Should I switch to SB Live now that Aureal has died?

[GopherMobile]

Welp, 3d sound doesn't work in Win2k for me(nor did it work too well in Win98...)...and so far my overall experience with the sound card I'd have to say has been bad(MX300). For just general sound though it seems ok. Considering the SB live is only about $35, is it worth switching over?

 

[John]

absolutely

 

[rickn]

if you use win2k, certainly

 

[compuwiz1]

Yes!

 

[Blayze]

Yes

 

[GopherMobile]

You guys aren't making this easy, so many decisions!

 

[AMDJunkie]

Have you tried the Aureal WDM5 Win 2000 drivers? You can find them at http://downloads.aureal.com/pub/Public/Drivers/Vortex/. If those don't work (they're beta), either stick it out or go for a Live!.

 

[Ausm]

SB Live works excellent in Win2K


Ausm

 

[Wizkid]

Get a live! you will love it

 

[NFS4]

Get with the program...GET A LIVE!!

 

[Stosh]

Haven't you bought it yet? What the hell are you waiting for!

 

[Remedy]

Bah, you NFS4 your at it again!!!

 

[Doomguy]

Why should he switch to an inferior sound card? Give reasons why he should switch. He's probobly using the diamond drivers instead of the aureal refrence ones. Gopher: Change your drivers to the aureal ones and you'll enjoy 3d sound that sb live owners can only dream of!

 

[Jayman]

GopherMobile, If you say that 3d doesn't work to well in Win2k you are correct, however, if you are running 98 and using a game that properly supports A3d the difference between it and EAX is huge...A3d kicks EAX's butt. Go ahead and buy the Sb Live, but once you have it try playing Half-Life or even Quake and compare it to the Mx300 (make sure the Aureal ref drivers are installed) then you'll see just what the difference is...real 3d, not some EAX reverb crap.

 

[GopherMobile]

Yeah I've used the Aureal beta Win2k drivers, I don't find too much difference between them and the ones that come with Win2k for the Vortex 1...since neither support 3d sound.

As for saying it sounds better in Win98, I found it just became more of a problem than a 'feature'. Sounds that were right in front of me would be muffled(say for instance hitting the crowbar against the wall in Half-Life) and it just never seemed to work too well. Did nobody else ever have this happen? I had the latest reference Win9x drivers too. Then there's the crackling, every half an hour or so a big crackle comes out of my speakers. Though I suppose it could be my speakers, I think it was the MX300 causing that.

 

[BuddyHolly]

I see I am of a dying breed...I still prefer my mx300 in Counter-strike. Live! sounds good, but is harder to know just where those footsteps came from...