Is Audigy 2 zs better than Intel HD audio with realtek ALC 882?

[dingnecros]

I am currently using my onboard audio which is an Intel HD Audio with the alc882 codec.

The sound quality is definitely better than my last onboard AC97 codec based sound card. So I was thinking that how much better would the sound be if I used the Audigy 2 ZS soundcard. Now leaving gameing performance aside and just in terms of sound quality, driver supoort and stability would I see any boost over my current setup? I am using Altec Lansing 5.1 speakers (not digital)

 

[LOUISSSSS]

bump, wondering the same thing

 

[InlineFour]

Good question. I'm going to guess the Audigy though. Realtek isn't known to have quality sound cards.

 

[drpootums]

Creative isn't exactly known for great drivers.....

However the quality outside of games, i'm not sure, but i'd have to guess the Audigy.

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: InlineFour
Good question. I'm going to guess the Audigy though. Realtek isn't known to have quality sound cards.

Or any sound cards, for that matter

Putting aside the performance and features and Creative's obvious interest in continued support (as the card is the core to all peripheral sales and potential future upgrades), as opposed to Realtek's interest in providing a mainboard company the expected "bullet points" du jour at the lowest cost, one thing to look at for a quality comparison (before even testing subjectively) is the DAC, particularly if analog output is to be used to a speaker/amp kit. Everthing else being equal (which it isn't), the signal-to-noise ratio (primarly dependent upon the DAC) is a major factor in potential quality.

 

[Yoshi911]

bump; wanna know too

 

[gxsaurav]

I have used Audigy2 ZS value & Intel Onboard HD Audio on Intel 945GNT motherboard, & so far, i wasen't able to find any difference, even in games, when using a 5.1 channel speaker setup (logitech). However thats just me, individual preference might differ

i don't think there will be much difference anyway, even in performance, at max HD audio will eat 5% of CPU which is still low, & maybe the drivers also support EAX Advanced HD

 

[Bluestealth]

Originally posted by: drpootums
Creative isn't exactly known for great drivers.....

However the quality outside of games, i'm not sure, but i'd have to guess the Audigy.

The latest drivers for the Audigy series are great, can't speak for X-Fi though.

 

[LiquidImpulse]

Originally posted by: gxsaurav
I have used Audigy2 ZS value & Intel Onboard HD Audio on Intel 945GNT motherboard, & so far, i wasen't able to find any difference, even in games, when using a 5.1 channel speaker setup (logitech). However thats just me, individual preference might differ

i don't think there will be much difference anyway, even in performance, at max HD audio will eat 5% of CPU which is still low, & maybe the drivers also support EAX Advanced HD

 

[bamacre]

I did notice a fairly significant difference in sound quality going from the Intel HD audio on my 945P board to an Audigy 2 ZS.

 

[Luckyboy1]

Creative Audigy 2 ZS is much better sound!

 

[nukexbi]

I had nothing but driver trouble with my Audigy 2. I'm more than happy with my onboard Realtek sound, and I really couldn't tell the difference.

 

[KayKay]

i definitely dont see onboard sound being as good as an audigy2zs

 

[sandeep108]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/print/creative-audigy2-zs.html

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: nukexbi
I had nothing but driver trouble with my Audigy 2. I'm more than happy with my onboard Realtek sound, and I really couldn't tell the difference.

Have you tried the new drivers?

 

[nukexbi]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: nukexbi
I had nothing but driver trouble with my Audigy 2. I'm more than happy with my onboard Realtek sound, and I really couldn't tell the difference.

Have you tried the new drivers?

This was about 1.5 years ago, I took the card back. As soon as I pulled it out everything worked fine again. BTW, I don't have a good ear for sound; there may have been a difference, but I couldn't hear it.

 

[0roo0roo]

what are your speakers like? most of the time pc speakers will limit u, not the soundcard unless its utter trash. when it comes to non gaming sound, creative isn't ahead at all as far as i know.

 

[fatpat268]

Having migrated from ac97 sound to an audigy 2 zs, I can definitely tell you that the audigy 2 zs has much better sound quality.

Through headphones especially, there was a constant hiss with the ac97, and a lot of music sounded pretty bad. Needless to say, the audigy fixed that.