

[EtOH]

Originally posted by: Naustica

Originally posted by: EtOH

Just be aware that sometimes the drivers/card lose the rear channels and you have to reboot. Not sure why but still working on it. Could easily just be mine and not a common problem.

EtOH

I have this problem too. Only happens when I use high quality rear 2 channels.

Wow. You are the first other person I have found that has that problem. Nice to not be alone.

EtOH

 

[VirtualLarry]

Whatever happened to Labtec? They used to put out some cheap, but still decent, computer speakers. I once had a small set, and hooked them up to the headphone-out jack of a Neo-Geo system, and dayum, they sounded as good or better than a real arcade machine. Not more than 5" high, and those things could put out some punch, without sounding overloaded. Another decent-quality mfg of "computer" speakers was Advent, I have a couple of pairs of the model that was often used in trade-show displays, these triangular-shaped things with 2" and 3.5" drivers in each module. Very nice for the price, but no sub. Combine those with a 2.1 PCWorks set (with sub), and you get a pretty decent (for the price) setup. A little unbalanced, but I used my Vortex2's digital eq to fix that issue. That reminds me, do these Envy24-based cards, support an equalizer like that?

 

[dderidex]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: dderidex

Originally posted by: Wedge1
Would these work well with the
Logitech Z-3 Speakers w/ Subwoofer? I bought these speakers and the Chaintech soundcard as Christmas gifts for my two neices.

Don't see why not.

I'm going with the Cyber Acoustics speakers, myself.

You should stick with the Logitechs as well. CA is not a credible speaker company.

You think?

It's hard to find specs on the CA speakers, which I suppose is suspect, but their watts RMS looks good.

Any links to reviews done in a controlled environment? I mean, hearing speakers in a store is not usually a very reliable test unless the person setting them up knows what they are doing.

 

[Snowlock]

cyber acoustics are not all that good. very tinny sound. They are the cheap end of low generally.
Just my 2 cents.

Out of curiosity, I've looked around since I have 2 sound cards with spdif output, but I have not found any computer speakers which take that input. Are there any? I am pretty sure most home theater equipt has an spdif input but that seems a bit ridiculous to hook up your comp to a home theater. Any thoughts?

 

[psxjunky]

VanillaH: The AVSForum thread doesn't supply the EEPROM flash files anymore. Do you know where these files can be found so that I can flash the BIOS to make this card a Prodigy 7.1 and use the better drivers ?

Any info appreciated !

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: psxjunky
VanillaH: The AVSForum thread doesn't supply the EEPROM flash files anymore. Do you know where these files can be found so that I can flash the BIOS to make this card a Prodigy 7.1 and use the better drivers ?

Any info appreciated !

Link

 

[psxjunky]

Thanks very much ValinnaH ! Much appreciated

 

[psxjunky]

This is the first time placed an order with 11CB.com and I must say WOW !!! They have got the fastest order shipment time I have seen out of ANYONE else, and that includes Newegg !

I placed the order this morning, and within 3 hours I got the tracking number from them !!

Good job 11CB ! You got a rave review at ResellerRatings coming your way

 

[doinmybestatlast]

Thanks OP. Got two.

 

[Smokin Gunn]

This is the first time placed an order with 11CB.com and I must say WOW !!! They have got the fastest order shipment time I have seen out of ANYONE else, and that includes Newegg !

Cool

 

[konakona]

np... i am just glad people are starting to see the light, audigy isnt really an end-it-all soundcard. go for it if you have a multichanel speaker system and really dig EAX, unless otherwise there are much better options out there.

 

[forumJunkie]

just bought one, thanks OP... might have to buy a couple more

 

[tcrosson]

For those of you who did grab this card. How long is that Optical SPDIF cable? The picture makes it look like it's a foot at most.

 

[Wedge1]

5 Feet including the connectors.

 

[dderidex]

Think he was referring to the optical cable.

I had one of these about a year ago - brother using it now. IIRC., the optical cable was about a foot in the one I had. Perfectly fine for a receiver sitting next to your PC, but don't expect to use it to run a signal to your stereo across the room or something.

I'm actually using the cable now for my SoundStorm to the Klipsch GMX 5.1 receiver.

 

[Wedge1]

Yes, the optical cable is 5 feet long.

 

[Smokin Gunn]

Yeah my cable is 5 ft. long too.

 

[tcrosson]

I'm sold! Thanks a bunch guys.

 

[EF9]

Damn, this doesnt support the bass/treble advance controls like my onboard sound but at least my onboard sound had an eq you can adjust. The Chaintech does sound a bit clearer but nothing to rave about. This is in reference to the Logitech Z-560 speakers with different types of music compared between my realtek 5.1 on board sound and the Chaintech 7.1. Oh. forgot to mention I will be trying the Prodigy hack.

 

[BenJeremy]

Please remember, people... DACs do NOT matter if you are using the digital output.

This is the real advantage of the card. Optical output means you are getting a direct digital signal out to your Dolby Digital decoding reciever in 7.1 sound (backward compatible to 5.1 AC-3). Piss on the DAC in this configuration, since the DAC is not touched.

I'm amazed there aren't MORE Dolby Digital cards out there... especially from Creative. There are currently three contenders for Digital output - nForce 2 Soundstorm, Intel HD Audio, and VIA ENVY HT. Any other cards that say they support digital out is basically LYING - because what they actually support is 3x2 channel PCM (Creative) for gaming or no digital output for gaming at all. Unless your stereo has 3 digital decoders (like Creative Labs' special speaker sets), you will never get anything but 2 channel digital sound for gaming.

Older cards do support "pass-thru" for AC-3 off of a DVD movie played through certain DVD players, but this is merely a digital shuffle.

Games on "older" cards certainly can have 5.1 or even 7.1 channel sound, but it's output via ANALOG channels (or the aforementioned multiple PCM channels), meaning a rat's nest of cables to your reciever or amplified speaker set, and the signal loss/noise associated with that setup.

In short, this card is GREAT for those with a Dolby Digital DECODING receiver with an Optical SPDIF in. It will consume a few clock cycles during games, but if you are playing on a weak CPU, why bother with 5.1 audio, anyway?

Hopefully, Intel and VIA's chipsets will put the heat on Creative Labs (nVidia has taken a massive step back by removing DD support from Soundstorm products) to finally add USEFUL features to their sound cards... but on the other hand, they make a lot of money selling their special speaker setups to people who don't know better.