Please recommend an extremely reliable, yet inexpensive, sound card that can handle EAX

[g3pro]

i've never purchased a sound card and want to get 'into the action', but i've always heard bad things about sound cards in terms of reliability.

i'm looking at the Audigy 2 ZS for $88 from newegg, but i've always heard bad things about creative's drivers.

the turtle-beach 'santa cruz' card for $49 seems about right and seems reliable, but would 38 more dollars justify the creative card if the creative card is better?


any other suggestions?

 

[ViRGE]

Pick an Audigy, any Audigy. Nothing compares to them as far as EAX support in games goes.

 

[Brian48]

i'm looking at the Audigy 2 ZS for $88 from newegg, but i've always heard bad things about creative's drivers.

Yeah, the anti-Creative zealots still love to propogate that notion. I think the A2 drivers (and Creative's support for them) have been great thus far. A complete, 180% turn around from the days of the SBLive and original Audigy. Get the A2. You'll love it.

FYI, I've owned four TBSCs over the years and still have one in one of my backup PCs. As much as I still love my Santa Cruz, the A2 is better in almost every way.

 

[Tetsuo]

Audigy 2 ZS hands down.

 

[Viper96720]

If your not going to use 7.1 channel speakers just go with the Audigy 2.

 

[NokiaDude]

Originally posted by: Tetsuo
Audigy 2 ZS hands down.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Viper96720
If your not going to use 7.1 channel speakers just go with the Audigy 2.

any advantage of going with the zs besides the 7.1?

 

[NokiaDude]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: Viper96720
If your not going to use 7.1 channel speakers just go with the Audigy 2.

any advantage of going with the zs besides the 7.1?

108SnR, 24-bit/96khz playback, and the best software package for a sound card.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: NokiaDude

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: Viper96720
If your not going to use 7.1 channel speakers just go with the Audigy 2.

any advantage of going with the zs besides the 7.1?

108SnR, 24-bit/96khz playback, and the best software package for a sound card.

that not on the audigy2 nonZS?

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: NokiaDude

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: Viper96720
If your not going to use 7.1 channel speakers just go with the Audigy 2.

any advantage of going with the zs besides the 7.1?

108SnR, 24-bit/96khz playback, and the best software package for a sound card.

that not on the audigy2 nonZS?

The Audigy 2 normal is just 106SnR, but it does 24bit/96khz, so the only difference is the slightly newer codec on the ZS, and the software bundle change.