Does anyone know when Creative's next generation is going to come out?

[Noriaki]

I'm thinking of taking a leap and picking up a TB Santa Cruz.

I'm just wondering when Creative's next card is coming out...wondering if they'll actually make some improvement or if it will just be

SBLive! X-Gamer 5.1+headphones, now with Doom3 instead of UT!!!!

I'd just like to see if creative is going to offer some competetive to the 'Cruz or the 'Edge in their next gen or if they are going to fall behind just like they did when PCI sound card first showed up...

Edit: <total speculation>
Hmmm you know Diamond came out with a PCI sound card ahead of creative and creative fell back...then they bought Ensoniq to buy themselves time to catch up...and then they brought out the SBLive!...and while it's showing it's years a bit now, it was pretty sweet when it first came out...they just bought Aureal...do you think they might have something super-cool in the works, and using Aureal as a hold off?
</total speculation>

 

[Pyro]

I personally havent seen anything about new SBs, but i have a question.

I read a review of the Acoustic edge, and everyone says it makes SBLIVE sound like a gramophone (or whatever the hell those old thingies with the spining big cd-like thingies are called ) so I was wondering if you knew where i can get one of those here in canada (if I'm not mistaken you are canadian too). I've looked at all the regular places and found nothing. I like shopping from local stores and not online....

 

[divinemartyr]

You might have trouble finding it in a local store as of yet Pyro, not everyone knows how awesome it is yet and mostly technical gurus are the ones who will be buying it. Most of us on the forums shop online, that's your best bet. If you can't find something locally, go out on a limb this time and buy it online

dm

 

[AmdEmAll]

I dont see how they could make the sound any better with these cards, I guess im just not a major audiophille(sp?) I really cant imagine my SBlive! xgamer and Klipsch promedias sounding any better then they are.

 

[Noriaki]

Indeed I am canadian, but I can't help you on a place to buy the AE (or the SC). Sorry man You might want to try a small local retailer that takes custom orders, they might be able to find something for you.

The AE isn't quite *that* drastic There is less line noise (hiss) than in the SBLive, which makes things sound a bit better, especially in the quiet parts of movies. And there are a few neat features....but it's not quite so drastic as you mentioned (I don't know what those things are called either but I know what you are talking about ) If you can find one and don't mind the extra coin it's probably worth it (a friend has one, but he bought it online, outpost.com I think...)

I like to buy local and it's hard sometimes...I feel your pain my friend :| :frown:

BTW, I love the sig

 

[Noriaki]

Actually AmdEmAll, I was talking more in terms of features than &quot;quality&quot;, but strictly speak, for analog line quality an AE tops the SBLive, especially in quiet parts. It's not so noticeable in loud parts.

I'm probably going to end up keeping my SBLive! for some time yet, being as I can't find anywhere to buy an SC or AE...

 

[Taz4158]

They're not in Toronto Pyro, or at my distributors.

 

[Pyro]

Thanks.


I guess it might not make that much of a difference, seeing as how I'll be using the Altec Lansing ACS56 (I know they're not top notch, but you cant beat the price)

 

[Jeff H]

This whole AE vs. SBLive thing is going right over my head. Let me explain . . . . .

I recently won a Philips Acoustic Edge (AE) soundcard from www.soundcardcentral.com. I was anxious to pull my SBLive MP3+ card and put the AE in its place, and be wowed by its performance, expecting this after reading all the rave reviews of the AE.

Well, bottom line is it sounded worse to me than my MP3+. I listened to it w/ both my previous set of speakers (Boston Acoustics MicroMedia 2.1) and speakers I just took delivery of last week (Klipsch ProMedia 2.1). Especially w/ the ProMedia's the AE was over boomy and harsh. I couldn't turn the bass down enough to sound good. The QSurround feature was phoney and artificial sounding.

So, I'm back to my MP3+ and anxious to have anyone tell me what I'm missing w/ the AE, given all the great reviews I've read.

 

[divinemartyr]

<< I really cant imagine my SBlive! xgamer and Klipsch promedias sounding any better then they are. >>



How can you not imagine it if you haven't tried other setups? Do one thing for me really quickly, if you haven't already, just to show you that better sound is possible (and it won't cost you a dime).

Install the MAD Winamp Plugin, then delete In_mp3.dll from your plugins directory (this is winamp's default mp3 decoder) that way your winamp will be using MAD's decoder. Of course before you install and delete the old decoder, listen to an mp3 with the same volume settings, then install MAD, delete In_mp3.dll, and listen again. You will be amazed at the difference in quality and dynamics.

dm

 

[Muckshifter]

I wish sombody would put a nice little switch in, like on the phones hear in the UK ... so those of us with hearing aids can ... well ... hear

 

[Pariah]

Creative was supposed to have announced a completely new sound chip last November, obviously that never happened. Liveware 4 was also supposed to be released last year, which never happened. Haven't heard anything about either in ages, so who knows, wouldn't hold your breath.

 

[Wingznut]

I'm a bit naive to the whole Canuck thing...

But what's the disadvantage to ordering a Santa Cruz from Turtle Beach's website, other than the rate of exchange? And wouldn't it effectively be the same price if you bought locally anyway?

 

[aGeNt73]

hey if you find out let me know ;0

 

[divinemartyr]

<< But what's the disadvantage to ordering a Santa Cruz from Turtle Beach's website, other than the rate of exchange? And wouldn't it effectively be the same price if you bought locally anyway? >>



Some people are just not comfortable ordering online.

dm

 

[Noriaki]

Import duties.

Every time I've shipped or bought something from the US, I get tagged minimum $30.

If I can't find anywhere else to buy it, I will buy it online from a US Vender that ships to Canada.

But I prefer to buy local (or at least online within canada) to avoid that extra charge.

Plus it's nice to have local service if you need it. RMAs are much more difficult if you have to do it yourself than to do it through a retailer. Plus most good retailers will just replace the defective product for you and get the old one replaced themselves

That said...It's been a while since I bought local. I just hate import fees...

 

[GD695372]

Call me old-fashioned, but my sb awe64 gold has pretty good sound quality. My home theatre system sounds great and the analog output seems to be crystal-clear.

BTW: I'm not an audiophile, but I have ear wax compacted against my eardrums at the moment and can still hear better than anyone I know. The only downside to a home theatre system is that it's not ideal for lan parties.

 

[Leo V]

&quot;I dont see how they could make the sound any better with these cards, I guess im just not a major audiophille(sp?) I really cant imagine my SBlive! xgamer and Klipsch promedias sounding any better then they are.&quot;

Actually, the sound card makes a greater difference on good speakers like the PM's. Mine (2.1) sound a helluva lot better now with a pro-audio soundcard (Midiman AP2496). Klipsch should really get the word out.