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Next Generation Sound Cards ?
- Thread starter Atrail
- Start date
MasterHoss
Platinum Member
From the technological standpoint, the Audigy is as good as it gets for computer users. Look for more EAX Advanced HD games to arrive shortly. Next generation soundcards? IMO, the following features MAY become "standard" ...
1.) EAX 3.0 support
2.) 7.1 connectivity
3.) Dolby Digital Encoding (like that on some of the nForce boards)
4.) Quasi "hardware" DTS decoding via soundcard's driver (just like what the Audigy, Live! 5.1, Santa Cruz, and Acoustic Edge can do with the Dolby Digital bitstream).
1.) EAX 3.0 support
2.) 7.1 connectivity
3.) Dolby Digital Encoding (like that on some of the nForce boards)
4.) Quasi "hardware" DTS decoding via soundcard's driver (just like what the Audigy, Live! 5.1, Santa Cruz, and Acoustic Edge can do with the Dolby Digital bitstream).
LordAccord
Senior member
I anticipate the only reason I would be upgrading my sound card would be for Firewire and / or backplate Optical digital.
Right now, I see no good reason to upgrade my 5.1 platinum when my receiver can decode digital and 5.1 for when I watch movies in there....furthermore, EAX seems to cause me more problems than its worth... I usually just turn it off in games and grab what little bit of performance from it that I can from that.... I never have noticed much of a difference other than positional audio, and I dont run my computer home theatre style all that often. Its non that portable, its not worth my money. Maybe Id consider it in a college dorm or somehting, like for my Entertainment Center computer, but otherwise....bleh
LoRdAccord
Right now, I see no good reason to upgrade my 5.1 platinum when my receiver can decode digital and 5.1 for when I watch movies in there....furthermore, EAX seems to cause me more problems than its worth... I usually just turn it off in games and grab what little bit of performance from it that I can from that.... I never have noticed much of a difference other than positional audio, and I dont run my computer home theatre style all that often. Its non that portable, its not worth my money. Maybe Id consider it in a college dorm or somehting, like for my Entertainment Center computer, but otherwise....bleh
LoRdAccord
yellowperil
Diamond Member
I used to think most sound cards were similar until I upgraded from a Santa Cruz to a Midiman Audiophile. The jump in sound quality was noticeable even on mediocre speakers due to the better D/A converters on the Audiophile. I'm guessing the next consumer cards will have better converters, higher SNR, and multichannel encoding. For the average user or gamer though I think the current cards are adequate.