Sound Blaster Live Platinum (not the 5.1) for $99

[wreed]

I see that there were previous posts about this item having a mail in rebate, well now its down to $99. Anyone know of a place that will pricematch this to get a little lower price I tried Buy.com but they were out of the product, plus they would not beat the price just match it.

here.

 

[SimonSays]

I notice CompusA still has this item onsale..

 

[wreed]

anyway to price match it somewhere?

 

[theSpartan]

It says 64 Voice, aren't the other lives more than 64 voice?

 

[zemel]

Anyone know where to get Soundblaster Live! or Live! Value retail box at a good price ?

Don't necessarily need it for gaming, but, I guess it can't hurt.

What about the Live! Platinum 64; it comes with the Live! Drive, but somehow I recall reading about problems with it ? or am I wrong ? and CompUsa has it for $ 99.99...so far...maybe it's on sale....

Don't think I need the Live! Drive anyway.

Any help....thanks !

 

[madthumbs]

Aren't the original SB Lives upgradeable to Live 5.1 with just a driver update? I read that they were somewhere.

 

[moolman]

No,
The 5.1 is hardware based, so a driver update won't make it 5.1, the main difference is that you don't need a dolby decoder with the 5.1 plus you can use the digital out as a out to the sub/center.

Alex

 

[wreed]

Is this a good deal?

 

[AFSOC_Commando]

Last review I read said that the 5.1 is a software based solution and that current owners of Live SC's need not upgrade and just get the download.

Where did you get your info MoolMan? I would like to read and learn more... I can't get the hollywood plus to run in my kt7 so a soundcard with the 5.1 is the answer... my vid has no problems with the dvd's but sure would like to get the full use of my 5.1 speakers

 

[TheBlondeOne]

I'm looking for the Sound Blaster Live! Platinum 5.1. What's the best price on it?

 

[Jamey]

I got mine through buy.com with a $30 off coupon and free shipping. It came in at about $138.95.

 

[AmdEmAll]

If 5.1 software upgrades are possible where do I d/l the update.

 

[cheezewhiz]

[S=]http://www.compuplus.com/insidepage.php3?sid=7iji3p1f72uwa24&id=72[/S]

Mp3+ 5.1 for $77
Xgamer 5.1 for $79

 

[Vinny N]

theSpartan:

The Live series can play 32 simultaneous wave audio voices.
The Live series has 64 MIDI voices, for 32 MIDI channels.

When you're thinking of more voices, you're thinking of the SBPCI series(which are pretty much Ensoniq cards with different drivers). The voices are not wave audio. Again, they're MIDI voices, and not even hardware MIDI, they're software MIDI and come in varieties such as SBPCI64,SBPCI128,SBPC512 (I don't think I ever saw a SBPCI256)

FYI, the SB Live series also features (in addition to the 64 hardware MIDI voices) the same software midi that the the SBPCI series features, up to 1024 MIDI voices actually (with the latest drivers. The older drivers feature less number of possible MIDI voices so sometimes you saw boxes labeled SB Live 256, or 512, or whatever)

I hate it when I see companies, be it the manufacturer of the sound card, or a retail store, advertising X number of voices (people see a bigger number and must think it's better, even though the only # of voices that should interest them are wave audio voices for whatever reason...), when it doesn't mean anything to most people who don't do a thing with MIDI and hardly even play MIDIs except unintentionally when it's the bgm for some web page...

 

[madthumbs]

Here is an interesting thing I found on Creative's site;

This package contains the Sound Blaster Live! Drivers for Windows Millennium.
Note:
This update is not applicable for users using Sound Blaster Live! 5.1

AND;

Do not install Live!Ware 3.0 for Windows Me if you own a Sound Blaster Live! Platinum 5.1, Live! X-Gamer 5.1, Live! MP3+ 5.1 or Live! Digital Entertainment 5.1 as the installation CD already contains the latest software.

I think all we need is the software, and they are trying to scam us. I read an article about it being software also.

 

[immortalis]

CompusA is sold out of them in my area.
Any other place for that price?

 

[TuOni]

good thread but not going for dat one

 

[ah6tyfour]

i will be getting a stereo with built in dolby pro logic....would the live! mp3 +5.1 be better or would the regular mp3 one be sufficient?

and also, check your local staples. they take online coupons (there is a $30 off $100 floating around)....they have the Sound Blaster Live! mp3 +5.1 for $99.....add a pen or something....and get it for $70....

 

[wreed]

My CompUSA has like 10 to 12 in stock of this card for $99

 

[iknowcomputers2]

how's the Platinum better than the Value?

 

[wreed]

Value is just a basic live card, platinium is a lot better, and comes with the Live Drive, that goes in a 5 1/4 inch bay and has multiple jacks for headphones, midi devices and some other things, also has the digital out on the card itself, which the value does not.

 

[ah6tyfour]

so is there a software driver for this??

i'd appreciate it if we could find it since it would save me quite a bit of money....

if i get the platinum and i dont have a free drive bay, what happens then?

 

[madthumbs]

The Live Platinum is not "a lot" better. It is the same card without the Live Drive or any *bonus* software. The 2nd revision of the Live Value does have the same outputs as the other cards do. For me the live drive would just eat up drive bay space.

 

[ah6tyfour]

here....i found this on the FAQ of the Sound blaster live! 5.1 from the creative site......



<< I have installed (or upgraded) to a Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 audio card in my system and I am not getting Dolby Digital AC-3 sound when I play a DVD movie. >>



if you can &quot;upgrade&quot;, wouldnt that mean its software?

seems strange.....i just wish i could find the update......

 

[wreed]

Its not a software update, its a hardware update LOL...I do not think you have to hook up the live drive, man that thing is sweet. Cannot wait to pick one up.