What Sound Card?

[The Mullinator]

Im currently looking into buying a new soundcard right now but im at a loss as to what to get. The Audigy 2 looks like my best bet except for its price. I know very little about soundcards, so I have trouble trying to compare one card to another.

My requirements for a soundcard are that it must have support for 6.1 speakers (7.1 would be nice too), sound quality should naturaly be all around good but it doesn't have to be as good as the Audigy 2, the card must tax my CPU as little as possible, and support all the normal sound platforms for games.

My uses for the card are only music listening and game playing. I don't do sound editing or anything like that.

Right now my current thoughts for a card are either the

Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1
or
Hercules Fortissimo III 7.1

From what ive heard about them they seem to meet my requirements and they are also cheaper than the Audigy 2, but I would certainly like any advice or recommendations.

 

[Frank]

I'm pretty satisfied with my Sound Blaster Live 5.1

 

[SidewinderX]

I'd personally reccomend the AudioTrak Prodigy 7.1
It has soundqulaity equalt to that of the audigy 2, it's very, very efficent on its own, so it doesn't bother your cpu really at all. It also has an S/PDIF in so oyu cna record music digitally.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...002&kb=y&sourceid=1019&afsrc=1&ksubid=bbkinfo

$99

 

[dawdler]

Just as a curious fact, and nothing to do with the thread really, on that Prodigy (really impressed by the imagination of the ones that named it ):
"Intel Pentium III CPU or equivalent AMD CPU
Motherboard with Intel/VIA "
Does that mean it doesnt support being used on the Nforce chip? Or just that its older than the Nforce?

 

[zool]

Originally posted by SidewinderX143
I'd personally reccomend the AudioTrak Prodigy 7.1
It has soundqulaity equalt to that of the audigy 2, it's very, very efficent on its own, so it doesn't bother your cpu really at all. It also has an S/PDIF in so oyu cna record music digitally.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...002&kb=y&sourceid=1019&afsrc=1&ksubid=bbkinfo

$99

Most reviews speak against this card. I have no personal experience with it but from what I've read.. This is some thing you should keep away from.

Mullinator.. Id stick with Soundblaster based cards if I were you.

 

[SidewinderX]

PCgamer gave it a 92%/100%

 

[zool]

Originally posted by SidewinderX143
PCgamer gave it a 92%/100%

Yeah well PCWorld gave it 2 out of 5..

Personally I've owned some different sound cards and in my experience SB cards are best for gaming, while other cards like M-Audio Audiophile 2496 or the cheaper Revolution card might be better for music listening.

Terratec make some decent sound cards.. But still not as good for gaming as SB imho.

For Mullinator's needs, Id say stick with SB Audigy2.

 

[zool]

Originally posted by The Mullinator
Im currently looking into buying a new soundcard right now but im at a loss as to what to get. The Audigy 2 looks like my best bet except for its price. I know very little about soundcards, so I have trouble trying to compare one card to another.

My requirements for a soundcard are that it must have support for 6.1 speakers (7.1 would be nice too), sound quality should naturaly be all around good but it doesn't have to be as good as the Audigy 2, the card must tax my CPU as little as possible, and support all the normal sound platforms for games.

My uses for the card are only music listening and game playing. I don't do sound editing or anything like that.

Right now my current thoughts for a card are either the

Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1
or
Hercules Fortissimo III 7.1

From what ive heard about them they seem to meet my requirements and they are also cheaper than the Audigy 2, but I would certainly like any advice or recommendations.

Get SB Audigy2 Bulk.. without the box and all that useless crap. Costs about $95 here in Sweden.. I suggest you do some price searches.

 

[ShinRa]

Get a Santa Cruz, that's the only way to go.

 

[Noodlygod]

I have to track something down for you, It was a soundcard made by some people that normally make professional audio equipment. In the reviews I read it was equal to and in some cases greater than the Audigy 2, and it was 79 bucks. I just have to remember what site I read about it on. If I find it, I'll post a link here.

Edit: I found it, but not the review I originally found. Definetly check this one out:
http://www.speedy3d.com/doc/article.php?faq=1&fldAuto=18

Edit again: I just read that review and it wasn't as positive about the card's gaming ability as the first one I read so I'd still take a look but it no longer looks like a top contender to the throne.

 

[zool]

Originally posted by Noodlygod
I have to track something down for you, It was a soundcard made by some people that normally make professional audio equipment. In the reviews I read it was equal to and in some cases greater than the Audigy 2, and it was 79 bucks. I just have to remember what site I read about it on. If I find it, I'll post a link here.

Edit: I found it, but not the review I originally found. Definetly check this one out:
http://www.speedy3d.com/doc/article.php?faq=1&fldAuto=18

Edit again: I just read that review and it wasn't as positive about the card's gaming ability as the first one I read so I'd still take a look but it no longer looks like a top contender to the throne.

I've already brought this card up... Pay attention!

Originally posted by zool
Personally I've owned some different sound cards and in my experience SB cards are best for gaming, while other cards like M-Audio Audiophile 2496 or the cheaper Revolution card might be better for music listening.

The Revolution card is much better when it comes to music editing and even music listening. But it'll eat your cpu like crazy when playing games.. It's not the cards fault, rather the poor drivers.. Who knows, maybe in the future if M-Audio can cough up some better drivers for EAX, maybe this card will be the better choice (highly doubt that though).. But today(for like the third time now), I say Audigy2 for best gaming experience

 

[Guest]

id go with anything from creative they have been great.

 

[The Mullinator]

Well thanks for the suggestions, although it looks like im going to have to be going on price searches and reading more reviews though.

Thanks anyway everyone.

 

[Doobz]

you can get an SB Audigy Gamer retail over at newegg for about 78 bucks, they're good cards for music and games

 

[Ridic]

yea, i got the audigy2 off of newegg and its awesome.....get it OEM off new egg and you will save like $20....you dont need any of the software it comes with anyways. Very good card though.

 

[Steven Q Urkle]

get an oem audigty2
you dont need 7.1 considering 6.1 isnt even mainstream yet