What's the difference between sound cards for audio and for games?

JohnJSal · 01-07-2008, 09:20 PM

Looking at the X-Fi lineup, it seems like there are separate cards dedicated to music and games. What's the difference in performance between these cards for the area that they aren't specifically designed for, i.e. audio cards for games, or gamer cards for music?

Thanks.

PC eye · 01-07-2008, 09:35 PM

The lowest in the Creative X-Fi lineup will also run games and multimedia as well as any other card. The frequency response times and other factors according to the speicications are what most look at right away when going to choose a card.

Creative labeled the card this way since the encluded software as well as card design will tend to favor one over another to some degree. In actual real world application you can simply any model for whatever.

Beyond · 01-29-2008, 05:53 AM

The difference between sound cards for music and games?

All gaming sound cards (Creative.. anything by them. I don't care if it's X-Fi Fatality or Music or whatever they call them. Anything from Creative is for games) will sound more bloated. The bass will not be as detailed, and will sometimes overpower the rest of music.

Music sound cards, however, particulary the EMU 0404 (which is actually made by Creative, but not plastered with the X-Fi jibber jabber), will sound more flat, ideally at least. Flat? Nothing overpowers anything. Is this exciting? No. But, it allows the end-user to enjoy the system being listened to. Ideally, there will be no coloration from the sound card.

Music sound cards typically don't have "EAX" support or any of the other techno babble associated with gaming cards.

Another thing to consider is the DACs (digital-to-analog converters) built onto sound cards. All gaming sound cards mentioned above and on this forum are built onto the card. This means if you ever plan on using external amps or DACs, the sound card will interfere with the rest of your equipment's processing.

Music sound cards, however, only deal with the digital signal. As a result, there will be less ground noise (that is, hissing caused by fans in a computer). This is because the conversion to an analog signal is done externally, outside the computer and away from the fans circulating air.

diduknowthat · 01-29-2008, 10:46 AM

X-Fi has a pretty confusing lineup of cards.

Basically the Xtreme-Audio is a rebranded Audigy SE/Live! card with software emulation of X-fi effects, thus resulting in horrible performance when gaming.

The X-Fi Xtremegamer and Xtrememusic (discontinued) use the real x-fi chip without the front panel I/O box and stuff. These cards has 2 megs of cache.

The Xtremegamer Fatality has 64 megs of X-ram, and otherwise is almost exactly identical to the Xtrememusic.

And Finally the Elite Pro has some higher end parts, 64 megs of X-ram, and the I/O console.

JohnJSal · 01-29-2008, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diduknowthat

X-Fi has a pretty confusing lineup of cards.

Basically the Xtreme-Audio is a rebranded Audigy SE/Live! card with software emulation of X-fi effects, thus resulting in horrible performance when gaming.

The X-Fi Xtremegamer and Xtrememusic (discontinued) use the real x-fi chip without the front panel I/O box and stuff. These cards has 2 megs of cache.

The Xtremegamer Fatality has 64 megs of X-ram, and otherwise is almost exactly identical to the Xtrememusic.

And Finally the Elite Pro has some higher end parts, 64 megs of X-ram, and the I/O console.

So probably the best choice for music and games would be the Xtremegamer?

jacklazara · 01-29-2008, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnJSal

So probably the best choice for music and games would be the Xtremegamer?

yes,you are right

JohnJSal · 01-29-2008, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacklazara

yes,you are right

Thanks. But does this mean music won't sound quite as good? Or does it require switching settings every time you want to listen to music or play games?

PC eye · 01-29-2008, 10:26 PM

I ran both Xtreme Audio and Xtreme Gamer cards here with the Gamer model in current use to find that Creative's XP driver updates where a "web updater3 for Vista" when initially going for the July 07 release. Both cards sounded the same in games and media players alike while the driver support was "Vista geared" when selecting XP as the OS.

Once you get past that and choose the Dec. 06 update which turns out to be the "web updater1 for XP" and don't allow the software installer to automatically go for updates or allow the MS Windows update site to do the same if running XP you will be set with any of their models. Never saw that crap with the Audigy line.

PunterCam · 01-30-2008, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnJSal

Thanks. But does this mean music won't sound quite as good? Or does it require switching settings every time you want to listen to music or play games?

You could, but it really doesn't matter; your ear will adjust to the sound in a few seconds anyway and it will just sound normal, as long as the EQ is roughly balanced.

The only reason you'd want to take a digital out of a card is for proper professional music production, where you need to hear everything, and for that you need more than a stereo/5.1 output (you want at least 32 digital outs really). And then you need to convert it to analogue which is where the real money is spent - you'll spend thousands on the ProTools i/o's.

I reckon the difference between most so called 'gamer' cards and the 'pro audio' cards is the software provided, and the style of the literature/box that comes with. Just buy a cheap one!

Beyond · 01-30-2008, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PunterCam

You could, but it really doesn't matter; your ear will adjust to the sound in a few seconds anyway and it will just sound normal, as long as the EQ is roughly balanced.

The only reason you'd want to take a digital out of a card is for proper professional music production, where you need to hear everything, and for that you need more than a stereo/5.1 output (you want at least 32 digital outs really). And then you need to convert it to analogue which is where the real money is spent - you'll spend thousands on the ProTools i/o's.

I reckon the difference between most so called 'gamer' cards and the 'pro audio' cards is the software provided, and the style of the literature/box that comes with. Just buy a cheap one!

What?!?!?!?!?!?

01-07-2008, 09:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
JohnJSal Platinum Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Hoboken, NJ Age: 28 Posts: 519	What's the difference between sound cards for audio and for games? Looking at the X-Fi lineup, it seems like there are separate cards dedicated to music and games. What's the difference in performance between these cards for the area that they aren't specifically designed for, i.e. audio cards for games, or gamer cards for music? Thanks.

01-07-2008, 09:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 18,687	The lowest in the Creative X-Fi lineup will also run games and multimedia as well as any other card. The frequency response times and other factors according to the speicications are what most look at right away when going to choose a card. Creative labeled the card this way since the encluded software as well as card design will tend to favor one over another to some degree. In actual real world application you can simply any model for whatever. __________________ Users Fight to Save Windows XP! http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=4646547 Microsoft Not Ruling Out XP Extension http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=4716159

01-29-2008, 05:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
Beyond Diamond Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Computer Engineering @ NCSU Posts: 1,267	The difference between sound cards for music and games? All gaming sound cards (Creative.. anything by them. I don't care if it's X-Fi Fatality or Music or whatever they call them. Anything from Creative is for games) will sound more bloated. The bass will not be as detailed, and will sometimes overpower the rest of music. Music sound cards, however, particulary the EMU 0404 (which is actually made by Creative, but not plastered with the X-Fi jibber jabber), will sound more flat, ideally at least. Flat? Nothing overpowers anything. Is this exciting? No. But, it allows the end-user to enjoy the system being listened to. Ideally, there will be no coloration from the sound card. Music sound cards typically don't have "EAX" support or any of the other techno babble associated with gaming cards. Another thing to consider is the DACs (digital-to-analog converters) built onto sound cards. All gaming sound cards mentioned above and on this forum are built onto the card. This means if you ever plan on using external amps or DACs, the sound card will interfere with the rest of your equipment's processing. Music sound cards, however, only deal with the digital signal. As a result, there will be less ground noise (that is, hissing caused by fans in a computer). This is because the conversion to an analog signal is done externally, outside the computer and away from the fans circulating air. __________________ EVGA 680i // Antec P180B Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2GB Corsair XMS2 Dominator EVGA 8800GTX > MAG 22" (x2) Audigy 2 ZS > a) PA2V2 > Alessandro MS-1s (music); b) Pioneer VSX-516-K/S > Insignia NS-B2111 (2) 74GB WD Raptor \| 500GB WD Caviar SE16 Antec TruePower 2.0 ..at factory timings.

01-29-2008, 10:46 AM	#4 (permalink)
diduknowthat formerly liuliuboy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Massachusetts Age: 17 Posts: 5,905	X-Fi has a pretty confusing lineup of cards. Basically the Xtreme-Audio is a rebranded Audigy SE/Live! card with software emulation of X-fi effects, thus resulting in horrible performance when gaming. The X-Fi Xtremegamer and Xtrememusic (discontinued) use the real x-fi chip without the front panel I/O box and stuff. These cards has 2 megs of cache. The Xtremegamer Fatality has 64 megs of X-ram, and otherwise is almost exactly identical to the Xtrememusic. And Finally the Elite Pro has some higher end parts, 64 megs of X-ram, and the I/O console. __________________ Silent Tuned \| 3D Marks 06: 11566 Q6600 2.4ghz CPU \| Gigabyte GA-P35 LGA 775 MB EVGA 8800gt 512mb Video Card G.Skill 4GB Ram \| Western Digital 400GB HD X-Fi Xtrememusic Sound Card Antec P180B Case \| Scyth Ninja HSF CM Real Power Pro 650watt PSU

01-29-2008, 10:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 18,687	I ran both Xtreme Audio and Xtreme Gamer cards here with the Gamer model in current use to find that Creative's XP driver updates where a "web updater3 for Vista" when initially going for the July 07 release. Both cards sounded the same in games and media players alike while the driver support was "Vista geared" when selecting XP as the OS. Once you get past that and choose the Dec. 06 update which turns out to be the "web updater1 for XP" and don't allow the software installer to automatically go for updates or allow the MS Windows update site to do the same if running XP you will be set with any of their models. Never saw that crap with the Audigy line. __________________ Users Fight to Save Windows XP! http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=4646547 Microsoft Not Ruling Out XP Extension http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=4716159

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