Need a new sound card

L

LostInRehab

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
430
I'm looking for a sound card since my current one causes me BSOD errors while running two copies of WoW. I currently have an audigy 4 pro and I would like to stay away from creative cards since most other creative cards cause the same problem.
 
Thanks for the suggestion but I want to stay away from creative cards or cards with creative chips.
 
Here is the situation. I want a new sound card because of the issue described here. The Auzen X-Fi Prelude looks like an interesting card but I'm afraid it could cause the same issue I have with my audigy 4 pro and its a little bit more than I would like to spend on a sound card. Also I'm not very fond of creatives extreme amount of extra *$@! they like to put along with their drivers and I'm not sure that the X-Fi prelude would be much different. So does anyone have any alternetives or does anyone know if the prelude would cause the same issue as the audigy cards.
 
I can't say this for sure, since I've left the Windows world behind, but I doubt the Prelude would behave radically different from any of the other X-Fis. Take that for what it's worth.

Have you considered one of the CMI8788 cards, such as the Sondigo Inferno, HT Omega Claro, or Bgears B-Enspirer? The Inferno and B-Enspirer are basically the same thing, and the Claro is all that plus solid-state caps and a front audio connector. I haven't listened to any of them personally, but from what I've read people generally have good things to say about them. True, they don't support the full range of EAX effects that the Creative cards do, but they are an alternative. Allegedly. ;)

Myself, I'm considering buying the Inferno ($79.99 @ Newegg) once Newegg gets it back in stock next week. It's a reference design, like the B-Enspirer ($99.99 @ Newegg), but costs $20 less. The Claro ($159.99 @ Newegg) is a good bit more expensive than either the B-Enspirer or the Inferno and I don't think its few extra features justify the price. I've read in several places that the CMI8788 cards' sound quality trumps Creative's, but again, those aren't my words. The Newegg prices for all three are the lowest that I could find. Here are some links you might find helpful:

Sondigo Inferno
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2006/10/12/sondigo_inferno_pci_soundcard/1
http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/multimedia/soundcard/inferno/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16829156003

BGears B-Enspirer
http://penstarsys.com/reviews/sound/bluegears/b-enspirer/index.html
http://www.virtual-hideout.net/reviews/Bluegears_Enspirer/index.shtml
http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=278&Itemid=27
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829127002&Tpk=b-enspirer

HT Omega Claro
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/03/09/HT_Omega_Claro/1
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1051
http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=318&Itemid=27
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...TC-Froogle-_-Sound+Card-_-HT+Omega-_-29271002
 
Sometimes I run 2 copies of WoW.. used to do under Windows XP x64 (2GB RAM, X-FI Platinum), Vista Ultimate x64 (4GB Ram, X-FI Platinum, AD1988B onboard codec, X-FI Prelude) - all good without any BSODs.

You may want to run a memtest or something, maybe the problem is somewhere else.

/Alex
 
The mem is fine since I already memtest before I OC'd and after I OC'd my computer. Before you say it could be the OC I've dropped it all to stock. It seems like its an audigy problem and that X-Fi cards don't have the issue so the Prelude could be a possiblility.
 
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