Creative Labs X-Fi vs M-Audio Revolution 7.1?

[Rufio]

My Audigy 2 is crapping out on me.

i have a brand new m-audio revolution 7.1 card here i got for cheap a while ago. i never used it. it's brand new in the box.

the new x-fi cards are out.....and they look cool.

I am about a 65% gamer, 35% music guy.

What should i get and why?

 

[PurdueRy]

you got the revo...use it!

IMO the new cards are too $$$ to be worth buying them when you have a great card there.

 

[orangat]

Why is the A2 crapping out?
The revo is only eax2 so if its ok with you for games, then I suppose its good enough.
Imo the xfi is overpriced. Check the AT review.

 

[Rufio]

I know it's overpriced, but my bday is in 2 weeks and someone's offering to get me one.

the A2 is crapping out because when i install the drivers for it and enable it on my comp, it just likes to freeze my computer up. if anyone can help that would be awesome. but this may just be my excuse to upgrade.

 

[alcoholbob]

If you really want the XiFi, then you should sell your Revo on craigslist or ebay. You can still fetch probably 60-70$ for it.

Since going from Audigy 2 to Chaintech AV-710...all I gotta say is WOW. Really nice to listen to music without all that resampling distortion.

 

[Eureka]

AV-710 is nice, but crappy for 5.1.

Norm

 

[cheapherk]

X-Fi all the way. My X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS is wonderful.

 

[alcoholbob]

AV-710 is more or less for those who are going no-frills digital and pairing with a receiver.

 

[Eureka]

Which is bad if you're a gamer and uses 5.1 MM speakers.

I found that out the hard way... but then again my primarys are 2.1.

Norm

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

If you have nice speakers or headphones already then it might be a good idea to get an x-fi.

Is there another upgrade your computer might need for about $100?

 

[Rufio]

no my computer is pretty decent right now.
amd 62 3200+
dfi nf3 lanparty m/b
1gb ram
6800 video card
76gb raptor drive

i'ts just my damn sound card.

if i want to play games like World of Warcraft, City of Villians, Battlefield 2, will my revo 7.1 work with that?

btw, thx for the advice everyone.

 

[alcoholbob]

Oh it'll work, but it won't have some of the new frills. Although to be REAL honest, I doubt it would actually be enough for a difference to buy a new card.

Oh btw, the Raptor is technically 69.6GB : )

 

[whitelight]

well, since it's your bday, and someone is offering to get it for you, i say go for it, unless there's something else you need. since you game more than you listen to music, the x-fi seems like a safe bet.

 

[Zap Brannigan]

Go with the X-Fi because you are 65% gamer.

 

[Zap Brannigan]

If you do go with the Revo, instead check out the Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1. It sounded so much better than the Revo to my ears.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Zap Brannigan
If you do go with the Revo, instead check out the Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1. It sounded so much better than the Revo to my ears.

I think the point is that he has the Revo already.

If he's buying a card it's going to be an X-Fi

 

[Rufio]

hey guys.
thx for your replies.

i ended up going w/the revo because of several reasons:

1. too impatient to wait for hte x-fi to come in the mail
2. i wanted to get a digital camera for my bday and now the $$ for this is going towards taht
3. the only right now that i'm playing is online poker .

i installed the c ard, and it sounds AWESOME. i really dig it 'cuase my music sounds great.

 

[Zap Brannigan]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Zap Brannigan
If you do go with the Revo, instead check out the Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1. It sounded so much better than the Revo to my ears.

I think the point is that he has the Revo already.

If he's buying a card it's going to be an X-Fi

Then it's unanimous! lol

 

[tyborg]

if someone will get you one for your birthday, X-fi all the way. You pay no money either way, and the X-fi is a far superior card to anything else on the market, except it's a tad overpriced depending on what you want it for. however, it seems price isn't a factor for you.

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: tyborg
if someone will get you one for your birthday, X-fi all the way. You pay no money either way, and the X-fi is a far superior card to anything else on the market, except it's a tad overpriced depending on what you want it for. however, it seems price isn't a factor for you.

I find it hard to believe that the x-fi is a giant leap in sound quality. The components like the dacs and opmaps are still the same as the A2 except for the most expensive elitepro model. The advertised snr is 109 which is a tick above 108db for the A2ZS.

 

[alcoholbob]

That's because you are paying for new software algorithms like CMSS Headphone and Crystalizer.

It'll be only a matter of time before someone manages to hack it for use on all Audigy cards...just like the A2 and A2ZS software.

 

[orangat]

Well the A2 already has cmss3d and audio cleanup. The crystalizer is merely some fiddling with the equalizer.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

I'm like 92% gamer, 8% music listener, soooo X-Fi XtremeMusic is my BEST choice? Fatal1ty is too expensive.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Patrick Wolf
I'm like 92% gamer, 8% music listener, soooo X-Fi XtremeMusic is my BEST choice? Fatal1ty is too expensive.

For a gamer right now I would say

$40 AR A2zs
or
$75 AR X-Fi

are the two best deals.

X-Fi especially if you're going to use headphones.

 

[amd4life]

ive owned both, the xfi is the far more advanced unit

far better drivers, spatial accuracy to the music, the only the maudio may have is its pro tools integration

the creative will be far better for games also if your into that