Need Sound Card with COAX SPDIF IN & Midi for Win2k: Game Theater XP???

[Herkulese]

OK, I have an A7N8X that has nonfunctional SPDIF IN from DAT. This seems to be a design flaw in the ASUS SPDIF riser bracket.

I replaced it with a Philips Acoustic Edge. It took two sets of drivers, but I finally got the SPDIF IN working, but then found that there is no MIDI support for Win2000

I also find that the sound is not that good either.

Please suggest a good Sound Card for Windows 2000 that has SPDIF IN and MIDI support.

I am considering:

Game Theater XP (Herkulese) $90.00
Audiophile (M-Audio) $150.0
Audigy 2 (Creative) $170.00

Suggestions Please,

Thanks in advance,
Herkulese

 

[Herkulese]

bump

 

[Green Man]

I don't think that there's any question that the M-Audio card blows the other two out of the water in sound quality. If you can live without EAX, the Audiophile 2496 won't disappoint you. $150 is a good price too, at my buddy's guitar shop he sells them for $229 (I called and asked him when I saw your post)

 

[Herkulese]

Spooky,

OK, I am very interested in the Audiophile, but after doing some more research, it appears that the Audiophile is not the full geatured card that I need. Yes, it has the SPDIF and MIDI support, but not some of the basic sound functions of a normal card. It is pointed more at the professional maket, and for the price ($150.00) I would like for it to have the basic featues as well.

Do you use this card, and if so what can you tell me about it? Can it be a stand alone card, or is another card required for the day to day tasks, i.e. Play CD's etc....?
_________________

I am seriously considering the GAME THEATER XP, (here) it has all of the basic sound stuff, as well as all of the special connectors that I need for this PC, and the drivers to make them work well. To top it off, these features can be placed right where you can put your hands on them, via the external rack.

Also, one of the reviews that I read was actually using Windows 2000, and had all features. He also was very impressed with all aspects of the card.

Does anyone have experience with this card, and outside of the fact that it has only true 4 channel sound (no actual 5.1) is there any reason to spen twice as much on an Audigy 2 Platinum?

 

[QueBert]

the Gametheater XP is BEAUTIFUL! great sound, and the external rack is just sweet. I'm not a big fan of Creative, every Creative product I've owned I'd had some sort of issues with. Hercules has a good product here, being unbiased (with my Creative opinions and all) this card produces great sound and has a ton of features. For the price it's awesome! I don't know about that other card you mentioned, but as you said it's a higher end, studio type solution. GO with Hercules, a good card and they always have new drivers when bugs arise.

Originally posted by: Herkulese
Spooky,

I am seriously considering the GAME THEATER XP, (<a class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=&submit=Go&description=gaming+theater+xp" target=blank>here</A>) it has all of the basic sound stuff, as well as all of the special connectors that I need for this PC, and the drivers to make them work well. To top it off, these features can be placed right where you can put your hands on them, via the external rack.

Also, one of the reviews that I read was actually using Windows 2000, and had all features. He also was very impressed with all aspects of the card.

Does anyone have experience with this card, and outside of the fact that it has only true 4 channel sound (no actual 5.1) is there any reason to spen twice as much on an Audigy 2 Platinum?

 

[holdencommodore]

There are 2 versions of the Game Theatre, the Game Theatre XP 7.1, which uses the same DSP as the Fortissimo III, and the Game Theatre XP 6.1, which uses the same DSP as the TBSC/Sonic Fury. Both are solid chioces if your in need of all those connections. They've got a standard 8MB sample set (pretty basic sounding), and Yamaha SoftSynthersizer.

A Audigy is lilely a better choice for MIDI, but if it's worth the price is open for debate.

Cheers

 

[Herkulese]

QueBert,

Thanks for the confirmation on the Game Theater XP.
Are you using Windows 2000, and have you ever tried software 5.1 with it?

holdencommodor

Thanks for waighing in with more info.

The card that I am looking at is the Audiophile 2496-RTL, and here are some of the basic issues that I was referring to above.

There are no sound plugs for CD, Aux, etc... so you have to use the digital setting in Windows for the CD-ROM.
How does this card do with digital CD?

There are also only RCA type plugs on the back of the card. How do you deal with this when using regular headphone style jacks?

 

[Green Man]

For DirectX and AC97 codec support, along with CD in on the card, you could look into a Hoontech DSP24. There is a 1/8" mini out on the card for speakers and you can get it with a DSP bracket for Midi. There are only 2 channels, though.
I think it depends on if you want a professional grade recording solution that can also be used as an every day card, or if you want a home theater card that can also be used as a recording solution, in which case I'd go for the Audigy 2.

 

[Herkulese]

I read that the Audagy 2 is better for positional sound in games and that the GTXP is better for recording music.
This system will not be used for gaming at all, so I have opted for the GTXP.

 

[Herkulese]

OK, I have the GTXP installed and running.
The sound is beautiful, and the Line In and COAX SPDIF In work well
The Win2k driver must be good.

There is still no MIDI item in divice manager though, however the MIDI tab in the GTXP control panel is active, and the GTXP shows up in the MIDI setings in Sound and Multimedia.

Is there a new way of dealing with MIDI in Win2k, that does not put an item for it into Device Mgr? <B>

</B>

 

[Herkulese]

The Acoustic Edge has been RMA'd and sent back.

The Herk GTXP is working great in all areas.
This is a beautiful piece of equipment.

Thanks for all of the help,
Herkulese