Live value 5.1 or MX300 ?

depends what your primary usage of the card will be: Games or other (such as music edition, sampling)

If no one knew this allready, the EMU* chip on ther SB Live! cards (5.1 versions as well) have hidden support for ASIO based drivers, whcih is not openly supoorted by creative.vThis means that the card is worth more than the price u pay for it. ASIO based drivers ahve a faster latency time with he hardware itself for increased performance. I havene't much knwledge of the MX3, but I persoanlly use the MP3 versioin of SB Live! in conjuction with generic ASIO drivers for use with my Music Studio ( I use CUBASE and REASON ont he computer with MIDI) For games however, u need to use the drivers that come with the hardware for technologies like EAX, wich also reduces sound quality a tad bit from the ASIO drivers, wheras ASIO drivers don't suppoort EAX. This isn't here really to make you decide what to buy, I'm merely trying to point out so imformation you may not know, for biased opinions tend to obscure the facts in question.

Excuse the typos. I'm rushed.

True Ascension is the realizations and undertsanding of one's self

with sound blaster Live ! Value what settings are better? EAX or Suround Sound? or Direct 3D? if using it for games? (with 4.1 surround sound speakers)

Don't buy Creative either. They put Aureal out of business with legal fees from frivolous lawsuites, then bought the technology and sealed it so no one who produced the cards can develope new drivers. Such a dishonest company should never be supported. There are better sound systems, such as the Hercules Game Theater and the Philips Accoustic Edge. And there are cheaper solutions that produce equal sound quality, such as the ESS Canyon 3D chip soundcards available from several manufacturers.

Cast not thine pearls before the swine

nVdia put 3DFX out by producing a better product. Creative put Aureal out with frivolous lawsuites. Total difference. I own one of each, and the Vortex2 wins hands down for sound quality.

Cast not thine pearls before the swine