DEAD - M-Audio Revolution 7.1 Sound Card - $65 AR @ CompUSA - (** NEW DRIVERS! **)

[aphex]

Highly reccomended by the audio junkies over at the Klipsch Forum....

Im ordering mine at my satelite location this afternoon...

LINK to card

LINK to rebate

 

[TripperJoe]

Yeeeowch! I burnt myself touching this thread

This is the "it" card for anyone looking for HQ analog sound. If I didn't game like I do, I would drop that $65 like it was going out of style.

/me pines for the day I'll be able to afford good speakers...

 

[Screwge]

nice. only it dont work w/win98

 

[777php]

best non-professional audio card on the market right now for an amazing price.

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: TripperJoe
Yeeeowch! I burnt myself touching this thread

This is the "it" card for anyone looking for HQ analog sound. If I didn't game like I do, I would drop that $65 like it was going out of style.

/me pines for the day I'll be able to afford good speakers...

From what i hear, the game support is lacking as you stated.... However, i only play ut2k3 sporatically, so i should be fine

 

[Wag]

I have had a Revo from release. Sweet. Wish they would update the drivers though.

I use onboard sound (Soundstorm) for games and the Revo for everything else.

 

[PagannagaP]

If I had the cash I'd upgrade my TB Santa Cruz.

Review

I'd be hard pressed to go back to Creative's junk.

 

[luv2liv]

what kind of speakers support 7.1 ???
the max i heard is from logitech's 5.1

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: luv2liv
what kind of speakers support 7.1 ???
the max i heard is from logitech's 5.1

none as of yet i believe... soon though.

 

[sxr7171]

Originally posted by: luv2liv
what kind of speakers support 7.1 ??? the max i heard is from logitech's 5.1

You don't need speakers to support 7.1 to have 7.1. You could use a set of 5.1 speakers and then get a stereo pair with similar or same satellites to complete the extra 2 channels and even have an extra sub (that came with the second set of speakers). An example would be buying a Logitech z-640 and a Logitech z-340 together.

I'm not advocating 7.1 in any way, I stick with 2-channel myself, but I'm just saying that it isn't hard to implement.

 

[aphex]

 

[vailr]

FYI, the rebate is handled in New Rochelle, NY, which is notorious for delaying/denying legitimate rebates.

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: vailr
FYI, the rebate is handled in New Rochelle, NY, which is notorious for delaying/denying legitimate rebates.

Yea, i think about 95% of compusa's rebates go through there now... Had good experiences the last few times though....

 

[huesmann]

Why's this card so good? If not games, what would you do with it? Just listen to MP3s on your PC?

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: huesmann
Why's this card so good? If not games, what would you do with it? Just listen to MP3s on your PC?

The audio quality the card produces on cd's and dvd's is said to be the BEST. Even comparable to that of $250 audiophile cards...

Apparently the game audio isnt all that bad, it just a little more CPU intensive than the others. Games arent as important to everyone... As it isnt to myself.

 

[aphex]

Another Review

"In the end, the Revolution 7.1 has the fidelity to bring a grown man nearly to tears, but a price tag that might make him smile. With sound quality that flirts with high-end audio enthusiast gear like the DMX 6fire 24/96, the Revolution 7.1 is an affordable fit for any PC tasked with audio, video, or DVD playback. The Revolution 7.1 works well for games, too, but in that realm Creative has a competitive and perhaps more tempting alternative in the Audigy2. "

 

[aphex]

Also, here is a review posted by a member over at the klipsch forums...

"In my first post a couple weeks ago I asked which sound card to upgrade to for listening to music and DVD's. The replies came in endorsing the M-Audio revolution 7.1. However, I already had the audigy gamer. I did my own research at other forums and sites. Everywhere there was talk about this M-Audio card being superior over the audigy card. I decided to get it and see for myself.

Although I'm not a gamer I will admit I enjoyed and liked playing with the different effects the audigy had, but this was short lived and nothing more than a novelty. Then I switched out the audigy with the M-Audio. I immediately notice the superior sound quality and clarity in music. Playback in a way the audigy could not touch. If you are looking for the same end results as me, that is to listen to music as you work, surf, or to use your CPU as a party or room playback device looking for excellent reproduction of music without "artifical" sounds, then I recommend the M-Audio 7.1's.

However, this is a new card with new drivers and there are some issues as expected. One being the necessity to have the control panel launched when using an line-in device. No big deal, only a minor inconvience. I personally had some conflict issues with WinTV and M-Audio. My solution was to install the Audigy as a second sound card JUST FOR TV (until new drivers for the 7.1's are released). Everything else comes through the M-Audio. Now, I have no problems.

Every now and again I'll play music through the audigy for the hell of it and always glad I got the M-Audio.

For you gamers I can't say the M-Audio would be better or worse. But for Music and DVD's, there is a definite improvement that I believe even the occasionally music listener would notice and appreciate.

Thank you both darkpark & justin_tx_16 for suggesting this card..."

 

[NFS4]

Sounds interesting...how does it compare to the Turtlebeach Santa Cruz???

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: NFS4
Sounds interesting...how does it compare to the Turtlebeach Santa Cruz???

By most accounts, as long your not playing games on a slow-ass rig, the Revolution is THE card to get right now.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: aphex

Originally posted by: NFS4
Sounds interesting...how does it compare to the Turtlebeach Santa Cruz???

By most accounts, as long your not playing games on a slow-ass rig, the Revolution is THE card to get right now.

Depends what game as well; EAX3 is far superior to any other positional sound API on the market. Creative holds exclusive licensing rights to EAX3 (aka HD or advanced HD), so its not currently available on any other card atm.

Also, for DVDs, if you are using s/pdif output to a proper DTS or DD 5.1/6.1/7.1 receiver, you really won't notice much difference in DVD playback.

Chiz

 

[TripperJoe]

Like Chiz said, you won't get the same experience from the Rev as from an Audigy2 in games.

This is where I get confused. Why otherewise spend $$$ on a sound card for HQ sound. Can you really notice the difference on a set of computer speakers? If you wanted good sound, just run the source through any cheap (onboard) digital out to a decent reciever, which should beat the Rev7.1 out of the water.

The only way I can rationalize this is with regard to the analog ins. If you were recording to your computer, this card would make a big difference.

 

[vmrao]

You can't get a good receiver for $65....
And yes you can tell a difference between sound cards with pc speakers. Lots of people can tell the difference between an sblive, audigy 1, and santa cruz for example.

 

[Thump553]

Curse you, HD forum! I just upgraded to the Santa Cruz card in December (another HD) and it was a substantial improvement for listening to audio over quality headphones. Looks like I will be stepping up again.

Actually, thanks for the post, I missed this one in the weekly flyer.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

not only that, but not everybody uses PC speakers...a nice set of headphones and an amp would easily distinguish between crap sources and uNF uNF sources.

 

[Eminem2k1]

I would get this right away if it wasnt for the damn New Rochelle rebate! :|