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Creative, best soundcard for mainly music?

R

RKAltimas01

Member
Hi, I mostly listen to music and some gaming here and there...but mostly music. I have a A3D Vortex 2 PCI right now. I want something with the best clarity and overall sound quality and hopefully be under the $100 range. I've been looking around for anyother sound card and came up with the SB Audigy. Is that my best choice for listening to music? I don't need any of that 5.1 digital stuff cause I only have a 2.1 system. Any suggestions? Oh and I am running Win XP BTW, Thanks.
 
Hercules Fortissimo II for $33. It's gotta be arguably the best buy. Not to mention it uses the least amount of cpu out of all of em and has some great sound to boot.
 
I was under the impression the Fortissmo II didn't have the same quality as most other cards, like the acoustic edge, gametheater or the santa cruz.... but the reviews are hard to tell, as they tend to avoid really comparing that card with the others.
 
The Sound quality of the Fortissimo II is virtually the same as the Santa Cruz, Hercules Game Theater XP and any other card based on the
Crystal Sound Fusion chipset (although the version used on it is a 4624 which is a scaled down version of the 4630 used on the SC and
XP). I would consider it the best in price/performance of all sound cards. The abovementioned cards are better for music than any SB card; their characteristics
are usually a wide, airy soundstage fast, well articulated bass. SB cards are a little flat and their bass is usually heavier.
 
i'll look into the other cards mentioned above, thanks. Oh, and I am thinking of getting a set of Logitech Z340 also, anyone heard them? I got a set of Aura Aspect 20/40 2.1 system right now, are these logitechs gonna be better?
 
I would recommend the Philips Acoustic Edge or the Fortissimo II, as someone else had mentioned.

The Soundblaster series is horrible for CDs, as it upconverts 44.1kHz to 48kHz, introducing very noticeable artifacts.

If you really want the best quality, go for the MAudio Audiophile 24/96 🙂

DaveK
 
Don't be fooled by Creative's gimmick - 5.1 decoding.
all 5.1 sound cards are just using the software DVD program to decode AC-3, and then output the 6 ch sound thru the 3 pairs analog jack.

the benefit of 5.1 sound cards is only you don't need to buy expensive PC speakers that has built-in AC-3 decoder or a receiver that has built-in AC-3 decoder, you just need to buy those sub-$100 5.1 powered PC speakers to enjoy DVD's DD by using the software DVD program to decode AC-3.

If you've PC speakers with built-in AC-3 decoder or receiver with AC-3 decoder, you just need a sound card with SPDIF out jack either in co-axial or toslink format depends on your speakers or receiver.

if you just need toslink in/out -
Hercules Gamesurround Fortissimo II

if you need 6 ch analog jacks and co-axial spdif in/out -
Philips Acoustic Edge

if you want 6 ch analog jacks, co-axial spdif in/out, toslink in/out -
Hercules Game Theater XP

the price of SB Audigy Platinum EX can buy all of the above cards.
 
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