Cheap but very good 5.1 soundcard, $16

[Braves]

i'm comparing orders right now.

The savingxoom one rings up as 26.23$ after shipping.
The pca inc one rings up as 27.22 after shipping.

Which to get?

 

[billw]

I got my soundcard today and installed it. This thing is awesome for the money. No more hissing from my speakers like my old AWE32. I really like this thing. Now I have to get some nicer speakers

 

[blade]

Glad ya like it bill.

Braves,

Darn, didn't realize it'd be that hight with shipping. What I paid at $16 shipped is a deal, 10 bux more for shipping kinda takes some of that deal away.

Maybe look around on pricewatch for any others who have it under another name but with far less shipping cost. Otherwise I'd go with the one closest to you.

 

[billw]

Hey, I paid 19 bucks. Not too much more than you. I think the ebay deals are getting worse now that everyone knows about this card. After a day of listening, I'm still very happy with it. I wonder how I lived without it.

 

[billw]

OK, here's a better (or worse) review.

After further testing in my system, this sound card picks up my SCSI cd roms spinning. I can hear the cd rom spinning up and down through my speakers. It's not very bad, but it's there.

When I use my IDE cd roms, it fine. I cannot hear them spinning up or down.

I'm not sure what the exact cause of this is, but I figure I'd give some of you guys a warning.

It's not bad enough where I want to get rid of the sound card but it is a consideration before you buy.

 

[Nickb2b]

It sounds like your scsi card is too close to your sound card and is picking up some stray RF noise. Try moving them further apart.

NickB

 

[Bluzjamer]

Hey great deal...now that I've spent over $250 for 2 SB's Platinum Live & an Mp3 Audigy.
Always a day late.
Bluz:frown:

 

[Braves]

one question before I buy this stuff. Which of these is better?
CMI8738/PCI-6CH
CMI8738/PCI-6CH-MX
CMI8738/PCI-6CH-LX

if the LX has an onboard modem would that mean it should be more expensive? Cuz directron uses that chipset with the onboard modem but after shipping comes to 17$, which is 10$ less then the other sites with cmi8738/pc-6ch chipset.

 

[billw]

<< It sounds like your scsi card is too close to your sound card and is picking up some stray RF noise. Try moving them further apart.

NickB >>



Just tried that. I moved all my cards around. No difference

edit: damn typos

 

[UncleJohn]

I,ve got the Gateway 6400 with scsi and ECS Thundering 5.1, $15 at local computer show (Chicago area) and have had no interferance and its been in several months..maybe you just got a bad card...

 

[nokeo]

Thanks blade...Best card for the money.

 

[toshiba3020]

http://direct.mwave.com/mwave/doc2/a14723.html

Will that work with this card? It says its for iwill boards, they all have the same chip on the board. Do you think this would work. THe only problem I may see is that it gives you 2 audio jacks which you already have. Let me know what you think. I would really like optical out and in.

 

[randomlinh]

got the one from directron installed yesterday.. must say, they do power my hd495's much better than the vortex2 i had. and so far.. no pops.. wohoo..

 

[toshiba3020]

Any ideas on the adaptor?

 

[ZenMasta]

got mine yesterday... low tech, but functional... getting WinDVD free is a nice kicker...

 

[Dood]

BUY.COM has this card for $13.95. Mine was $19 delivered. Buy is reputable and you can return it if need be.

 

[unknown]

bump - anyone care to comment on these cards - mine just went south.

 

[thinlizzie]

Well since you asked...

I have followed this thread in silence wondering. Wondering how you guys could spend your hard earned dollars on this crap. Sorry, I have been building machines since the days of the ps/2 and I have learned a few things (I am not trying to come off as high and mighty because I know I am not). Those most basic things YOU NEVER SCRIMP ON are:

Sound Card
Modem
SCSI card

In the same order you buy...

Creative SB (whatever, even an ISA SB16 does fine)
Diamond or USR
Adaptec

I have a buddy and we go to local "computer shows" all the time - at these things there are all manner of vendors selling new, refurbed, closeouts, whatever, and you can get great deals on just about anything if you look.

I found an SB Live! Value card for $18 (OEM, but who cares), an Adaptec AHA2940W (WIDE!) for $25 (open box), and the list goes on.

The one thing that we see all the time are Phoebe Modems (yes, that's the brand!!) and they are crap so when we see "dragon sound cards" and offshore SCSI cards we just look at each other and say "PHOEBE".

Spend the money on a better card that won't give you RF noise, will be compatible with every game and app on the planet, and one you can get support on (drivers, tech, etc.)

I do feel bad for the rest of you, really I do, but you need to temper your "quest for the deal" with some common sense and reason.

Let the flames begin - I don't expect all of you to agree with me, but in life you do seem to get what you pay for.

Thinlizzie

 

[Mltsao]

I get crackle sounds when i turn EAX and/or AD3 in counter-strike. Anyone know how to fix this problem? Other than that the card is great.

 

[jclark]

<< I get crackle sounds when i turn EAX and/or AD3 in counter-strike. Anyone know how to fix this problem? Other than that the card is great. >>



What OS? How many CPUs?

 

[dude]

That noise problem from the cdrom can be fixed by repositioning your audio cable or IDE cable. They pick up alot of noise. You can also try looping a ferrite bead around it. Make sure you insulate the ferrite bead, they are conductive.

 

[Vic]

Thinlizzie, SB Live cards are not compatible with every system out there.

I have the CMI 8738 onboard my KK266. It works and sounds very good, and the latest drivers from www.cmedia.com.tw have cleared up the microphone and gameport issues that were found on earlier drivers. Cmedia offers excellent support for their sound chip, releasing a new driver set about every 2-3 months.

I can say that the CMI 8738 sound is good because I also own a Live! 5.1 Platinum. The only difference in sound quality is that the sound from the Live is just barely crisper and slightly richer. They are very comparable and realistically only people with higher quality speakers would be able to tell the difference. I had to put the Live in one of my other machines, though, because it would not work properly in my KK266 (686B) motherboard. Pops, scratches, data corruption, etc. And Creative has never seen fit to even address this issue, which plagued more boards than just Via. Creative also has terrible support, releasing new drivers less than every 6 months, and they are moving to a system in which you will no longer be able to D/L drivers from their website anymore, but where you will have to provide proof-of-ownership and pay to have an update CD shipped to you.
Oh yeah, Creative rules... :disgust:

I do agree with you completely on the USR modems and Adaptec SCSI cards. A year ago I would have agreed with you about Creative too, but unfortunately Creative has gotten so big of late that they no longer seem to care about their customers anymore.

If you need a high-end sound card, I strongly recommend a Hercules GTXP. It has every feature you could possible need (except remote control), will even cook you breakfast in the morning, and costs half as much as an Audigy.

If people are having problems with the cards they are buying here, it is not the fault of the CMI 8738 chip, but the fact that they are buying cheap, no-name-brand cards. Now that's always a problem.

If you want a cheap, high-quality sound card, get a Hercules GameMuse or FortissimoII, or a TB Santa Cruz.

 

[LongCoolMother]

i have audigy $55

 

[thinlizzie]

Psy... I agree about Creative growing to be the bloated behemoth they are with crappy customer support, I guess the point I was trying to make is that for not even a few bux more I can have an SB live! instead of some korean card I never heard of. Truth be told I don't even have that SB Live card anymore - I won a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz at a LAN a while back and it's a damn fine card even in XP.

As for the Counter Strike guy I play all the time, don't use either of those modes, A3D was for the now defunct Aureal sound cards and the EAX is only supported by the Creative folks. You still get excellent spatial sound with it in normal mode - I live to listen to the footsteps and then lob an HE grenade for the win!

Thinlizzie

 

[yodayoda]

popping and scratching, try the Via Latency patch found at Viahardware.com, it will usually clear that up. my sound quality is better and i am getting better hard drive transfer speeds and better EAC from my SCSI DVD drive.