audigy 2 / audigy 4 / xi-fi

[candeethug]

ok I know there was just a topic about this right before this one, but I am really curious about this since I have not purchased a sound card in a while.

what are the differences (specs & sound quality) between the audigy 2, Audigy 4, and Xi-Fi? I remember reading an article here on THG about how the Xi-Fi processor was different from previous audio processors built by creative labs, but I don't know about anything else that separates these 3.

 

[slicessoul]

In a clear way of comparison you can go to creative website, soundblaster section.

IMO, Audigy is a more advance soundcard of sound blaster live. It's the first sound card who introduced 24 bit processing with 96db noise level. Audigy 2 is nearly the same as Audigy 1 but with 106db noise level and other new facilities which are more advanced such as THX support and digital firewire connection /optical and EAX HD for games.

Audigy 4, hmmm...never understand what's the new on it, never get impressed and never heard a lot that it hits the market.

X-Fi, they said it's a totally new sound processing unit. Support, THX, DTS and any other sound format. Able to support 7.1 sound system. Ability to process sound format in 24 bit and 116db noise level. and of course EAX Advanced HD.
X-Fi create different cards, some of them integrated memory which i don't know exactly what's the purpose.

For a sound quality, IMO, they are depending on your sound system and most important is your ears.
Other differences is the price.

 

[candeethug]

thanks a lot. Although the whole audigy 4 thing is still kind of a mystery. I have seen them on Newegg and they are gererally a little more expensive than the Xi-Fi's. At the risk of sounding naive, that price thing made me wonder if the audigy 4 might be a little better for some applications, even though I know you can't rely on the whole "higher price = better performance" thing.

but once again thanks for the reply.

 

[Doughbuy]

Audigy 4 was a refresh of the audigy 2, didn't change much, but it fixed some things.

X-Fi is the latest offering, which is what you should get. Sound quality wise, all of them will be about equal, since I doubt most human ears can tell the difference between high quality and uber high quality, not to mention many other factors come into play beside a sound card.

X-Fi Xtreme music would be the card of choice for most people since it has all the important offerings at a decent price. If you find an audigy 2 or 4 on sale with a break-out box, then you might also want to consider jumping on that.

 

[slicessoul]

Other things to concern is X-Fi got a lot of support from the maker and from user the same thing as Audigy 2 mostly Audigy 2ZS. Audigy 2ZS was a big hit on the market and the same thing with X-Fi right now.