SB Live! Value Vs. Audigy 2?

[Smith]

I'm thinking of upgrading. Is there a good difference in audio quality and performance?

 

[Vertigo Acid]

In a word: yes.

(cue other, better, more detail explainations of why, I just know it's worth it from personal experience)

 

[Smith]

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=29-102-179&depa=0

Look good?

 

[GodsMadClown]

Yes.

 

[IdiotInCharge]

Put one in my Father's box, works great. The Audigy2 generation drivers are well improved, I must say.

 

[Elec]

I went from a SB Live to an Audigy2, and to me the sound quality improvement was noticeable right away. One thing I thought was a little odd is that the Audigy2 had less environmental and distortion effects, but that didn't bug me much since they're more of a novelty than anything.

Can't really say about the difference in performance or positional audio for games - my box was way far from top of the line when I switched, so it was hard to tell.

 

[Nexnecis]

Heck, I went from an A1 to an A2zs, and the audio was noticably better.


BTW, SB Live's = the devil incarnate. Anything besides that would be a good value

 

[MrSteel74]

I was going to ask a similar question I have Klipsch 4.1 speakers and I was wondering if upgrading from a Sound Blaster Live to a Audigy would be worth it.

 

[IdiotInCharge]

YES- go for an Audigy 2 Value or better, ESPECIALLY if you play games on them. If you're leaning more towards music, however, consider the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 or the Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1. There is also a 5.1 channel Revolution available that would well suit your needs.\ (for music and some gaming, that is).

 

[MrSteel74]

Is the Soundblaster Live 24-bit any improvement over the origianl Soundblaster Live or is it just a new name for the same card?

 

[IdiotInCharge]

Would assume it's simply a further castrated version of the Audigy 2 Value- but that's only speculation, I recommend you go out and find some comparisons if there are any. If not, I revert back to recommending nothing less than the Audigy 2 Value- great gaming card for the money.

 

[E4g1e]

Is the Soundblaster Live 24-bit any improvement over the origianl Soundblaster Live or is it just a new name for the same card?

Actually, the Sound Blaster Live! 24-Bit is a completely different card than any of the previous Live!'s and Audigys. It does not use the same drivers as any previous Sound Blaster Live!'s or Audigys, for starters. Second, it lacks a dedicated hardware DSP on the card itself; thus, all MIDI and 3D audio API support is emulated in software, through the drivers that are specific to that card (and ultimately using your PC's main CPU to "accelerate" such features). And because it lacks a hardware DSP, any resampling to 48kHz or 96kHz would have to be performed by the CPU through the drivers.

In other words, it is not a Live! or an Audigy per se -- its really more like a modern-day version of the old Ensoniq AudioPCI card.

 

[vamp]

I'm building an athlon-64 system on budget, and was wondering if anyone knew the sound quality difference between an Audigy2 Value and the Chaintech 7.1 regarding games and mp3s. They both seem to be 24-bit and have the same sampling rates (if that even means anything). If it comes down to drivers and software being better with the Audigy2, I'll spend the extra 25. Thx

 

[steviep]

For $25, get the Audigy.

 

[vamp]

k im convinced. no, seriously i am. 25 is really that much more for something i'll be using all the time i suppose. thanks.

 

[LoneWolf]

Each progressive generation of card (Live, Audigy, Audigy 2, Audigy 2 ZS) features better onboard DACs than the generation before it, so sound has been improved. As for the Live 24-bit; what E4g1e said. The Audigy LS is also like this; I wouldn't buy either of them.

For games, Creative is it, only they and nVidia's Soundstorm feature Directsound hardware acceleration. For all other audio work, there are better choices in audio quality based on VIA's Envy24 chipset, but no DS hardware acceleration means they'll lower gaming performance slightly (if you have a high-end CPU and graphics card, this probably won't be a really big deal). If you are going to use more than a 2.1 analog speaker system, avoid the Chaintech card; it's only got a high quality DAC on two of its channels.

 

[vamp]

Each progressive generation of card (Live, Audigy, Audigy 2, Audigy 2 ZS) features better onboard DACs than the generation before it, so sound has been improved. As for the Live 24-bit; what E4g1e said. The Audigy LS is also like this; I wouldn't buy either of them.

For games, Creative is it, only they and nVidia's Soundstorm feature Directsound hardware acceleration. For all other audio work, there are better choices in audio quality based on VIA's Envy24 chipset, but no DS hardware acceleration means they'll lower gaming performance slightly (if you have a high-end CPU and graphics card, this probably won't be a really big deal). If you are going to use more than a 2.1 analog speaker system, avoid the Chaintech card; it's only got a high quality DAC on two of its channels.

Thanks LoneWolf. I will purchase the Chaintech AV-710 first. I listen to my music with headphones more than I play games, and when I purchase speakers they will definitely be 2.1's. The drop in gaming performance probably won't affect me.

 

[placeboFx]

consider this

If you are happy with sound you have now then I wouldn't buy it. It's like a new T.V. at the store you always want the best looking one. But when you get home you won't have any other T.V. to compare it to. Well the old t.v., but that shouldn't look as good.

Anyways. If it ain't broke etc. etc........

 

[xonik]

Each progressive generation of card (Live, Audigy, Audigy 2, Audigy 2 ZS) features better onboard DACs than the generation before it, so sound has been improved.

...but they all resample the sound prior to meeting the DAC, so the sound quality is still degraded, unless a bypassing scheme like kernel streaming or ASIO is employed.

 

[snedger]

Slight tangent if I may.
I've been sticking my Live! Value through my Creative Digital 5500s via the coax and all 5 speakers have been filled, but I supect not with true surround.
Built my new PC at the weekend and the ALC850 coax output doesn't work the same. The test programs don't touch the rears or centre. Half Life 2 had no sound at all on 5.1 speaker settings, so had to go to [horror!] stereo.
I've tried studying info on the Creative website but can't say that I really understand all the connectors.
Is there any way to digitally connect my 5500s to a Creative Audigy 2 soundcard and get 5.1? If yes which connector would be used?
cheers
snedger

 

[IdiotInCharge]

Use the digital out? Creative has an unfortunately proprietary digital output for use with their digital speakers. It's one of those jacks on the back of your Audigy.