SoundBlaster Audigy OEM for $74 (+tax) shipped

[CarpeDeo]

This is available at our good friends NewEgg. It comes with the firewire port and drivers CD.

linky

 

[BMW330ci]

<< This is available at our good friends NewEgg. It comes with the firewire port and drivers CD.

linky >>



According to NewEgg's picture of the Audigy Card OEM, the only noticable difference from the retail version's card is the ports are colored oppose to gold plated.

Not bad of a deal though.

 

[ALBundyHere]

LOL! its down to $70 +tax. Im in.

oops, shipping!

 

[RDMustang1]

Your link goes to the search page.. Here is the real link:

SB Audigy $74 shipped

 

[huesmann]

So, basically, the only reason to get one of these cards is that it's got a built-in Firewire port?

 

[RONType1]

=) basically

 

[csiro]

Sound quality should be better too, faster processor etc...I'll just wait till it drops to 50 first though...

 

[abaez]

Does anyone know if this works well with windows XP?

 

[Jittos]

<< I'll just wait till it drops to 50 first though... >>



I'll wait until my SB Live Value (4.1) is dead first

 

[OmEv]

according to some reviews the NT/2000/XP drivers are really weak right now.

 

[tmv22]

some peop r afraid to buy this card of of mp3 protection ripping.
question: how can a sound card encode mp3 with copyrights?
all this time, im ripping n encoding mp3 using softwares, audiograbber, its all software right?
doesnt matter what sound card i have right?
thanx.

 

[Teekster]

do these have the same problems with via AMD mobos (eg. abit KT7A)? My SB live pops and crackles a lot.

 

[clarkmo]

tmv22,
I think your right. Using audiograbber to get the music off your cd and then burning it bypasses the soundcard. Playing it on your pc uses the soundcard, though and I don't know too much about how that is supposed to be affected. It's probably just marketing fluff.

 

[CarpeDeo]

Some people seem to get lucky w/ their VIA + SB combos . . .and others don't. I used to have a VIA w/ SB Live and had the same issue of cracks and pops. I just recently tried out an SB Live 5.1 on a new VIA mobo (KT7 Turbo) and it works fine. I don't know if it's because I switched mobos or sound cards . . . but it CAN work. Dunno if it will always work though . . .

 

[BMW330ci]

<< Does anyone know if this works well with windows XP? >>



Yes it does, I'm using it right now. I just used the CD-ROM drivers that came with the Sound Card.

Sounds great by the way.. better then the SB Live 5.1 Platinum that I had...

 

[namlook]

So the actually sound quality (ie music playback) on these new cards is better than SB Live?

 

[mdplayer00]

I think the copyright stuff is software base. So if you use Creative's software to rip or encode a song, it might but some protection on it. But who the heck would use their software anyway if you can use audiograbber?

 

[CactusJac]

MP3 Rippers like Audiograbber and EAC (Exact Audio Copy) don't need the soundcard. So rip away!

 

[Darkhawk28]

So what really is the difference between the Audigy and the Live!? Is it worth upgrading to right now?

 

[BlackMamba]

its supposed to fix compatibility problems, improve sound, add the firewire port, reduce cpu utilization by 50 percent, and eax 3 (eax hd advanced), and some other features...www.3dss.com for more info...imo its worth it only if you have the $$$ - i would go retail for 15 bucks more...