Is there anything better than an audigy 2 ZS??

[Maximilian]

Is there anything that will actually sound better? Ive been reading customer reviews on a few x-fi cards and that razer card too. Some of them said they upgraded from an audigy 2 etc and it sounded much better, others said the same thing except they upgraded from an audigy 2 to an x-fi xtreme audio 7.1 and it "blew his mind".... that thing is a rebranded audigy 1 SE so how the hell can it sound better than the audigy 2? I dont trust half of these customer reviews.

So will any card actually make music sound better with my z5500's? Gaming is also a priority but its secondary and EAX never really did anything for me to be honest.

 

[Tiamat]

if you like what you hear now just stay with what you have.

There will always be a weakest link. If it aint the speakers, its the card, if it aint either of them, its the room acoustics. etc...

 

[cheesehead]

I'm not too keen on the X-fi cards. I'd rather go with a nice, solid M-audio Audiophile for headphone use.

 

[Oyeve]

If you already have an Audigy 2 ZS going X-Fi is really not worth it IMO. I jumped on the X-Fi when it first came out and replaced my 2 ZS and for standard audio I heard no difference. The only dif is the faux surround the X-fi can do in games and the upmix crap. But IMO the SW was MUCH better on the 2 ZS than the X-fi. The X-fi Audio Creation mode just plain sucks. The digital reverb stinks. I do a lot of mixing and the digital reverb/Echo 2 Tap on the 2 ZS is much more superior than the X-fi's implimentation.

 

[Modelworks]

http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_prelude.php
If you have to go xifi.

I even looked around the pro world and nothing touches it for the price.

otherwise try to find a meridian or xplosion card by the same company above.
Love the meridian card.
Change out the op amps for some BB and its amazingly clear.
Found nothing that sounds better.

 

[Gautama2]

If you are a gamer, X-Fi prelude.

If not, get a 5.1 channel external DAC.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_prelude.php
If you have to go xifi.

I even looked around the pro world and nothing touches it for the price.

otherwise try to find a meridian or xplosion card by the same company above.
Love the meridian card.
Change out the op amps for some BB and its amazingly clear.
Found nothing that sounds better.

Actually my E-mu 1212m card bests it in RMAA tests by a very significant amount. However for a 5.1/6.1/7.1 card the Prelude is definitely one of the best.