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

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Eminem2k1
I would get this right away if it wasnt for the damn New Rochelle rebate! :|

I've never had a problem with TCA/New Rochelle Rebates. I've gotten back every one. Then again, I follow the instructions and keep copies of everything so there is no questioning my rebates.

 

[unclebud]

that's a valid comment. my visiontek rebate by new rochelle continues to be delayed (from june of 2002)... they aren't refusing it outright, but bumping the date of payment. slick huh? depressing nonetheless
i have everything xeroxed also, and have called ten SEPARATE times
i think they just do whatever the manufacturer lets them do ie. samsung stingy, they are stingy. cusa memory rebates paid fine, within TWO weeks.
how are m-audio (or parent companies') financials? still doesn't guarantee payment though, ie viewsonic $50 rebate on a90 -- they OUTRIGHT told me they wouldn't pay, even though i had documentation showing that it was accepted, and xeroxes also
this is a good deal. i recommended it to my musician friends, but that's even if the rebate doesn't come through -- if it does -- christmas came early
thanks for posting the deal!

 

[aphex]

Can you really notice the difference on a set of computer speakers?

On any klipsch's, the common opinion is yes.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Eminem2k1
I would get this right away if it wasnt for the damn New Rochelle rebate! :|

I've never had a problem with TCA/New Rochelle Rebates. I've gotten back every one. Then again, I follow the instructions and keep copies of everything so there is no questioning my rebates.

Same here. Every purchase made this holiday season has been smooooth sailing through New Rochelle from a variety of B&M's. I usually certify any rebate over $30; that tend to discourage any "lost" mail excuses if you have to call them on it. Gotten about $215 in rebates from New Rochelle, all within 2 months.

Chiz

Edit: For the unfortunate Visiontek fellow; your problems might be rooted in VisionTek's bankruptcy and subsequent suit with nVidia. They were bought out by Hartford, which said they would honor all rebates and warranties on legacy Visiontek products, but considering they had to liquidate the majority of their nVidia inventory (b/c of the situation with nVidia and filing for bankruptcy protection), taking a further loss on GF rebates probably wasn't high on their priority list.

 

[Coca-cola Bear]

Oh and some of us don't use computer speakers. Anyways your sound card will still have to do some processing before it can output that digital signal so you'll still want a clean signal heading out.

 

[dpk777]

I'm using the Sound Blaster Live Value on Z560's and I was always thinking up upgrading my card, but the common consenus seemed to be that I wouldnt notice much of a difference.
Would this card make a significant sound difference?
I listen to a lot of mp3's, watch dvd's, and play games.

-dpk

 

[LowKeyInLV]

I bought this card last week. I'm returning it tomorrow. The audio inputs on the card are delayed when played through the computer. It doesn't work like conventional sound cards. Most cards allow you to pass audio-in directly back out to your speakers, but this one has a very high latency. It actually works like a monitor. The windows audio mixer doesn't have a "line in" setting. Instead you need to open the Revolution Mixer and enable the "monitor". The lowest setting for monitor mode is a latency of 512.

I usually use my Philips Acoustic Edge to play 5.1 Dolby Surround through my Z640s using QMSS enhancement - No latency. The Revolution 7.1 uses Circle Surround to output stereo sources into 5.1, but it plays like an echo in the grand canyon - Very HIGH latency.

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: LowKeyInLV
I bought this card last week. I'm returning it tomorrow. The audio inputs on the card are delayed when played through the computer. It doesn't work like conventional sound cards. Most cards allow you to pass audio-in directly back out to your speakers, but this one has a very high latency. It actually works like a monitor. The windows audio mixer doesn't have a "line in" setting. Instead you need to open the Revolution Mixer and enable the "monitor". The lowest setting for monitor mode is a latency of 512.

I usually use my Philips Acoustic Edge to play 5.1 Dolby Surround through my Z640s using QMSS enhancement - No latency. The Revolution 7.1 uses Circle Surround to output stereo sources into 5.1, but it plays like an echo in the grand canyon - Very HIGH latency.

Uh oh.... well if the latency is that high, i'll be returning it as well. I watch digital cable using the inputs on my capture card and on my sound card.... I'll let cha know when i get it tomm.

 

[EvilYoda]

Man, you just had to go and remind me about the rebate, didn't you? I guess I'll pick one up after all...guess the GTXP will finally get bumped out. I'm very glad it has coax out too, no more new cables needed.

Wheeeeeeeeeee, new toy.

 

[TripperJoe]

Originally posted by: Coca-cola Bear
Oh and some of us don't use computer speakers. Anyways your sound card will still have to do some processing before it can output that digital signal so you'll still want a clean signal heading out.

Umm...there shouldn't be a "dirty" or "clean" distinction between digital signals. I think with error checking the misread number of 1's and 0's is infitessimal.

And what I was saying is that if you don't use computer speakers, you should output this digital signal to your receiver and bypass any soundcard processing.

It's just my personal opinion, and sound is very subjective, but I don't notice a $65 difference between klipsch on diff sound cards. Some people may be more fastidious.

 

[MaDHaVoK]

Would this card be better than a Sound Blaster Live 5.1 for recording with a microphone? Also does this card have midi so I can plug a keyboard into it?

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: MaDHaVoK
Would this card be better than a Sound Blaster Live 5.1 for recording with a microphone? Also does this card have midi so I can plug a keyboard into it?

For recording? Yes.

No midi though...

 

[oddjob303]

Thx aphex

Knew my sound blaster live w/ a burned out rear output was gonna have to go sooner or later, just wish it didn't have a rebate.

I got Klipsch 2.1's and dont really need the rear outputs along w/ most other outputs but maybe with the blessings/curses (I swear my wallet is getting thinner everyday ) of AT i'll buy the 5.1s and have a 7.1 ^.^

 

[Quixotic]

Originally posted by: aphex

Originally posted by: MaDHaVoK
Would this card be better than a Sound Blaster Live 5.1 for recording with a microphone? Also does this card have midi so I can plug a keyboard into it?

For recording? Yes.

No midi though...

If your keyboard doesn't have built-in speakers so that you have to rely on the line-in on your sound card to output the sound to your computer speakers, I wouldn't get this card. I just returned my M-Audio Revo because I couldn't stand the latency. It's a great sound card, better than Creative's whatever for sure and arguably better than Turtle Beach's Santa Cruz. $65 isn't bad for a great sound card anyhow -- it's not like you are spending $65 extra... most of the time you'll be able to sell your old sound card to bridge part of that cost. And if you need a new sound card anyway, well then $65 is damn cheap for the quality represented by this card. The only thing is the card is pretty new and they're still working out some of the kinks.

 

[render]

another choice: Terratec 6Fire DMX LT ($130)

 

[NFS4]

I just picked one up from CompUSA. I'll install it in a bit

 

[render]

$79 here

 

[Quixotic]

Originally posted by: render
another choice: Terratec 6Fire DMX LT ($130)

For that price, I'd much rather have the Santa Cruz or Revo (both of which I consider better than the Terratec, though that's just my opinion, hehe). Of course, if you want optical inputs, then you're out of luck with the SC/Revo.

 

[cga]

I ordered one of these yesterday.

Regarding the latency issue...will this affect all output from the card? I'm interested only in listening to mp3 and playing DVD movies. I rarely play games. Will the latency issue introduce an echo in movies and/or mp3s or otherwise degrade the audio? I don't want to bother installing this card only to find out that everything has an echo.

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: cga
I ordered one of these yesterday. Regarding the latency issue...will this affect all output from the card? I'm interested only in listening to mp3 and playing DVD movies. I rarely play games. Will the latency issue introduce an echo in movies and/or mp3s or otherwise degrade the audio? I don't want to bother installing this card only to find out that everything has an echo.

The only issue with the latency seems to deal with the line-in/mic-in jack. (i.e. if you had an external source of sound, such as a vcr, digital cable box, etc)

 

[oddjob303]

Can someone explain this latency issue please or point to a link that explains it? What it sounds like latency is an issue for recording the voice because someone mentioned latency for inputs and not outputs... but from what i get reading the forum it seems like latency is something that affects the time i actually take a shot in a game to the actual time i hear it. Thx in advance if I forget to thank you.

 

[cga]

Thank you for clearing that up aphex.

I did a google search and couldn't find any information on latency as it pertains to this card. Based on your information, about the only time the latency issue would affect me is when/if I record some of my old LPs onto CDs...in which case I could live with the external input latency, since it would not affect the final recording. At least that's my assumption.

It seems like a great card based on the reviews, and I'm glad I ordered it.

 

[PagannagaP]

Is the latency a driver issue or embedded in the hardware?
I find it hard to believe they would put out a card that had latency that high.
Hopefully it's just a driver fix.

 

[aphex]

Ok well since i dont have the card yet its kinda hard for me to answer

BUT, this is what i know so far...

The ONLY time you will experience latency is using the LINE-IN/MIC-IN jacks.... I.E. for recording purposes (or to listed to some form of input, external vcr, digital cable). And yes, it does seem to be a driver fixable issue.

So no, when you shoot a gun in a game the sound will not be behind the shot, as the game is running using internal components.

 

[NFS4]

Just got mine installed. Took me about an hour and half b/c it WOULD NOT work at first. I ended up having to do the PCI slot shuffle and it FINALLY started working.

All I can say is that the music is MUCH clearer even compared to my Santa Cruz. :music: DVD's sound even better (gun fight sequence in Ronin). Can't beat this for $65 And no way in hell was I going to put up with Creative's sh!tty drivers.