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Sick of Creative

E

enelson125

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 21, 2004
Messages
485
Hey everyone, just wondering about picking up a new sound card. Currently I have a SB Audigy 2 ZS, but I've been hearing a lot of bad things about Creative and their products. I'm just wondering what alternatives there are as far as sound cards go.

I mainly game on my comptuer, but I also listen to music and watch movies, and I just wanted to see what ideas you guys had for me as far as sound card alternatives go. I'm not very well versed in sound technologies, but I would like something that supports a lot of the dolby technologies.
 
If you want EAX3 and the latest gaming compatibility then you'll want to stick with Creative. Them's the breaks.
 
so you want a new product just because you HEARD things about them? but how is the product working for you?

you do realize that most people who are happy with their products aren't reading messageboards, right? people who enjoy their products are using them.
 
jeez don't get pissed off at me. I was just wondering, as I'm a little disappointed with the overall sound quality of the Audigy2ZS. I wanted to see what alternatives there are to creative, so don't bite my head off.

And I do happen to have on and off driver issues with my card.
 
not meaning to bite your head off. was just asking how the product was working for you. overall that's all that matters.
 
I'm not having any problems with my Audigy 2, so it must be the AMD CPU.. That or the user... *evil snicker*

I don't know. Rather than looking at wasting money to go to another sound card, why not admit that the problem might be with you and investigate the problems. It could be something simple. I know I'm not having any issues with mine at all. I love it.

Start by telling us what your issues are with it precisely and maybe we can help you find a resolution to them so that you're happy again without spending another nickel that you don't have to.
 
If you're primarily a gamer, stick with Creative. Pretty simple.
 
enelson125 said:
jeez don't get pissed off at me. I was just wondering, as I'm a little disappointed with the overall sound quality of the Audigy2ZS. I wanted to see what alternatives there are to creative, so don't bite my head off.

And I do happen to have on and off driver issues with my card.
Click to expand...

"little disappointed with the overall sound quality???????????"
I have the ZS 2 with the z 5500 speakers and have "0" complaints! I would say you have issues with speakers, system. software, hook up???? etc.... I have no hiss, crackleing, whisping etc nothing But Ground pounding crisp clear sound! Music, Movies and games! My Garage "where my system is" makes all my neighbors jealous when I fire up a movie! Beats there Home systems down!.
 
Nothing wrong with Audigy 2 ZS sound quality, maybe you need better speakers or a better amp.
 
Indeed it is incredibly hard to hear the artifacting that occurs during the 48-to-44khz conversion process. Other than the M-Audio, Creative has the best-sounding hardware, plus it is much better with games. Again, if you game, stick with it. If you're a music buff, go for an M-Audio. We have yet to really test the Mystique card yet.
 
steviep said:
Indeed it is incredibly hard to hear the artifacting that occurs during the 48-to-44khz conversion process. Other than the M-Audio, Creative has the best-sounding hardware, plus it is much better with games. Again, if you game, stick with it. If you're a music buff, go for an M-Audio. We have yet to really test the Mystique card yet.
Click to expand...


correction sir

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/x-mystique/index.shtml
 
I saw the review about the x-mystique, it looked like a pretty sweet card.

Honestly, some of you guys are morons if you haven't noticed how atrocious Creative's drivers are. And another thing, Creative cards do not offer the best audio quality as some of you claim.
 
Still, to help you out, we need more info about your current set-up and your specific complaints with the sound quality.

Sound quality is highly subjective, and is governed by the weakest link principle. A sound card with excellent SNR and quality DACs is still going to sound bad through lousy speakers. Poorly encoded mp3s are going to sound even worse through a high end system than a low end one. What does sound quality mean to you? Thunderous bass? Liquid mids? Which do you listen to more, Mozart or MxPx? Toss us some specifics and we can recommend something to help.

That being said, I seriously doubt any audio quality problems stem from your audigy 2 zs. While I personally get bothered by Creative's shoddy bundled apps, the sound quality is solid on the ZS even with resampling. What speakers/headphone are you using?
 
I have had zero issues as well with my Audigy2ZS.

Given I am running a pretty decent headphone setup on it. However, most of the issues I've heard are from using the bass management and other "trinkets"....the thing is, with sub placement and level controls on a majority of computer speaker products and A/V receivers, I just don't see why anyone is using the bass management on the card. oh well.
 
Hell I'm using an original Audigy Platinum and I'm happy with the sound quality as far as gaming goes.

I have an Echo Mia for music and recording, but that's another story. If you have an external DAC, then any old cheap soundcard with a digital out will work fine, as long as it doesn't insist on resampling the output like Creative cards do.
 
that alternative driver looks like something good to try. I absolutely hate creative's drivers with all the shit packaged with em. Theres also way too many different updates to install, that I feel like I missed something or its incomplete. Creative really needs to make a unified driver package or something that isn't so annoying.

I guess my complaint is more of a subjective complaint, but the sound doesn't seem at all immersive. Just kinda flat, in games too, even with their fancy EAX3/4.

My speakers aren't bad either, I have the Logitech Z-5300e set. And I have the standard Audigy 2 ZS. I also have a pair of Sennheiser HD-515 headphones.
 
I love my Audigy2 but whenever I turn the windows volume up above about 60% I get pretty significant clipping (at least to me). I figured it was the Audigy2 because my Logitech Z-5500s sound fine when using other inputs.

Anyone else have this problem?
 
Tazzman said:
"little disappointed with the overall sound quality???????????"
I have the ZS 2 with the z 5500 speakers and have "0" complaints! I would say you have issues with speakers, system. software, hook up???? etc.... I have no hiss, crackleing, whisping etc nothing But Ground pounding crisp clear sound! Music, Movies and games! My Garage "where my system is" makes all my neighbors jealous when I fire up a movie! Beats there Home systems down!.
Click to expand...

sorry to break the news to you, but logitech speakers are pretty lame.
 
bjornb17 said:
sorry to break the news to you, but logitech speakers are pretty lame.
Click to expand...


eh but if he is happy with em what can you say.. just cuz you or I wouldn't touch em with a 10 foot pool. always remember sounds is subjective
 
bjornb17 said:
sorry to break the news to you, but logitech speakers are pretty lame.
Click to expand...

i think they are great for the price and what they are meant for. you would be hard pressed to find a better 5.1 speaker system for $250.
 
Syndicated_Death said:
eh but if he is happy with em what can you say.. just cuz you or I wouldn't touch em with a 10 foot pool. always remember sounds is subjective
Click to expand...

haha true. same goes for bose.... ermmm. wait a second......



no offense
 
If you want good sound and don't want to eat up a ton of CPU and lose frames per second, you only have two choices....nVidia nForce 2 Soundstorm or the Audigy. I doubt you want to go back to the nForce 2, so that leaves you with the Audigy.
 
NForce2 was only good when using it's dolby encoding AND digital out at once, otherwise it was not better than any other onboard solution. I should know I have soundstorm ont his PC and becnhed it to my Audigy2 ZS...on analog 2-channel out, there is a massive difference.
 
enelson125 said:
that alternative driver looks like something good to try. I absolutely hate creative's drivers with all the shit packaged with em. Theres also way too many different updates to install, that I feel like I missed something or its incomplete. Creative really needs to make a unified driver package or something that isn't so annoying.

I guess my complaint is more of a subjective complaint, but the sound doesn't seem at all immersive. Just kinda flat, in games too, even with their fancy EAX3/4.

My speakers aren't bad either, I have the Logitech Z-5300e set. And I have the standard Audigy 2 ZS. I also have a pair of Sennheiser HD-515 headphones.
Click to expand...

Have you ever thought that maybe it's your speakers that arent cutting it? Perhaps an upgrade to your speakers would prove more useful than upgrading the card. I run $3,000 worth of speakers through my audigy 2zs and it sure as hell doesnt sound flat to me.
 
mustang_steve said:
NForce2 was only good when using it's dolby encoding AND digital out at once, otherwise it was not better than any other onboard solution. I should know I have soundstorm ont his PC and becnhed it to my Audigy2 ZS...on analog 2-channel out, there is a massive difference.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you should know, but....

image013.gif
 
Man I refuse to use any Creative stuff since the Live line. I had nothing but problems with bad hardware of Creative coupled with shit drivers I still have bad feeling in my mouth. I still prefered sound storm from nvidia I wish they could make a new one. To this day I have sworn to never buy their crap.
 
For game audio, Creative is the best, this is not disputable.

For music listening, they are inferior to other products, but not at all times under all circumstances and never by much, if you pre-resample using foobar/winamp you've already wiped out most of the Audigies problem (for free!).
Basic rule of thumb: if your headphones cost more than the card, you may want to consider something better.
Basic rule of thumb2: if your Amp cost more than the card you really should consider something better.

On drivers, I never got this one, I just use the custom install option to put in the windows drivers and the Audio console and nothing else. How is that hard?
That said, I'm constantly suprised at how few people know that there is a single no-frills tabbed interface for controlling everything important so you don't need those stupid cartoon individual apps for everything.

On clipping, I never put the volume in windows over 50%, I mean that's what amps are for, surely?
 
Pinipig523 said:
Have you ever thought that maybe it's your speakers that arent cutting it? Perhaps an upgrade to your speakers would prove more useful than upgrading the card. I run $3,000 worth of speakers through my audigy 2zs and it sure as hell doesnt sound flat to me.
Click to expand...

nice setup in your sig. I also run my computer through my home theater setup. The sound from digital output of the audigy is fantastic, but when i use the analog outputs, it sounds much thinner by comparison, like the bass is -10db or something like that. Thats okay since i only use it for games and the surround sound in those games is okay, but for everything besies games, i use digital out.

some people think you have to switch from analog to digital in the control panel for the audigy. All you have to do is disable the "digital output only" in the control panel then it will output both, then i use my receivers remote to change between sound modes for what im listening too :)

BTW, how do you like your HK reciever? I have an AVR130 and its fantastic
 
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