Is it worth me getting a Prelude?

Gimpymoo · 31 Jan 2008 at 13:58

Have had a Creative X-Fi Elite PRO for week and love the sound from it as switched from AC'97 BUT the driver support is seriously lacking, little pops and squeaks here and there.. just doesnt seem right for a "Premium" product.

Checking the Creative forums is like a graveyard of issues they have no intention to resolve and VERY poor customer relations/support.

So, I am on the verge of ordering a Prelude, but is it worth it?

I assume the Prelude would not be a step down from the Elite PRO?

Are the Prelude drivers any more stable than the stock Creative ones? (OS = Vista x64)

As Creative make the Prelude drivers, what gurantees them better driver support than the creative cards?

Is Azuntech customer relations/driver updates any good?

Thanks.

humax · 1 Feb 2008 at 06:32

i love my Prelude. so glad i got one

Gimpymoo · 2 Feb 2008 at 02:50

Worth selling the X-Fi to get one?

eggnoodle · 2 Feb 2008 at 12:39

I have a prelude is an awesome soundcard, and customer support is good from auzentech. However, if you use voice comms i would probably wait until they release another patch for the card. As after a couple of minutes of mic work on ventrillo or ts2 the cards mic port decides to act funny and not transmit. Auzentech have told me they are aware of the issue and it will be addressed in the next patch.

.:MBK:. · 2 Feb 2008 at 15:51

aye thats my only gripe with it, however it seems to get along all fine and dandy with on board so my mics just running though that until auzen resolve the VOIP issue

roger that · 2 Feb 2008 at 16:36

I've been toying with the idea of getting a Prelude but the mic issue is holding me back at the moment. Does this bug appear if you are using a mic through the front panel connector as well, as that is how I plan to connect my headset?

Thanks for any advice.

humax · 2 Feb 2008 at 16:38

roger that said:
I've been toying with the idea of getting a Prelude but the mic issue is holding me back at the moment. Does this bug appear if you are using a mic through the front panel connector as well, as that is how I plan to connect my headset?

Thanks for any advice.

Well it did with me. the only way around it is to use a USB mic

eggnoodle · 2 Feb 2008 at 18:16

This is the reponse I got from Auzentech regarding the mic VOIP issue on the 31st Jan 2008.

Ticket Subject: Prelude 7.1 Mic and Voice Comms . . . . . . . . . . Here is the last response to your ticket:

"Dear Sir,

Thank you for contacting Auzentech. We are aware of this issue and trying to fix it in the next driver.The level of MIC volume also will be updated. We appreciate your support and patience."

roger that · 2 Feb 2008 at 18:54

Thanks for the info guys, looks promising that they will fix the bug, think I might warm my cc up.

TheLemster · 27 Feb 2008 at 12:24

Has the VOIP problem been fixed with the latest driver update?

I'm thinking of getting one of these bad boys but have held off because I use Vent and TS a lot.

HEADRAT · 27 Feb 2008 at 17:18

I get static when I pull a large file across the network while music is playing!

HEADRAT · 27 Feb 2008 at 18:21

Solved by not using the onboard network controllers and buying an Intel Pro/1000 PCI-E NIC, no more crackling!

Hen_Dawg · 28 Feb 2008 at 14:21

.:MBK:. said:
aye thats my only gripe with it, however it seems to get along all fine and dandy with on board so my mics just running though that until auzen resolve the VOIP issue

Bit of a hijack here, sorry. So you have enabled your onboard sound as well as your X-fi? You can speak with the mic in the onboard through ventrilo whilst hearing it through the x-fi output?