Hrmm...Sound Card Decisions....

[memnoch411]

I am putting together a Home Entertainment PC and am trying to figure out which sound card I should get. I have it narrowed down to either the SB Live! 5.1 or the Accoustic Edge. I will be getting the MidiLand 8200 Dolby Digital 5.1 Speakers.
One other thing I was interested in...Is the SB Live Drive compatable with non-SB cards and can you even buy them seperately?
If you want to take a look at the spec sheet for this system you can go here:
Home Entertainment PC
Thanx for any advise you can swing my way.

 

[konichiwa]

I vote for the SB Live 5.1. I have the standard Live! connected to a non-5.1 speaker setup and I love it.

 

[chiwawa626]

hehe, chiwawa626 said in an old mans tone of voice, "back in my day, there was no choice, it was either sblive or onboard sound..."

 

[Medea]

I recently switched from the sb live! value card to the accoustics edge - no comparison! If you want really great sound, get the philips 5.1 card (the PSC706 model).

 

[MGMorden]

I would go with the Accoustic Edge if you are going to be using it with Windows. I have a Live now that I don't particularly like a whole lot (works on many more OS's then the S. Cruz or the A. Edge though, so I'm keeping it for now). This is gonna sound stupid but my main complaint is that it makes a terrible "POP" across my speakers whenever it's first initialized. It only happens once when my computer is first turned on (or rebooted), but that type of stuff just annoys me.

 

[Darthtanion]

I prefer teh SoundBlaster stuff myself. I have been using it for a long while and have always gotten very good quality sound through them.

I too use the SB Live and have no complaints.

Have you checked into the Klipsch speakers? They are pretty awesome also.

 

[GT1999]

It's good to hear that he Accoustic Edge cards are very good - there's nothing like giving the big boys a run for their money.

 

[Wingznut]

Attn: Everyone recommending the SBLive!...

How many of you have experienced the alternatives such as the Acoustic Edge or Santa Cruz.

I have yet to meet anyone who has used all the above cards, recommend the SBLive.

 

[Pariah]

What do you define to be a home entertainment PC mem? What do you plan on using it for? Live drives do not work on non SB cards, though you can buy them seperately.

"How many of you have experienced the alternatives such as the Acoustic Edge or Santa Cruz."

If a card is missing a feature or connector that you are looking for, you don't need to use the competitions' product to make your decision.

 

[Wingznut]

Not necessarily true. If product A supports Feature X, while product B doesn't... Should you automatically rule out product B? What if product A implements said Feature so poorly that it actually doesn't help the experience?

There's no substitute for experiencing both products when forming an opinion.

Being around this forum for quite a while, it's been a pattern that those who recommend the SBLive! over the new competition, haven't heard the other products. While those who have experienced both, never recommend the Creative offerings.

 

[Mem]

What`s wrong with recommending SBlive?Sure it may not have the best sound anymore,but you`ve Creative Labs,lets face it they`ve been eating up other companies for breakfast & are the only company left from the good old days,the decison is simple do you want to buy one of the best sounding cards or great stability with Sblive with OS & gaming.

 

[Wingznut]

Nothing wrong with recommending the SBLive, if you truly believe that it offers more than the latest competition.

However, if you haven't heard the others, how can you say that it's better?

And what makes you believe it's any more stable than the Acoustic Edge or Santa Cruz?

 

[Taz4158]

If I can ever figure out a way to get the AE here in Canada my Live is history.

 

[Pariah]

"If product A supports Feature X, while product B doesn't... Should you automatically rule out product B? What if product A implements said Feature so poorly that it actually doesn't help the experience?"

If you're looking for the convenience of the front mounted Live Drive, TOS connector, or something of that nature, yes, you automatically rule out products that don't have it. There are some features that are either there or aren't, and are pretty difficult to implement poorly. If you need multiple internal CDROM connectors, the card either has it or doesn't. Which is why I asked what mem plans to do with the system exactly. Without knowing how he is going to use the system, how can you make an educated recommendation?

 

[divinemartyr]

I'm going to have to go with Wingznut PEZ on this one, the SB Live! just doesn't offer 'home entertainment PC' quality! Sure you can turn down volumes to compensate for the hiss on the card, but if you're having to compensate for the card, haven't you already realized the card was inferior to begin with? There is just a lot of noise on this card. Sure it's got decent support, works well in just about every Windows OS, and is compatible out the wazoo. It has its plusses! If you truly want 'high-quality' sound from a PC, then go with the Acoustics Edge! If you REALLY want high-quality sound, then get a Delta Audiophile 2496! It features 24-bit playback and up to 96kHz streams are accepted which is awesome for DVD's. It just depends on what you want, as to what you should get. A person who's never used a computer before, will purchase substandard components and substandard speakers, should more than likely buy a Live! soundcard for compatibility and ease-of-use features. If you're the type of person who knows a little bit about computing already, the Live! is really not the best option out there. Take some of the other people's advice here and get yourself an Acoustics Edge.

dm

 

[OZZIE2]

divinemartyr: " Sure you can turn down volumes to compensate for the hiss on the card, but if you're having to compensate for the card, haven't you already realized the card was inferior to begin with? "
Hiss??? What hiss? This certainly has something to do with SN ratio of your speaker setup not the sound card. I've got the SBLive and pretty basic Cambridge 2.1 speakers and have never heard a hiss even when plaing music loud...The SN ratio of these speakers isn't even that good and I've never heard a hiss. I'm no audiofile but I enjoy my music and even classical sounds quite exceptable. It will never compare to the system hooked up in the lounge but it's much better than even a portable system. The most impotant part of your PC sound system is the SPEAKERS! You don't get hiss from good speakers even with a cheap sound card. If you are going to bad mouth a product get your facts straight first!!!

 

[divinemartyr]

<< If you are going to bad mouth a product get your facts straight first!!! >>



Uhmm.. Ozzie, there is a KNOWN issue with the SB Live creating hiss! I have a perfectly capable setup here at my house, but I&quot;m speaking from other experiences. The HISS comes from the AMPLIFIER or the SOURCE not the speakers themselves. Speakers CANNOT and WILL NOT create ANY hiss if they aren't hooked up to a source! Sure the speakers are the most important part, but speaking from MY experience with both the SB Live!, Yamaha AW744 cards, AND the Acoustic Edge, the SB Live! has a very bad issue with hiss. Obviously YOU are the one who needs to get his facts straight.

dm

 

[memnoch411]

Mainly the computer is going to be used for playing back DVD and TV shows primarily. Also going to be used for MP3's, video decoding/encoding/editing, graphix compiling and a bit of gaming on the side. Little bit of everything in there i guess. Maybe &quot;Multimedia Computer&quot; would be a more apt term. hmmmmm.....

I think I am leaning torwards the AE now, I just wish I could use that Live drive . Oh well, no biggie.
Anybody know of any issues with the Midiland 8200 speakers and the AE?
Thanx for all the great replies from all, I appreciate it.

 

[Mamoose]

Hiss? what Hiss? [ Soundblaster Live X-gamer]-[Cambridge SoundWorks Four Point Surround FPS2000]=S-a-t-i-s-f-a-c-t-i-o-n

<< &quot;IF iT Ain't Broke-Tweak iT&quot; >>

&quot;Would the level 74 Diablo 2 Barbarian please not use his battle-cry,it's shakeing my whole desk! and its detremental to my eardrums too!&quot;

<<

 

[divinemartyr]

<< Soundblaster Live X-gamer]-[Cambridge SoundWorks Four Point Surround FPS2000]=S-a-t-i-s-f-a-c-t-i-o-n >>



Mamoose

If you think the FPS speakers sound good, then you obviously haven't listened to some of the other speakers in its price range. Those are some of the worst I've heard to date.

dm

 

[Mamoose]

Dear Devine,I know there are better speakers out there but I play online games and and I do not have the space for the Klipsch's on my cockpit.As for TV,DVD and Music I fire up the 'ol home theater and immerse myself into those medias with my very capable Klipsch's @ 500watts

 

[Wingznut]

I once owned a SBLive!, and I can vouch for the hiss. Along with that oh, so pleasant &quot;POP!&quot;, when booting up the PC.

 

[dave127]

another vote for the acoustic edge...i cant get over how much better it sounds than my old x-gamer 5.1

 

[Pariah]

I have never heard this pop during boot, nor do I hear hiss with a very nice set of head phones unless there is nothing playing and I turn the volume about 2/3's of the way up, which is way too loud for headphones use. I run my computer through my home theater system using a TOS connector, and I hear no hiss at all. The most common cause of hiss is your speakers, not the sound card, unless it is a 5 year ISA card or something.

 

[LuNoTiCK]

I would vote for the acoustic edge even though I have the sblive. Acoustic edge just has more features, and is rated better.