Good soundcard that is not a Creative Product?

[earthman]

Wondering if anyone has any recommedations for a sound card that is NOT a SB Live, or any of that family.

 

[NeoMadHatter]

Hercules Game Theater XP
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Phillips Acoustic Edge

I love mine 🙂

If you wanna go to a really nifty setup there's the Hercules Game Theatre XP

 

[JOSEPHLB]

Turtle Beach Santa Cruz (currently own) You can also use the VideoLogic Sonic Fury drivers on this also 🙂


I'll be getting a Phillips Acoustic Edge in a few days now..
so, we'll see how that will go..

 

[Daovonnaex]

Terratec SoundSystem SiXPack 5.1+
Philips Acoustic Edge
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz

All of the above are based on the CS4630 chipset, and in my opinion sound better than the Hercules Game Theater XP. The XP mainly has nice extras.

An old Aureal Vortex 2 based card

Finally, the nVidia nForce south bridge.

 

[toshiba3020]

cmedia all the way!!

5.1 for under $20.

 

[Dundain]

<< Philips Acoustic Edge
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
All of the above are based on the CS4630 chipset, and in my opinion sound better than the Hercules Game Theater XP. The XP mainly has nice extras. >>



Um, the Phillips card is not based on the CS4630 chipset (its based upon their own prop. chipset if I remember correctly), but the GametheaterXP IS. And generally the SC, AE and XP are rated fairly close to each other with the more features going of course to the XP. (Can you say breakout box, hehe).

To choose between the three just decide what features ya want. If you want the most features go with the XP, as to the SC or AE...thats a harder choice. I'd say go for whichever you can get cheaper

 

[TheWart]

another vote for AE, sound wuality is amazing on good speakers (due to the awesome "tone control" that is like a sweet equalizer), and Phillips is committed to hard work on their drivers.

 

[TechMasterChen]

Vote for Hercules Game Theater XP

 

[LoneWolf1]

Another vote for the Acoustic Edge