Sound Card advice

[BigPete]

Hey all,

Right now I have a SoundBlaster Live! which is probably about a year old or so... I think the MIC jack is messed up and I really need one. I am thinking about getting a Hercules Game Theatre XP if I cant get this one going. I guess what I am asking is...

Is the Game Theatre a better card?
Is the sound quality better?
Does it support dolby digital out?
Will it work in Win2k?
*EDIT Does it have anything like environmental audio? Will I hear sounds coming from the proper direction? IE. With my headset, if someone is shooting at me from the right, I hear it coming from the right. Great advantage on FPS games...
Will it work flawlessly with my VIA chipset board? I know the LIVE cards had some issues...

Feel free to throw in any extra comments, I want to make sure I am getting the best sound possible and a kick ass product (I can say kick ass, right?).

Let me know guys,
Pete

Also, if you have one for sale, please post in the for sale forum and email me or PM me.
Thanks

 

[TaylorD]

just change the title to "WTB: sound card" and maybe this won't get locked...

 

[BigPete]

Good idea I guess, I dont see why it would get locked, I said in the body I would be interested in buying one...

 

[glenn1]

Is the Game Theatre a better card?

Yes. So are the Santa Cruz and Accoustic Edge. I've heard all of them but the AE on my system, so i think i have a valid basis for comparison.

Is the sound quality better?

Yes.

Does it support dolby digital out?

Yes.

Will it work in Win2k?

Yep. Don't know about NT 4.0, but that's a different subject....

Does it have anything like environmental audio? Will I hear sounds coming from the proper direction?

Yes. Full support for EAX 2.0, A3D 1.0, and other leading API?s.

Does it work well with Via chipset boards?

Well, my MSI Pro2A and K7T Turbo both seem pretty happy with my Santa Cruz so far

I'm personally biased towards the Santa Cruz, i tried all the SB Live, SC, and Game Theater, and that's the one i kept. Best price/value of the 3 IMHO, great sound with my BA4800s, and the W2K drivers are utterly flawless. Great product. The Game Theater is good too (same chipset i believe), just that it's in breakout box configuration rather than internal like the SC, and is twice the cost. The SB Live is, well... cheaper than the other two. It doesn't have bad sound, but there is a definite improvement when you upgrade to any of the other 3 choices i listed.

 

[TaylorD]

looks like they moved you to general hardware anyway...

it would get locked in For Sale/Trade forums because it isn'y buying or selling anything... Its asking advice...

 

[BigPete]

I see the cost as justified since I wont have to crawl behind my comp to do anything regarding sound and stuff...

Pete

 

[glenn1]

Here is a pretty good review of the Game Theater... should answer many of your questions



<< I want to make sure I am getting the best sound possible and a kick ass product >>



Well, technically, the 'best sound possible' would be from professional-quality soundcards that cost like $1000+. For us mere mortals, then yes, the Game Theater is pretty much the 'best sound possible,' and yes, it kicks much ass.

 

[BigPete]

Thanks for all the helpful info glenn

Pete