Much Improvement from Audigy to Audigy2?

[mathwizard314]

Hey guys. I'm looking to upgrade my sound card. I'm currently running an A-Open Cobra AW-850 which I got off of NewEgg for like 10 bucks a few months ago. I was considering either getting an Audigy or an Audigy2. On NewEgg, the Audigy is about 42 whereas the Audigy2 is 71. I was just wondering - is there much improvement from the Audigy to the Audigy2? My speakers are not the best - Creative Inspire 2500 2.1 - do you think it's worth it to spend the extra 30 bucks to go from the Audigy to Audigy2? Thanks!

 

[KoolHonda]

Originally posted by: mathwizard314do you think it's worth it to spend the extra 30 bucks to go from the Audigy to Audigy2?

Yes

 

[Zim Hosein]

My speakers are not the best - Creative Inspire 2500 2.1 - do you think it's worth it to spend the extra 30 bucks to go from the Audigy to Audigy2? Thanks!

Considering you're using the CI 2500 2.1 setup, I would say no, you really won't notice any benefit and you could use the $30.00 elsewhere in your rig. Just my opinion, I hope the helps

 

[KoolHonda]

If it was a genuine Audigy, I'd say no. But the Audigy in question is an ES model:disgust:, You will be able to tell the difference with headphones if not your speakers.

 

[NokiaDude]

The Audigy 2 ZS is like fvcking your ears with a golden vibrator. The sound is superb!

 

[randumb]

Definitely go for the Audigy 2.

 

[Brian48]

I only had my ancient ACS56's at the time I upgrade to an A2. The difference in audio quality was very noticable from the original Audigy. Although gaming was about the same, the improvement in music playback and DVD was huge. The CS4832 DACs used by the A2 series are head and shoulders above what's used in the A1.

 

[TrentSteel]

Originally posted by: NokiaDude
The Audigy 2 ZS is like fvcking your ears with a golden vibrator. The sound is superb!

My only two complaints with the Audigy 2 are that it seems to crash Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory and produces pops and skips when playing back .flac files in Winamp. Everything else, including all games I have played or still play, is amazing.

 

[50]

If you're strapped for cash, I would get the Audigy 1 and wait for a Z-640 deal (I got mine for 40 bucks).

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: NokiaDude
The Audigy 2 ZS is like fvcking your ears with a golden vibrator. The sound is superb!

i dunno... me with my fully modded EMU1212M thinks otherwise

 

[SneakyStuff]

Audigy 2 = superb

 

[imported_Killswitch]

yeah man the Audigy 2 ZS is the top sound card in the market...sounds great on my 6.1 speakers, but im sure it will sound good on the 2.1 you got..alot of features and tweaks you can do with it also.

 

[konakona]

top at what? not for music listening for sure. any envy24 with decent wolfson dac (can be had for as low as $23) beats it by a landslide. this has been done to death, dont really feel like getting into it again. EMU1212M (or 1820 for that matter) and RME hammerfall are just untouchable... audigy = good for gaming, ho-hum at best for music reproduction. definitely not recommended for an audiophile.

 

[RockGuitarDude]

I like my M-Audio Delta 1010LT

 

[Lazy8s]

I use 4.1 Klipsch speakers and with the Audigy2 I use to DOMINATE speaker wars in the dorms. You could hear my sterio out in the parking lot. It got to the point that people use to stop turning on their speakers and just ask me to leave my door open so they could hear it down the hall

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: Zim Hosein

My speakers are not the best - Creative Inspire 2500 2.1 - do you think it's worth it to spend the extra 30 bucks to go from the Audigy to Audigy2? Thanks!

Considering you're using the CI 2500 2.1 setup, I would say no, you really won't notice any benefit and you could use the $30.00 elsewhere in your rig. Just my opinion, I hope the helps

very important advise, it depends on how good your sound setup is.
I am quite happy with the onboard audio used in my systems at home, (my Soltek has great onboard audio) I can't see how switching soundcards could make any difference since I dont use more than 2 speakers.

 

[MasterHoss]

I've used the Audigy, Audigy2, and am currently using the Audigy2 ZS.

No, you will not notice a difference going from the Audigy to the Audigy2 family of sound cards. Even if you're playing EAX AdvanceHD-enabled games, with your current speaker solution, you will not notice a difference.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: KoolHonda
If it was a genuine Audigy, I'd say no. But the Audigy in question is an ES model:disgust:, You will be able to tell the difference with headphones if not your speakers.

Don't you think you're being a little overdramatic? The ES is an Audigy 1 minus the Firewire controller; it should sound the same as any other A1, which sounds about the same as any other A2/ZS.

 

[imported_Killswitch]

so he should get a 5.1/6.1/7.1 speaker system to really test out those speakers, and yes the card is good for audio, besides game audio, sounds good to me, but yes i have a 6.1 system, 2.1 will still sound good either way.

 

[Lazy8s]

yeah, I guess having the speaker setup I have makes a huge difference. However, unless they changed it, the Audigy 2 software bundle is a lot cooler than the Audigy. Much better ripping/playback features etc.

 

[KoolHonda]

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: KoolHonda
If it was a genuine Audigy, I'd say no. But the Audigy in question is an ES model:disgust:, You will be able to tell the difference with headphones if not your speakers.

Don't you think you're being a little overdramatic? The ES is an Audigy 1 minus the Firewire controller; it should sound the same as any other A1, which sounds about the same as any other A2/ZS.

I've owned an Audigy X-Gamer, Audigy LS, Audigy 2 Platinum, and a Audigy 2 ZS, and the LS was by far the worst of the bunch.

 

[Acanthus]

Im gonna step in and say stop giving creative money for horrible drivers and a hard to navigate website.

M-Audios cards based on Via Envy-24 are every bit as good, cost less, and dont have junk bloatware drivers. (225MB for sound drivers!? what a joke!)

 

[txxxx]

Originally posted by: Acanthus
Im gonna step in and say stop giving creative money for horrible drivers and a hard to navigate website.

M-Audios cards based on Via Envy-24 are every bit as good, cost less, and dont have junk bloatware drivers. (225MB for sound drivers!? what a joke!)

Im gonna step in and set you right. You dont have to install much to make the Audigy series functional. Download AudioHQ, SurroundMixer, and the Updated driver and thats all you need.

If you extract the updated driver from its self-extracting setup application, you dont need a previous install of the Audigy driver.

Once done, card is fine.

Also, you'll not easily notice the difference between an Audigy and the Audigy 2 with those speakers, and if you dont actually need 6.1 output etc, the A2 has no other real advantages that you'll benefit from.

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by: KoolHonda

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: KoolHonda
If it was a genuine Audigy, I'd say no. But the Audigy in question is an ES model:disgust:, You will be able to tell the difference with headphones if not your speakers.

Don't you think you're being a little overdramatic? The ES is an Audigy 1 minus the Firewire controller; it should sound the same as any other A1, which sounds about the same as any other A2/ZS.

I've owned an Audigy X-Gamer, Audigy LS, Audigy 2 Platinum, and a Audigy 2 ZS, and the LS was by far the worst of the bunch.

As Virge stated above, the Audigy LS and X-Gamer are the same card except the LS has no firewire port. The audio reproduction capabilities are identical so any differences you heard were either in your mind alone, or the setups were not identical for comparison purposes.

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: Pariah

Originally posted by: KoolHonda

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: KoolHonda
If it was a genuine Audigy, I'd say no. But the Audigy in question is an ES model:disgust:, You will be able to tell the difference with headphones if not your speakers.

Don't you think you're being a little overdramatic? The ES is an Audigy 1 minus the Firewire controller; it should sound the same as any other A1, which sounds about the same as any other A2/ZS.

I've owned an Audigy X-Gamer, Audigy LS, Audigy 2 Platinum, and a Audigy 2 ZS, and the LS was by far the worst of the bunch.

As Virge stated above, the Audigy LS and X-Gamer are the same card except the LS has no firewire port. The audio reproduction capabilities are identical so any differences you heard were either in your mind alone, or the setups were not identical for comparison purposes.

just out of curiousity : have you ever recommended midiland s2-4100 to a AT member in the past by any chance?