Sound card and speaker advice, please!

TheSwede

TheSwede

TheSwede

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Looking to buy a internal sound card but don't know exactly what the difference is between them all.. going to buy either Creative Gigaworks S750 or Logitech Z-5500 speakers to go with the card.. I am looking at the following cards..

SoundBlaster Audigy 4 - 7.1
SoundBlaster Audigy 2ZS Platinum
Soundblaster X-Fi Elite Pro
X-Fi Xtreme Music
X-Fi Xtreme Audio

I am mostly listening to web radio, music, watching movies and some gaming.. which one would be best suited.. the review I read for the GigaWorks speakers said they used a Audigy 2ZS card.. for the Z-5500 a Audigy 4 was used..

Is there much difference between these cards or would anyone suite me?!?

Also, which one of the speakers would you recommend.. can't decide which one to go for, both seems to be a great compliment to my PC! Only difference, except that Z-5500 has 5 speakers and 505W RMS and the S750 got 7 with 700W RMS.., is that I read somewhere (Can't find the article now) that the GigaWork speakers don't have Dolby Digital decoding.. would that make a huge difference in the sound quality? There is probably other differences also which I am not aware of.. but I think those that I mentioned is the biggest ones, no?

I appreciate any help or suggestion you can give me in regards to this! :)

Cheers
Tom
 
Quite a price range there. I wouldn't consider either of the Audigys or the XtremeAudio. The other X-Fi series cards are a long way ahead in terms of feature set.

Dolby digital decoding in the speakers is only relevant when you're sending a digital signal to the speakers. None of the cards you've mentioned are capable of encoding surround sound for a digital connection they will only do stereo. If you want the latest EAX (gaming environmental effects) and to use a digital connection your only option would be Auzentech's X-Fi Prelude.

In terms of analogue sound quality the X-Fi series goes something like this (from worst to best)

Audio
Gamer=music=fatal1ty (helmutcheese will disagree with me though, music and Fatal1ty have better connection options though)
Elite Pro=Prelude.

Edit: the Fatal1ty, Elite Pro and Prelude have 64 MB RAM on board, which may help in games that have been designed to take advantage of it.
 
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Thank you, Uriel!

So, either the Xtreme Music, Fatal1ty or the Elite Pro if I would choose Creative? Had a quick look at the Auzentech's card and it looks like they are using the Creative X-Fi processor? :confused: I thought they were another producer of sound cards, are they the same but just using another name or?!?

I don't think I am in need of 64MB Ram, since the games I playing is mostly Civilization, Cossacks, Total War, and similar games.. would think neither of them have much of EAX effects, guessing that it is more for first person shooter games and similar? But will the Dolby Digital encoding make a huge difference when I am watching a movie or listen to music?!? If not, should I go for the S750 speakers or the Z-5500? (Going to try and see if I can find a comparison article between the two speakers.. if anyone know of one, please feel free to post the link! :p )

Sorry for being such a n00b then it comes to this! :o

Cheers
Tom
 
Auzentech are using Creative's X-Fi processor, the first third party manufacturer to do so. The processor is the same but the rest of the card is a complete redesign. They've generally used top quality components and all solid capacitors. It's generally cheaper than the Elite Pro but would be my preference even if money was no object.

Here's a list of games supporting EAX Advanced HD (EAX level 3 or greater). http://www.soundblaster.com/eax/gaming/gamelist.asp Only the X-Fi series of cards support the full effects in these games, although the Audigy series will do a good job in most of them. Non Creative cards gererally support up to EAX 2 and if gaming's not your priority you might consider other cards.

I've not had any direct experience with either set of those speakers. The logitechs certainly have a good reputation. Maybe someone else can help?

Edit: Dolby digital encoding is just a way to send surround sound in compressed form over a spdif connection. The sound quality depends on the receiver not the soundcard. Theoretically you'd get better sound from 5.1 or 7.1 analogue (assuming you're using a good soundcard in the firs place), as it's uncompressed.

Further Edit: As far as I know, the only games that the 64MB X-RAM benefits are the Battlefield series and those based on the Doom 3 engine. I wouldn't class it as essential at the moment.
 
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Hmm thanks for the link.. seems like some of the game I play do use EAX level three or greater! :eek: And yes, even if gaming is not a main priority I would like to get the best bang for the buck.. the combination of the Auzentech and the Z-5500 is sounding quite good and I might go for that.. hmmm

Is there any other cards you would recommend if I would just go for a good card to utilize the analogue sound in the 5.1 or 7.1 set up?

Still can't decide if I need those 2 extra set of speakers in a 7.1 set up or just go for the 5.1... has anyone actually used the S-750's?!?

Cheers
Tom
 
Yeah I read the review on the S-750 there.. the only thing I can't decide is if I need the Digital Dolby encoding or not.. maybe someone else will have a look here and let me know if there is much difference between them two.. or I just flip a coin and then go for one of them! :eek:

I will read the reviews on the sound cards in a while, thanks for the linkage though! :)

Cheers
Tom
 
Personally I use the Logitech z-5500 and i think that they are fantastic, the control box allows you to adjust the sound balance front to rear fade and adjust the sub and centre volume (along with quite a few other settings) easily without fiddling about in software. I especially like the stereo x2 option that allows you to listen to stereo music with it coming from the rear two as well.

I use these speakers on a audigy 4 pro and am very happy with them for both quality of build and sound clarity/volume. Watching DVD's via the optical tos-link cable (not included) using the built in dolby decoder is very noticable in a dvd that has DTS encoding, its very clear and surround sound is usually very good.
Only thing to bear in mind is that DTS isnt the only encoding avaliable (only one ive seen on dvd's) their might be others that are used on blu-ray or hd-dvd so i dont know how it would cope with those if at all, im guessing for a while they will be provided with mulpile encoded soundtracks.

Anyway the speakers are great, with only one niggle (which may now be resolved) that is the subwoofer gives out a bit of a thud if someone in my house or next door turns off a flourescent tube bulb. (low shielding or somthing).

Regards,

BS
 
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Thanks for your inputs guys! I have been re-reading the review on the S750 speakers and I think I am starting to lean towards them now.. so just need to decide what card to buy.. the Auzentech, Fatal1ty or the XtremeMusic are the ones I am looking into.. the review on Guru3D showed that there is not much difference between the Auzentech and the XtremeMusic.. then again they are both using the same X-Fi processor so it shouldn't be much difference now should it?

Any more suggestions are welcome though! :)

Cheers
Tom
 
Uriel said:
*snip*

Dolby digital decoding in the speakers is only relevant when you're sending a digital signal to the speakers. None of the cards you've mentioned are capable of encoding surround sound for a digital connection they will only do stereo. If you want the latest EAX (gaming environmental effects) and to use a digital connection your only option would be Auzentech's X-Fi Prelude.

*snip*
Click to expand...

Sorry me once again! :o

What kind of digital cable would you suggest to go with the Prelude? I just got my hands on the Z-5500 for £160 so I think that I want this card to optimize the speakers fully!

Cheers
Tom

Edit: Sorry for the double post!
 
i heard the s750 had a lot problems with the sub blowing. (dunno if they fixed this yet)

I have the z5500, and there a nice pair of speakers and 7.1 is kinda overkill for a pc speaker setup, and not many dvds use 7.1 only the new blu-rays and hd-dvds commonly do 7.1 sound.

the z5500 also has a decoder, but the sound card would do the decoding of dd etc etc
 
HELP, the Sound card wont fit! :(

Hmpf! Got my new Auzentech X-FI Prelude card today from OcUK and for some strange reason it wont fit! :mad: Here is what it looks like.. it seems like the Mobo is to close to the back of the case, but I had no problem installing my graphic card...

PCIPic2.jpg


PCIPic3.jpg


PCIPic4.jpg


PCIPic1.jpg


If anyone has any suggestions at all how to fit this card it would be greatly appreciated! Ohh and the Mobo is a Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R. I have also talked with OcUK and sent them these pictures to see if they can help me sort it out. (If I would use a bit of force I think I would damage it since its to far away to fit properly.. :( )

Cheers
Tom
 
Think you're showing us photos of the wrong thing. The metal plate on the end of the card should sit just inside the case.

Edit: what is your case by the way?

Further Edit - nevermind - spotted sig. I see your case has a removeable motherboard tray. Is it seated correctly?
 
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The metal plate on the end of the card is just inside the case.. what I am showing is what it looks like with the metal plate right where it suppose to be and for some reason the PCI 'tag' is slightly to far away.. I got my hands on an old SundBlaster Live! 5.1 Digital card and I compared the two and you can clearly see that the 'tags' is slightly different, plus the SB Live! card fits!

And yes, the tray is seated properly.. basically the back and the tray is one unit, so if I would disconnect all the cables I could just pull the tray out with all the cards still fitted so its not the tray's fault.. I just think that the Auzentech does not fit in my Gigabyte board and thats it.. :(

I just have to see what OcUK says.. hopefully I can send it back and get another one.. thinking of the Ausu Xonar D2 in that case.. does anyone has one?

Cheers
Tom
 
Get the Z-5500's you cant fault them... pair them up with a X-Fi sound card... a Fatal1ty if you can stretch that far...
 
I'd be VERY surprised if there is a size / scaling fault. That would imply that the motherboard has an incorrect socket on it, or that your sound card has an incorrect layout. Either of these points would suggest that the issue wouldn't be limited to this specific combination.

Can you get us another photo which is zoomed at a bit please?

You're not trying to plug it into a PCI-X socket or anything are you? (Sorry, but I have to ask).
 
Loosen the motherboard standoff screws, push the motherboard tray and motherboard slightly, there should be enough give to move the motherboard around.
 
I just received a replay to my web note and they think "it looks like a manufacturing fault with the sound card you have purchased." so I will send it back (got a RMA number) and hopefully they can check another card and see if it looks exactly the same or not.. then hopefully I can have a new card that will fit!

This may not be the best way to compare them but it does show that the Prelude has an incorrect layout compared to the Live!, which did fit easily in the board..

PCIPic10.jpg


badbob said:
Loosen the motherboard standoff screws, push the motherboard tray and motherboard slightly, there should be enough give to move the motherboard around.
Click to expand...

Not sure that will actually help considering that the graphic card is fitted perfectly and that the card is misaligned by a a whole yellow "strip" I don't think its enough wiggle room to make that work.. also, as mentioned I just had to slide the Live! card in, a gentle push and it was fitted.. like a card should be fitted..

I guess I just have to wait a bit longer before I can use my Z-5500 set.. :(

Cheers
Tom
 
That picture looks like its at an angle... but even still it does look like the card is a little off which may cause problems :S
 
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