Sound card

[zoiks]

I'm looking for a good sound card to drive my logitech 4.1 speakers. I'll be using it for music and an occasional game (looking forward to HL2). I'd rather not get anything from Creative and aside from the Santa Cruz, is there anything good out there?

 

[KLin]

check here.

 

[Kenazo]

for gaming, I'd go w/ an Audigy 2 of any flavour, I know you don't want creative, but they seem to be the most universally supported.

 

[zoiks]

Thanks man. I just dont like Creative for some reason.

 

[simms]

my onboard soundstorm is quite nice..

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: zoiks
Thanks man. I just dont like Creative for some reason.

For some reason? Some reason that doesn't exist or is full of crap? There's no reason to dislike Creative. They're KING in the soundcard business for good reason.

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: zoiks
Thanks man. I just dont like Creative for some reason.

For some reason? Some reason that doesn't exist or is full of crap? There's no reason to dislike Creative. They're KING in the soundcard business for good reason.

well he has his own free will to dislike creative all he wants

but IMO creative sb live 5.1 would be a nice choice. under $25 and sounds excellent to me.

 

[Kenazo]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: zoiks
Thanks man. I just dont like Creative for some reason.

For some reason? Some reason that doesn't exist or is full of crap? There's no reason to dislike Creative. They're KING in the soundcard business for good reason.

Though M-Audio and others make higher quality cards, they just aren't meant for gaming, which seems to be more what he'd be wanting. Creative isn't as strong in professional audio.

 

[waggy]

pfft soundcards are over rated! I upgraded to a SBLIVe! about a year ago!

though i only have 2 speakers and a bass.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Kenazo

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: zoiks
Thanks man. I just dont like Creative for some reason.

For some reason? Some reason that doesn't exist or is full of crap? There's no reason to dislike Creative. They're KING in the soundcard business for good reason.

Though M-Audio and others make higher quality cards, they just aren't meant for gaming, which seems to be more what he'd be wanting. Creative isn't as strong in professional audio.

I still have yet to see a logical reason to legitimately dislike Creative.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: Kenazo

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: zoiks
Thanks man. I just dont like Creative for some reason.

For some reason? Some reason that doesn't exist or is full of crap? There's no reason to dislike Creative. They're KING in the soundcard business for good reason.

Though M-Audio and others make higher quality cards, they just aren't meant for gaming, which seems to be more what he'd be wanting. Creative isn't as strong in professional audio.

I still have yet to see a logical reason to legitimately dislike Creative.

Bad drivers/driver support

Over priced

Not the best for music/pro's

etc....



I say if using digital get a VIA Envy card. But since you want gaming and will be using the analog outputs, go Santa Cruz.

http://www.fatwallet.com/forum...y=y&keyword1=santa

 

[zoiks]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: Kenazo

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: zoiks
Thanks man. I just dont like Creative for some reason.

For some reason? Some reason that doesn't exist or is full of crap? There's no reason to dislike Creative. They're KING in the soundcard business for good reason.

Though M-Audio and others make higher quality cards, they just aren't meant for gaming, which seems to be more what he'd be wanting. Creative isn't as strong in professional audio.

I still have yet to see a logical reason to legitimately dislike Creative.

I have my own personal choices back from the A3d days. You seem to be Creative's spokesperson on AT.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: Kenazo

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: zoiks
Thanks man. I just dont like Creative for some reason.

For some reason? Some reason that doesn't exist or is full of crap? There's no reason to dislike Creative. They're KING in the soundcard business for good reason.

Though M-Audio and others make higher quality cards, they just aren't meant for gaming, which seems to be more what he'd be wanting. Creative isn't as strong in professional audio.

I still have yet to see a logical reason to legitimately dislike Creative.

Bad drivers/driver support

Over priced

Not the best for music/pro's

etc....



I say if using digital get a VIA Envy card. But since you want gaming and will be using the analog outputs, go Santa Cruz.

http://www.fatwallet.com/forum...y=y&keyword1=santa

I don't have driver issues at all. And ALL hardware is overpriced when it first comes out. You won't ever find a sound card that's as kickass at video gaming that's also as kickass with professional sound recording/editing/blah blah blah. Just like you won't find a 3D card that's as good at 2D as other cards meant for 2D but suck at 3D. That's just the way hardware seems to be.

 

[konakona]

I still have yet to see a logical reason to legitimately dislike Creative.

dont forget the doom3 fiasco, pretty much the same reason why you would hate on rambust.

with that being said, i dont hate on creative unless some misinformed idiot starts claiming they have the best sound quality. just cuz a civic cant compete against evo in terms of acceleration, you cant call it a POS; it sure gets better MPG instead. sound blasters are known for inferior music quality, but for most people with multimedia speakers and <192kbps mp3s it wouldnt matter anyway; they are likely to appreciate better perforamnce in eax games. just being a captain obvious here

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

I didn't have a Doom3 fiasco with my Audigy2

Oh, and almost all of my MP3s are ATLEAST 192. The ones I rip myself are 384. And I have Klipsch ProMedia Ultra 5.1s.

 

[konakona]

then maybe you should upgrade? i dunno if you were trying to brag but klipsch multimedia line is teh suck

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

:roll: KLIPSCH IS T3H SuX0R BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT T3H B3ST!!

 

[dbk]

Chaintech 7.1, Turtle Beach Santa Cruz...

 

[zoiks]

I might just end up getting the Santa Cruz again. Thanks.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

So you like the emulated 7.1, do ya? You know the SC is just splitting sound between the extra speakers and not actually supporting a true 7.1, right?

 

[tfinch2]

if you play games...get a creative. if you listen to music and play games get the santa cruz. if you listen to just music get the maudio

 

[raystorm]

I've owned a Santa Cruz for a bit over 3 years and never had any issues. Only problem is that its a discontinued product and will not have any new drivers. Than again I used the same drivers forever and never needed to update it.

I have no clue how Turtle Beach's new cards are like. Any owners of their new line?

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: Nik
So you like the emulated 7.1, do ya? You know the SC is just splitting sound between the extra speakers and not actually supporting a true 7.1, right?

although i'm with you and like creative, the OP has 4.1 speakers. last time i checked 4.1 != 7.1. it defeats the purpose of your argument.

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: Nik
:roll: KLIPSCH IS T3H SuX0R BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT T3H B3ST!!

no, they are just overrated and notorious for bloated bass and piercing highs.

if you play games...get a creative. if you listen to music and play games get the santa cruz. if you listen to just music get the maudio

emu-0404 > all maudio cards up to date.

ok, going back to the OPs question... do you have an nforce based mobo by any chance? nforce should work fine for most games. under $200 EMU-0404 is aboslute best you can do at the moment. onkyo is coming out with a monstrous envy24 card but only time will tell how it compares to emu. set your foobar output to the emu card and games to soundstorm, works like a charm for me.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: Nik
So you like the emulated 7.1, do ya? You know the SC is just splitting sound between the extra speakers and not actually supporting a true 7.1, right?

although i'm with you and like creative, the OP has 4.1 speakers. last time i checked 4.1 != 7.1. it defeats the purpose of your argument.

Did you read the damn thread? I was talking to the guy who posted right above that post, not the OP.