what would be a good sound card for me?

StrangleHold · 10-19-2007, 05:07 AM

What dont you understand? the Xtreme Gamer and Xtreme Audio is not the same card. The Xtreme audio does not have hardware acceleration, does not have 2mb of memory, they dont even have the same chip. The Gamer has a CA20K1 and the Audio has a CA0106. The Xtreme Audio is just a beefed up Audigy SE

The entry-level model of the X-Fi series, the Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio, does not actually have the EMU20K1 chip but is a re-branded Audigy SE, using the same family of chips (CA0106-WBTLF), and even the same drivers. Thus, not only is all of the X-Fi–related processing performed in software, but it also lacks basic hardware acceleration just the like SB Live! 24 bit, the Audigy SE and other budget Soundblaster models. The X-Fi Xtreme Audio does not use the same drivers as the rest of the X-Fi family, some games do not recognize it as being "X-Fi capable hardware", and the device's hardware profile resembles that of older Live! and Audigy cards. Furthermore, users have reported that it slows down some applications and games

PC eye · 10-19-2007, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PC eye

Which version of Windows are you running XP or Vista? The auto updater seen during the installation on either Creative model there along with the latest July 2007 update and optional updates at the Microsoft update site will download Vista drivers even for XP.

The difference in the two models is simply the software. The Gamer has three different modes being Gaming, Entertainment, and Creativity while the X.Audio seems to have one for XP with the sound mixer(Creativity) and the Entertainment seen in Vista(Volume, bass, and tremble controls). On a new build here I ran both on both versions of Windows

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrangleHold

What dont you understand?

You missed the point I was making altogether there. Both cards look identical and the X-FI models lack the line in jack commonly seen on the older lineup of cards. The problems seen with both models is software related mainly due to the way Creative has their support site seeing a Vista update when selecting XP as the OS.

StrangleHold · 10-19-2007, 06:24 AM

I didnt miss anything, your unbelievable the way you twist everything you say!

MrFobber · 10-22-2007, 09:58 AM

which sound blaster card would you recommend?

StrangleHold · 10-22-2007, 02:30 PM

The Xtreme Audio if you dont game alot and the Xtreme Gamer if you do.

PC eye · 10-23-2007, 01:22 AM

There's also the Xtreme Music model which is the go between the other two. The Fatality line like Fatality Platinum series is the real high end costly models with the 5 1/4" front panel as well as the card itself.

The smal 4pin socket on the top of all the other three models named is for that option. That allows the front panel for patching input and output sources there instead of directly into the card itself.

StrangleHold · 10-23-2007, 02:51 AM

The Xtreme Music was replaced by the Xtreme Gamer but I guess you could still get them but the gamer would be a better choice.

MrFobber · 10-23-2007, 04:29 AM

alright, thank you two so very much for the help. I just placed an order on xtreme gamer at newegg. im getting it for 93 dollars with a 30 dollar rebate... is that a good deal?

StrangleHold · 10-23-2007, 04:46 AM

Its 80.99 with a 30.00 rabate, but you might be including tax and shipping
http://e3wwwtest.newegg.com/Product/...82E16829102006

Hsv_Man · 10-23-2007, 04:54 AM

I have found the Creative Soundblaster 5.1 to be a great sound card for movies, music and games i picked one up for $50 at a nearby computer shop.

10-19-2007, 05:07 AM	#11 (permalink)
StrangleHold Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In a realm of unknown Wonders Posts: 6,828	What dont you understand? the Xtreme Gamer and Xtreme Audio is not the same card. The Xtreme audio does not have hardware acceleration, does not have 2mb of memory, they dont even have the same chip. The Gamer has a CA20K1 and the Audio has a CA0106. The Xtreme Audio is just a beefed up Audigy SE The entry-level model of the X-Fi series, the Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio, does not actually have the EMU20K1 chip but is a re-branded Audigy SE, using the same family of chips (CA0106-WBTLF), and even the same drivers. Thus, not only is all of the X-Fi–related processing performed in software, but it also lacks basic hardware acceleration just the like SB Live! 24 bit, the Audigy SE and other budget Soundblaster models. The X-Fi Xtreme Audio does not use the same drivers as the rest of the X-Fi family, some games do not recognize it as being "X-Fi capable hardware", and the device's hardware profile resembles that of older Live! and Audigy cards. Furthermore, users have reported that it slows down some applications and games __________________ NZXT Apollo Athlon 64 X2 5600+ Gigabyte GA MA770 DS3 G Skill DDR2 800 2gb PNY 8800GT Spinpoint F1 500gb. Too bad stupidity isn't painful. Last edited by StrangleHold; 10-19-2007 at 05:09 AM.

10-19-2007, 06:24 AM	#13 (permalink)
StrangleHold Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In a realm of unknown Wonders Posts: 6,828	I didnt miss anything, your unbelievable the way you twist everything you say! __________________ NZXT Apollo Athlon 64 X2 5600+ Gigabyte GA MA770 DS3 G Skill DDR2 800 2gb PNY 8800GT Spinpoint F1 500gb. Too bad stupidity isn't painful.

10-22-2007, 02:30 PM	#15 (permalink)
StrangleHold Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In a realm of unknown Wonders Posts: 6,828	The Xtreme Audio if you dont game alot and the Xtreme Gamer if you do. __________________ NZXT Apollo Athlon 64 X2 5600+ Gigabyte GA MA770 DS3 G Skill DDR2 800 2gb PNY 8800GT Spinpoint F1 500gb. Too bad stupidity isn't painful.

10-23-2007, 01:22 AM	#16 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 18,998	There's also the Xtreme Music model which is the go between the other two. The Fatality line like Fatality Platinum series is the real high end costly models with the 5 1/4" front panel as well as the card itself. The smal 4pin socket on the top of all the other three models named is for that option. That allows the front panel for patching input and output sources there instead of directly into the card itself. __________________ Youtube falls short of Google's expectations http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Ahe...ory?id=5336532 Congress studies how people track your online use http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Ahe...ory?id=5337932

10-23-2007, 02:51 AM	#17 (permalink)
StrangleHold Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In a realm of unknown Wonders Posts: 6,828	The Xtreme Music was replaced by the Xtreme Gamer but I guess you could still get them but the gamer would be a better choice. __________________ NZXT Apollo Athlon 64 X2 5600+ Gigabyte GA MA770 DS3 G Skill DDR2 800 2gb PNY 8800GT Spinpoint F1 500gb. Too bad stupidity isn't painful. Last edited by StrangleHold; 10-23-2007 at 02:53 AM.

10-22-2007, 09:58 AM	#14 (permalink)
MrFobber Bronze Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 35	which sound blaster card would you recommend?

10-23-2007, 04:29 AM	#18 (permalink)
MrFobber Bronze Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 35	alright, thank you two so very much for the help. I just placed an order on xtreme gamer at newegg. im getting it for 93 dollars with a 30 dollar rebate... is that a good deal?

10-23-2007, 04:46 AM	#19 (permalink)
StrangleHold Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In a realm of unknown Wonders Posts: 6,828	Its 80.99 with a 30.00 rabate, but you might be including tax and shipping http://e3wwwtest.newegg.com/Product/...82E16829102006 __________________ NZXT Apollo Athlon 64 X2 5600+ Gigabyte GA MA770 DS3 G Skill DDR2 800 2gb PNY 8800GT Spinpoint F1 500gb. Too bad stupidity isn't painful.

10-23-2007, 04:54 AM	#20 (permalink)
Hsv_Man Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NSW Australia Age: 18 Posts: 68	I have found the Creative Soundblaster 5.1 to be a great sound card for movies, music and games i picked one up for $50 at a nearby computer shop. __________________ Intel Pentium 4 2.8 Ghz Zalman Heat Sink And Fan Ati Radeon X800 Pro 256mb Agp 20 Inch LCD Flatscreen Monitor 2048mb Dual Channeled Kingston DDR 400 Ram 500 Gb Seagate SATA Hard Disk Drive Asus SATA DVD Burner Disk Drive Creative Soundblaster 5.1 Soundcard Omni Surround Speakers Windows Xp Professional

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