Soundcard questions

[rainy]

I am thinking about getting a soundcard for my system, to replace the crappy onboard sound. It's not going to happen today or tomorrow or even next week, but I've put out my feelers. X-Fi and that sort of stuff is out of my price range I am budgeting with about R400 max.

I have stumbled over the following cards:

- Soundblaster Live! 24bit
- Soundblaster Audigy Value
- Soundblaster Audigy2 Value

The price tag on the first two cards is most to my liking. The Audigy Value is actually cheaper than the Live!. The Audigy 2 Value however is about R250 more than the other two cards (and slightly outside my budget). Question is, does the Audigy 2 bring any advantages that justify the price difference (other than the bundled game - Tomb Raider AOD), or am i just as well off with the Audigy Value?

[Ruslan74]

I upgraded from the SB Live! to the Audigy 2 ZS and it was well worth it. Games run smoother since the soundcard takes a bit more of the CPU load off from sounds within games that make use of EAX effects.

sound positioning is good as well with 6.1 speakers which give the soundcard its deserved attention.

overall i am very happy with my Audigy 2 ZS, if you can aim for that one since the standard audigy value is slightly inferior in the technical spec sheet.

[Darnit696]

Remember to check that Sahara pricelist. Add VAT and about R40 for postage. I see they got Audigy 4 pro there for 499 ex vat. Audigy Value at 229 ex vat. Rather aim Higher. I got a 24b live! in my one machine and I'm thinking of chucking it at some point. Got an old Audigy Platinum pro in my games machine... thing cost me just over 2 grand when I bought it but it was worth every cent, still holds its own.

[NerdBoyZa]

WooooHoooooo!!!!!!

Just installed my new X-Fi Extreme Music Card.

Going to give it a bash.... See if I can tell the diffs from the onboard RealTek one I had before.

Have to install surround speakers tomorrow....

[Darnit696]

Bugger!!! Do I feel my old Audigy card becoming outdated.

Enjoy NB after onboard sound its going to be a whole new world.

[rainy]

There is a whole difference between Realtek onboard sound and a Audigy 2. I don't want to know what difference an X-Fi will make (At up to 4 grand a shot, it better be a huge one )

[SlappY]

Congrats NerdBoy!!! It makes a HUGE diff in those FPS's

[NerdBoyZa]

Hey Guys.

I've managed to squeeze a couple of minutes to come try catch up on WrG.

The card did make a BIG diffs. I can actually tell what direction sound is coming from now.... WOW!

RN - I got the cheapie card - the X-Fi Extreme Music = R1,299 @ Budget Technologies, including VAT. So, it wasn't too bad.

If only I could find a bit more time to play now...... I'd be

[spAc3dd]

Awesome card man. Good choice.

As far as I'm concerned, Creative cards are the only choice for the discerning gamer

[spAc3dd]

You must try your X-Fi with a good set of headphones. The 3d Spatial effect they get is almost better than 5.1!!

I actually couldn't believe that you could hear a sound 'behind' you with headphones, but these guys have somehow done it...