Is an Audigy2 ZX overkill for a 2.1 speaker setup?

[Fuel Injected]

Yay or Nay?

I meant ZS in the title, oops.

 

[casualsax3]

If you have a really nice 2.1 setup. I'm probably going to get one for 24 bit DVD audio playback on my 2.1.

 

[MaverickBP]

nope it'll be worth it if the speakers are let's say...klipsch 2.1's. i.e. make sure the speakers are high quality otherwise it wont matter much.

 

[Fuel Injected]

I'm planning for a Logitech Z-2300

 

[Fuel Injected]

Originally posted by: MaverickBP
nope it'll be worth it if the speakers are let's say...klipsch 2.1's. i.e. make sure the speakers are high quality otherwise it wont matter much.

Those Klipsch are pricey for only 2.1

 

[MaverickBP]

yes they are. which is why i didnt get em and got a 5.1 setup for the same price. the z-5300's. they rock. the 2300's though will still definetely benefit from the card..not to mention lower cpu utilization, which ud run into when running onboard.

 

[Fuel Injected]

thanks maverick, wasn't planning on using onboard thought, it was between the ZS and the Audigy2 NX(to free up space on the motherboard)

 

[MaverickBP]

yea go for the zs. i turned off the eax because of complications but other then that it works nicely. how much are u payin for the 2300's? id get the 5300's since they should be around the same price. nice speakers.

 

[Auric]

Whadaya mean you turned off EAX? I'm guessing you mean the novelty Effects or CMSS 3D? EAX is built into games (or not) and thus selectable from their configurations.

 

[MaverickBP]

it is selectable in the creative toolbox. i turned off cmss also. i turn it on for games but causes problems when using it for standard mp3 use.

 

[Fuel Injected]

Originally posted by: MaverickBP
how much are u payin for the 2300's? id get the 5300's since they should be around the same price. nice speakers.

ZZF has them for $102 last time i checked
5.1 isn't an option due to space restrictions and speaker wire mess

 

[MaverickBP]

i hear that. i got surround sound for my tv..then 10 feet over i got surround sound stands for my comp...lol

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

If you're really worried about CPU utilization, then yeah, it's worth it. But if you're not so worried about a 5% drop in frame rates, then you can save $70 and get this card (AV-710).

Its multichannel is not the greatest, but it has one very high quality DAC in the 7/8 jack. You can reassign this to be used for stereo mode in a 2.1 speaker set and not use the lesser DACs. For a 2.1 speaker set (or if you're using it in digital mode like I am) It's an incredible value. Excellent card for music, but it doesn't do hardware processing for games so you'll lose a couple FPS... but if you save $70 from it, that's $70 that could be spent elsewhere (more ram if you have 512mb, towards a better videocard eventually, better CPU etc.) and you'll easily make up the couple FPS drop from the soundcard.