Audigy 2

[darkmiasma]

well i bought my audigy 2 today, and it kicks my soundblaster live value card's ass ...

after months of being on the fence about it, i wish i had just done it sooner ... everything sounds much clearer and more defined ...

i highly recommend it to anyone who is on the fence about switching.

- mike

[fasedww]

I just ordered mine from GamVE. $70.00, OEM, Fee fedex saver shipping. Might not be a whole lot better then my Audigy 1, I got now but I'll be building another computer in the near future so I'll have a extra sound card for it.:D

[Matthyahuw]

GameVE? hope you don't get screwed...

[fasedww]

Originally posted by Matthyahuw
GameVE? hope you don't get screwed... I mean it a'nt like they will give me another stepping like on a cpu, or a different revision motherboard, right audigy2 is audigy 2:)

[Akucaen]

Heh. Me hugs my Audigy2...

[Smokey]

Well everything here in France to do with customer service just SUX!! Ive have never seen anything this bad in the 3 countries I have lived in.

I ordered my Audigy2 on the 3rd March, only to wait 23 days as they placed it on backorder, recieved a credit and had to re-order it again today. I am just hoping I dont wait another few weeks for it :mad: Still waiting on a parcel from my folks in Taiwan, which they sent by air mail around the 18th February, and my copy of Ravenshield which was sent from the UK on the 19th March, La Poste has to be the worst postal service in the world :mad:

/rant

[Smokey]

Originally posted by darkmiasma
well i bought my audigy 2 today, and it kicks my soundblaster live value card's ass ...

after months of being on the fence about it, i wish i had just done it sooner ... everything sounds much clearer and more defined ...

i highly recommend it to anyone who is on the fence about switching.

- mike

Yay mine came today :dance:

I second everything you said ;) The first thing I noticed was there was no noise, I had to check my headphones were in right :p

I havent tried any games yet, just music, using Foobar2000 kernel streaming 24bit. Even my crappy mp3 sound much much better, listerning to Pantera at the mo, "This Love" and it is so clear!

Ill post some feedback with games comparing them from my LiveValue w/Audigy2 drivers, to my Audigy2, Ill also watch my Matrix DVD later using WinDVD Platinum and 24bit :cool:

[darkmiasma]

Originally posted by Smokey
Yay mine came today :dance:

I second everything you said ;) The first thing I noticed was there was no noise, I had to check my headphones were in right :p

I havent tried any games yet, just music, using Foobar2000 kernel streaming 24bit. Even my crappy mp3 sound much much better, listerning to Pantera at the mo, "This Love" and it is so clear!

Ill post some feedback with games comparing them from my LiveValue w/Audigy2 drivers, to my Audigy2, Ill also watch my Matrix DVD later using WinDVD Platinum and 24bit :cool:

Glad you like it too. I can't believe what a difference it made. Enjoy!

- Mike

[fasedww]

Sound great, easy install, went to the Creative website tried auto update said my software driver's up to date driver version is 5.12.1.324, whats yours? :)

[Smokey]

324 also, I did the auto update also, which updated the dvd-audio player and eax control panel, I think thats about all. My install also was easy, just unistalled the SBLive and drivers, popped in the A2, installed drivers and software and np at all. You might also want to if you havent done already is to deselct the CTHLP.exe and CDVDDT.exe or something under start in msconfig and i also deselcted the CTVOL.exe I not sure thats thier correct file names, but should be close to it. It will stop those running in the background everytime you start windows ;)

[fasedww]

Yup went it the startup and unchecked the stuff you mention ,:)

[Riptide]

I'm currently using the integrated soundmax that came with my asus p4pe. I've never noticed any hiss coming from my speakers. They are a basic altec lansing stereo setup w/small sub in a box. So far I have been pretty happy with them.

Would I be likely to notice an improvement by replacing either the soundmax w/audigy 2 or a different set of speakers? I would prefer to stick w/stereo. No fancy 5.1/4.1 stuff.

[Smokey]

Depends on what you use your sound for, if its for alot of music, then yes, both a new soundcard and speakers will help alot. There are alot of good 2.1 speaker setup, probably more so than 4.1/5.1 setups, as music is encoded in stereo and not surround (not incl. dvd-a)

If you are a gamer first, then the Audigy2 is for you as its the best gaming soundcard there is, music and dvds sound great also. If you dont game alot, but listern to alot of music or watch alot of dvds on your pc, then you could take a look at the M-Audio Revalution.

As for speakers, I cant really help, but would point you to another forum which is a great help when it comes to sound, 3DSoundSurge (http://www.3dss-forums.com/cgi-bin/wwwthreads/wwwthreads.pl?Cat=&C=2)

[ragejg]

Audigy2 drivers on sbLive value?

please do tell... has that fixed anything?

[Smokey]

Originally posted by ragejg
Audigy2 drivers on sbLive value?

please do tell... has that fixed anything?

Check this thread here (http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9010)

[Akucaen]

Heh, I've seen a whole bunch of people try & get the Audigy drivers to work on the SBLives... Some sets work, some don't. It screws the creative control panel tho...

[Smokey]

Originally posted by Akucaen
Heh, I've seen a whole bunch of people try & get the Audigy drivers to work on the SBLives... Some sets work, some don't. It screws the creative control panel tho...

It doesnt mess up the control panel :p

Some sets work and some dont! Well thats because you need to install the drivers from the Audigy2 cd first before you update to the newer drivers. There is no hack or anything that needs to be done, directions and links can be found in the other thread I posted a link to.

[ragejg]

For some reason, I thought sbLive Values did a lot more acceleration in software, and are basically a slightly modified pci128...

kinda the 'MX", if you will:rolleyes:

I'm wrong on this, aren't I

[StealthHawk]

hmm, sorry ragejg, I deleted part of your post by accident :o

i'm really embarassed by this, and i'm sorry for my mistake. yes, I hit edit instead of quote, doh. damn this shoddy computer(it takes a little time to render to pages, so the buttons move around) :(

[Smokey]

Originally posted by ragejg
For some reason, I thought sbLive Values did a lot more acceleration in software, and are basically a slightly modified pci128...

kinda the 'MX", if you will:rolleyes:

I'm wrong on this, aren't I

The Live series of card all use the same chipset. There would be some slight differences between the SBLive and the Value, but they both use the EMU101K chipset or whatever its called.

[Riptide]

Originally posted by Smokey
Depends on what you use your sound for, if its for alot of music, then yes, both a new soundcard and speakers will help alot. There are alot of good 2.1 speaker setup, probably more so than 4.1/5.1 setups, as music is encoded in stereo and not surround (not incl. dvd-a)

I went and picked up a Klipsch 2.1 setup. Pricey for a 2.1 @ $170 but it sounds nice.

[darkmiasma]

i just saw those 2.1's in the BestBuy ads for sunday for $170 ... i think i might get them ... how do they sound?

[Riptide]

I think they sound noticeably better than my previous Altec Lansing ACS 45.2. The response in the upper range, say over 10khz is better due to the separate tweeters. I like going with a volume knob instead of the button arrangement the 45.2 had. The Klipsch has more power as well so I can crank it a bit better.

Though the Klipsch are better than the ACS 45.2 the difference isn't so astounding that you're floored by it. This is more of a testament to the fact that the ACS 45.2 is one hell of a nice 2.1 setup for the money than anything else. I don't regret getting the Klipsch though even if the improvements over my previous set aren't earth shattering.

[mreman4k]

I too got my Audigy 2 retail from GameVE and it is PHAT (pretty hot and tempting). :-D