** Creative Sound Blaster Z Gaming Sound Card Review **

[stulid]

Does this have the pin header on it for connecting a gameport backplate?

Thats the only pin header on it, for a front panel audio cable.

 

[Skunkworks]

Quoting myself for clarification:

Looks like I’m getting my first driver issues!

This actually happened a couple of weeks ago too, but is now happening again. The card has vanished from the sound panel and my sound has defaulted to my monitor speakers. The card is still listed in Device Manager and is showing no faults. I delete the card from Device Manager and reboot, it then finds the card as a Recon 3D and it doesn’t work.

The way I fixed it last time was to physically remove the card, restart, , shut down, re-install the card, boot up, install drivers. If I have to do this every other week it’s going to get pretty ****ing old.

It's just happened again.

For some reason Windows suddenly thinks it's a Recon 3D and I have no sound again. I now have to go through all the dicking around detailed again.

Once more and it gets returned for a refund. The sound quality is great, but I have zero patience for this sort unreliability.

 

[dfour]

I found mine sometimes mutes itself. could it be that?

 

[Skunkworks]

I found mine sometimes mutes itself. could it be that?

I wish it were that simple. It goes from being a Soundblaster Z in Device Manager to randomly changing to a Recon 3D. As soon as it changes to Recon 3D I get no sound, and cannot re-install the Soundblaster Z drivers, as it thinks no Soundblaster Z is installed.

I've just sorted it by physicaly removing the card, running driver sweeper, and the re-installing the card again. I've also just registered at the Creative forums, and will ask there for a solution, as I'm not going through this once a week.

 

[rjk]

Worthy upgrade from an x fi xtremegamer?

I would say so yes.

In honesty, Sound cards isn't one of my groups and I couldn't care less who buys them. but when I review hardware, I do so as an enthusiast. same way I did on these forums before I even worked for ocuk.

the product is good. but then you read my review

Looks like I’m getting my first driver issues!

This actually happened a couple of weeks ago too, but is now happening again. The card has vanished from the sound panel and my sound has defaulted to my monitor speakers. The card is still listed in Device Manager and is showing no faults. I delete the card from Device Manager and reboot, it then finds the card as a Recon 3D and it doesn’t work.

The way I fixed it last time was to physically remove the card, restart, , shut down, re-install the card, boot up, install drivers. If I have to do this every other week it’s going to get pretty ****ing old.

have you tried it in another slot?
I had this exact same issue with a xonar card around last year. just turned out it was a software conflict in the end but it did work in other slots.

 

[Skunkworks]

have you tried it in another slot?

Not yet, as it will be some dicking around, but next time it happens I will. I just find it odd that it works for a while and then randomly does this.

Computers, who'd have them!