sound card...which one...

bigblockmatt · Post by **bigblockmatt** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:41 pm

so, im looking at getting a new sound card. I currently have the Logitech Z-5300e speakers, which i love btw. I currently have a sound blaster audigy gamer. its ok, but not great. i was looking at the x-fi and the audigy 2. Im looking for the 100 buck range. here is newegg comparing them, the cheaper audigy looks better in my eyes...whats the big difference? please shed some light on me.

I mostly use my sound for gaming ( BF2 and COD2) and the mic. Some music .

Thanks guys!

Imakeholesinu · Post by **Imakeholesinu** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:28 pm

The X-Fi music is on sale but if you front the extra $100 I don't think you'll be disappointed with the other card.

bigblockmatt · Post by **bigblockmatt** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:34 pm

ya, i saw that. but for cheap up front and out the door i can get the audigy 2 zs. just wondering what the real difference in the two are and if it is worth the extra couple bucks

Imakeholesinu · Post by **Imakeholesinu** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 6:17 am

Well if you play BF2, the audigy will not be able to do hardware High sound. The top end X-Fi will. Not sure about the midrange X-Fi.

If I were you, I'd go with the newest technology for the cheapest price and buy the X-Fi.

Hell, I still use a Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 Gold edition in my machine.

Skippman · Post by **Skippman** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:14 am

Are you sure that's accurate about BF2? I'm running an Audigy 2 in my machine and I'm almost 100% positive I have the audio quality set to High.

bigblockmatt · Post by **bigblockmatt** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:26 am

anyone else know the difference in the two cards? if the x-fi is worth getting, id like to get it before the newegg sale ends.

Zelig · Post by **Zelig** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:41 pm

Skippman wrote:Are you sure that's accurate about BF2? I'm running an Audigy 2 in my machine and I'm almost 100% positive I have the audio quality set to High.

The X-fi allows some extra processing to be done on the sound card, and gives about a 2 fps boost or something to that effect.

Skippman · Post by **Skippman** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:48 pm

$100 for 2fps? Pass.

bigblockmatt · Post by **bigblockmatt** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:07 pm

ya, not really worth that little bit of improvement. i have an audigy gamer now...jsut seeing if there was anything worth getting.

HONkUS · Post by **HONkUS** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 5:52 pm

I have an audigy 2 zs and a friend of mine has an X-fi, if you have good speakers go with the X-fi, right now BF2 is the only game that I know of that supports the ultra HD sound fx but man is it worth it, its one of those things you dont know your missing until you hear it, first time i heard gun shots echoing off the building next to me I nearly crapped myself, seriously as someone with an audigy 2 zs im seriously thinking aobut upgrading to X-fi

Imakeholesinu · Post by **Imakeholesinu** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:06 pm

Skippman wrote:Are you sure that's accurate about BF2? I'm running an Audigy 2 in my machine and I'm almost 100% positive I have the audio quality set to High.

Do you have hardware enabled?

Skippman · Post by **Skippman** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 6:43 am

I'll check when I get home tonight but I thought I did.

Right now I'm more interested in getting a new graphics card than I am a new sound card. Maybe when Creative decided to drop the price to the Audigy range ($50-$60) I'll pick one up but right now all my money's going towards my water cooling project and my X1900XTX

bigblockmatt · Post by **bigblockmatt** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 3:34 pm

Well, i went ahead and got the x-fi from newegg it comes out to 95 bucks with including mail in rebate and my added tax, good ol' california. Ill let you knwo how it all works out. is there any way to test a sound card for performance other than ears (kinda like benchmarking)?

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 4:15 pm

audio.rightmark.org

bigblockmatt · Post by **bigblockmatt** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 5:15 pm

sweet thanks. im gonna test it out tonight!!

bigblockmatt · Post by **bigblockmatt** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:49 am

so i download both of the things that they had...when i would start one, it would restart my computer. I woudl start the other one, some program would load. I would tell it to run, then it would tell me the thing could not be completed (it was running some test, beeping and making weird noises in the speakers). ooh well.