What's the best soundcard in XP?

[Joyride]

Time to upgrade my soundcard but I don't know whats the best

Please give some suggestions and reasons why

 

[AkumaBao]

Well, I guess I'd have to go with the SB Audigy. It has a 96Khz sampling rate, plus the enhanced evironmental sound. Drivers are easy to find, and you also get a FireWire port. (2 if you get the Platinum package ) If you want to use it for various sound purposes ( electric guitar/bass, sound sampling through other sound devices, optical devices, and being able to hook up a home stereo system ) get one of the Platinum series packages. The EX jsut has an external LiveDrive, instead of internal.

 

[Joyride]

I have considered the Gamer or MP3+ all I really need it for is mp3s, cds, and rare dvds for sound

I would like a firewire port don't know when I would use it but atleast its there. Doubt I would need one like the Plantinum series.

I thought I had heard the Audigy and XP didn't get along

 

[NeoMadHatter]

I have the Hercules game theater xp and am using windows xp pro. it's working perfectly. and the breakout box is awesome.

 

[Bingo13]

Go here- Link. The best card for music in the "low" end cards would be the TB Santa Cruz.

 

[Mem]

<< I thought I had heard the Audigy and XP didn't get along >>



Using SB Audigy and WinXP here with no problems ,I use it for gaming ,MP3 files etc and have never had any problems with it, even on my VIA motherboard,I do think the SB Audigy drivers are better then the old SB Live ones on install etc & yes the sound quality is a lot better then the old SB live.

 

[PicPop]

my sound card is the best

 

[looper]

Yes...

And your's is...

 

[nealh]

I am not sure which is "best"..my sb live 5.1 gamer works fine.. iknow some have had problems with the via southbridge chip and sb live causing crackles and data corruption..supposedly this has been fixed with a patch

 

[nnnyyy]

Go for the audigy! I have one and it works fine in XP.

 

[TheWart]

the Phillips AE works great in both my WinXP systems...

 

[Piano Man]

Terratec DMX 6Fire 24/96

Why?

Details:


PCI-board
3 analog stereo outputs (3,5mm jack) - 24 Bit/96 kHz
1 analog stereo input (3,5mm jack) - 24 Bit/96 kHz
2 analog CD-Audio outputs (Molex, On-Board) - 24 Bit/96 kHz
1 analog AUX input (Molex, On-Board) - 24 Bit/96 kHz
1 digital CD-Audio TTL input (Molex, On-Board)
1 analog stereo input (Cinch) on front module - 24 Bit/96 kHz
1 analog stereo output (Cinch) on front module - 24 Bit/96 kHz
1 analog stereo phono (MM, 6 mV ) input (Cinch) on front module- 24 Bit/96 kHz
1 analog mono microphone input (6,3mm jack) on front module - 24 Bit/96 kHz
1 analog stereo headphone output (6,3mm jack) on front module - 24 Bit/96 kHz
1 digital stereo in- and output (TOS-Link, optical) on front module - 24 Bit/96 kHz
1 digital stereo in- and output (Cinch, coaxial) on front module - 24 Bit/96 kHz
1 MIDI in- and output (5-pin DIN) on front module
Control range of : 9mV - 500mV
Output power of headphone output : 60 mW
Bus master transfer supports ?24bit 4byte mode' (32bit)
Simultaneous recording and reproduction of all channels with up to 24bit/96kHz
24bit/96kHz AD converters with 100 dB dynamical range (S/NR)*
24bit/96kHz DA converters with 110 dB dynamical range (S/NR)*
24bit/96kHz stereo digital input (S/PDIF with up to 24bit/96kHz)
24bit/96kHz stereo digital output (S/PDIF with up to 24bit/96kHz)
Digital input may also be used for digital audio output of an internal CD-Rom drive (TTL)
Input control of AD converters with +18dB increment in 0,5dB steps
Hardware with internal resolution of 36bit
VU-meter in control panel (hardware based)
"None-Audio" mode for transmission of AC3 and DTS streams via digital interface
Connection option for microWAVE PC!, DXR and DXF , alternatively to DMX 6fire 24/96 front module
Software

WDM driver for Windows 98SE/ ME/2000 and Windows XP Supports ASIO 2.0
WDM Kernel Streaming (e.g. for Sonar ?)
MME- and DirectSound
DirectSound 3D, Sensaura 3D, A3D 1.0/2.0 and EAX 1.0/2.0 as well as Macro FX**
ControlPanel for Windows 98SE/ME/2000 and Windows XP
Bundle software

Cyberlink 6-channel PowerDVD.
Algorithmix Sound Laundry TerraTec Edition
Steinberg WaveLab Lite Vers. 2.0
Musicmatch Jukebox
Emagic MicroLogic FUN



This thing smokes the Audigy, absolutely smokes it. Everything on this bad boy is 24/96. I hope you have some sweet speakers, cause you'll want it. And if you have a turntable, no prob. You have a phono preamp included. This is the best consumer card out there for your listening pleasure.

 

[laugh]

I have Midiman audiophile 2496. It's very good for SPDIF out (to my receiver). Creative never could reach that good quality. However, Creative cards are more for gaming.

For MIDI, get a 2496. Even Audigy+EX does not implement real 2496.

 

[Piano Man]

But the Audiophile doesn't have a breakout box I believe. Plus, the DMX 6Fire has more Ins and Outs plus has a phono preamp. And it supports EAX1/2 A3D 1/2.

 

[Piano Man]

Oh, and unlike the audigy(like you said), it does real 24/96 on everything. However, the Audiophile does cost about 75-100 less, and it is a great sounding card(I've heard both).