soundcard suggestions?

[ElementalDragon]

I'm kinda looking for a good quality, somewhat low cost sound card. doesn't seem like on-board is able to put out enough bass for my Logitech Z-640's sub. any suggestions? Or anyone know how i might be able to get more bass out of it?

 

[trackrat]

Creative Audigy. http://www.soundblaster.com/products/audigy/welcome.asp?reg=1
A pci card can be had very cheaply and will power you speakers.

 

[LordOfLA]

Audigy 2 ZS is your only viable option for your intended use that I've seen you discuss on irc.

 

[ElementalDragon]

well.... the audigy 2's are currently outta my price range....... what about the soundblaster Live! 24-bit's?

or this one? http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=29-102-173&depa=0

 

[LordOfLA]

audigy 2 zs can be gotten for under $50 OEM. You really dont want anything else.

 

[Tittles]

I agree with lord. I have the audigy 2 zs and i love it. There is no need to get anything other then OEM for it cause they give you a bunch of ûûûû. I got 2 games and a bunch of crap that came with it. Unless u want ghost recon (or rainbow six not sure what it was) and Some Tomb raider game then i guess you can get retail .

 

[Weasel]

There's real alternatives to Creative anymore and yet I refuse to use their products due to poor hardware design and terrible drivers. Turtle Beach is always something to take a gander at if you don't want to deal with Creative.

 

[FishBoy]

audigy 4

 

[ElementalDragon]

audigy 4

still wondering whatever happened to the Audigy 3. Leap year?

Weasel, i was kinda eyeballing Turtle Beach. hear any good reviews/comparisons?

 

[egghead]

grab a cheapp Audigy 2.

It comes with dvd-audio support and you got to hear the Metallica - Black album in 192k sample rate and 24-bit depth DVD-Audio.

It also has a 96kHz sample rate using 5.1 surround sound channels mixed by Bob Rock.

http://www.currentfilm.com/dvdaudio/metallicadvdaudio.html

 

[ElementalDragon]

well, my on-board is AC97 audio with 5.1 surround. the only thing i really need to know is if the reason i can have the bass on the sub cranked up all the way and it's at the perfect level be because the on-board audio ports don't provide enough oomf for the sub.

 

[Weasel]

Weasel, i was kinda eyeballing Turtle Beach. hear any good reviews/comparisons?

I don't read hardware sites anylonger since 99.7% of them out there are biased and not worth my time. The only comparison I have is from a few Creative cards and some of my friends who have a Santa Cruz at LANs and I'd say the Audigy 2 sounds the same. The only thing you're really giving up is the latest and greatest version of EAX and all the bloat Creative loves to cram in with everything. I suppose it really comes down to a matter of personal preference.

 

[Luna]

My friend got a Turtle Beach card, but both of us wish he had not. The card sounds the same as an Audigy, but it's the software that the TB uses that really ticked us off. Nothing worked right, or would work right and then fail after a restart. It confused us to no end.

I got an Audigy 2 ZS and am loving it.

 

[Shamus MacNoob]

I got the Audigy 2 ZS Gamer and I just love it

 

[LordOfLA]

Creative are the only manufacturers to make sensible domestic grade sound hardware for pcs that are truly compatible with all the games you are ever likely to play. The hardware design is second to none in the domestic market you only have to deal with shoddy drivers.

If you want a pro card theres still Turtle Beach, Philips, M-Audio, etc

 

[Shamus MacNoob]

Dont have any trouble with my drivers now I used to have some small problems a few years ago with my sb live but I dont ever need to mess with my sound drivers just add a check mark here or there depending on what options I want to use.

 

[dreamliner77]

Creative cards are crap...Unless you are a gamer and need EAX. If all you need is a analog stereo out OR a bit perfect digital out, the Chaintech av-710 is a great, great card for $26 on newegg. The Turtle beach santa cruz is a good card as is the M-audio revolutions.

 

[LordOfLA]

uhm dreamliner... isnt that what I said earlier???

Creative are THE BEST for domestic users.. the rst are pro level cards not aimed at gaming - and you will notice that fact.

 

[Lee]

(TERRATEC) Aureon 5.1 Fun. Cheap and easy to use.

 

[ElementalDragon]

the other thing that kinda had me tempted with the Turtle Beach cards is the fact that they have a game port. bought a gamepad quite a while ago, but didn't have the game port to use it, and the converter that my Logitech joystick has to go from the game port to a USB connection didn't work with it.