buying sound card.. opinions

[DanielLevesque]

Im buying a new sound card for my new Asus DDR400 board. Im wondering if i should go gtxp or turtle beach. Audigy I think is not an option due to the Via chipset but im opened to all suggestions. I game and listen to music alot on my pc.. thanks please give lots of feed back.. id like to hear from all sides. The firewire or USB is not an issue.. I could care less about extra's. Ive got a Altec Lansing 5.1 speaker set.

 

[Black_Cat]

If you really think you need the break out box with all the USB ports and inputs then go with the GTXP. If you don't really need the break out box then get the TBSC. The sound quality and positioning should be identical.

To start press any key. Where's the "any" key? --Homer Simpson.

 

[DanielLevesque]

Yea i do not need the USB or any of the extra's.. I just want a great sound card that will work with my 5.1

thanks

 

[TWC]

Acoustic Edge!

"I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints."

 

[upec]

I also have great experience with Philips Acoustic Edge.

 

[Oracle]

I think the VIA-Creative problems are overrated. I never had any problems whatsoever with Creative cards and VIA chipsets. I assembled a system for a musician a while back using a Live!Platinum card on a KT133A motherboard and I have yet to hear a single complaint from him. He's delighted by the system. I also installed other Live! and Audigy cards on other VIA systems without any problems to date. That being said, I'm not against the GTXP, TBSC or PAE, but I'm just saying that Creative also makes good products. Get which ever is cheapest between those four (GTXP, TBSC, PAE, CLA) and for the USB and Firewire thing, get the <A HREF="http://www.adaptec.com/worldwide/product/proddetail.html?sess=no&prodkey=AUA-3121&cat=/Technology/USB/USB+&+FireWire+Combo+Cards" target="_new">Adaptec DuoConnect</A>. This thing rocks with four USB 2.0 and three Firewire plugs and installation is a walk in the park. I'm using it with my Firewire and USB videocamera, USB scanner and USB printer, and it is great stuff.
Bonne chance avec ton nouveau système.


<font color=red>Do ya feel lucky, Punk? Well...? Do ya?
Then go ahead and buy that C3 CPU!</font color=red>

 

[DaveP]

I have had problems with creative cards on via chipsets. Although, I think the problem was with 133's. I think they have fixed the problem since then. At least, I would hope so. :tongue: But the fact still remains, that creative support sucks and downloads take forever. It will take alot of persuasion for me to buy creative again.

<font color=blue>GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.</font color=blue>

 

[Oracle]

I'm sorry to hear that!
It seems that with VIA chipsets, problem occurence is just similar to the toss a of coin.
Maybe I've been lucky enough to never have to experience any problems with Creative cards on VIA chipsets.
I agree that Creative support is not as good as it should be, just as 98% of all the Computer Business Companies out there. It's not just Creative.


<font color=red>Do ya feel lucky, Punk? Well...? Do ya?
Then go ahead and buy that C3 CPU!</font color=red>

 

[upec]

I also never have problem wiht SB Live and VIA chipsset. The only thing I like about SB Live is that it have driver for most OS that runs on Intel Platform.

 

[williamc]

Its always been about a 50/50 chance with creative and via it seems like....there IS a problem there but it doesnt always show up for some reason... The biggest problem is Creative isnt willing to work on it because VIA chips make up an EXTREMELY small percentage of the market... It only seems like a big problem here because most of us build our own systems and thats where the via chips are.

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the empires state building, along came goblin, wiped the spider out

 

[Oracle]

VIA chips make up an EXTREMELY small percentage of the market...

Sorry william, I can't agree with you there.
For now, AMD lives almost exclusively with VIA while SiS, ALi, nVidia and AMD's own chipset offerings are not as widely distributed. Since VIA makes up the EXTREMELY large percentage of AMD platform and that AMD platforms have a decent market share, I believe VIA has great exposure on the market. Don't forget that VIA is the No.2 chipset maker.


<font color=red>Do ya feel lucky, Punk? Well...? Do ya?
Then go ahead and buy that C3 CPU!</font color=red>

 

[Black_Cat]

I assembled a system for a musician a while back using a Live!Platinum card on a KT133A motherboard and I have yet to hear a single complaint from him. He's delighted by the system.

If he could hear the difference between a GTXP and his Live! Platinum, he wouldn't be so delighted.

I think the VIA-Creative problems are overrated. I never had any problems whatsoever with Creative cards and VIA chipsets.

The trouble with the VIA/Creative problem is that it was isidious -- random corrupted data, weird lock-ups, etc. Your data may have been corrupted without you knowing it! That was very troublesome but luckily fixed. Most people who advise against Creative products (myself included) are unhappy with their business practices and choose not to give their money or tell other people to give their money to such a disreputable company. If Creative competed fairly and actually created (pun intended) a superior product, I would recommend it. They do neither.



To start press any key. Where's the "any" key? --Homer Simpson.

 

[DaveP]

Yea.. What Black Cat said. I guess I'm still sour about creative because I spent $60 for a live 5.1, and it sits on top of my computer collecting dust. Maybe I'll put it in my old 98 system. It's about to die anyways. Then I can just throw the whole system in the trash at once. But at least I'll get a little use out of the sound card.

<font color=blue>GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.</font color=blue>

 

[Kronos]

Creative sells more computer sound products than any other. They are the standard others would have aspired to had Creative not already set the standard. I guess when you`re number one you make a large target. To be 100 percent compatible in all situations of computer confabs is beyond any corporate entity. The rancor from many would be tempered had they understood that.

I want to die like my Grandfather...in my sleep...not screaming in terror like his passengers.

 

[Black_Cat]

Creative has bullied their way to their currently held position. They bankrupted Aureal with frivolous litigation (which Creative lost) and buried A3d. If they made the best products and had the best technology I would probably overlook their past. However, the GTXP and TBSC seem to be the best performing cards. I own the GTXP and recommend it highly. I had the SB Live! Platinum and gave it away.

To start press any key. Where's the "any" key? --Homer Simpson.

 

[Guest]

Audigy of course.

don't pay attention to the negative.

i have learn alot about that card & i know that brand from 20 years.

that is a safe value.

<i>note/add on: the audigy player costs 80$ in an OEM package!</i>


i've plugged my home blower to my case ... dunno what happen ... that works?!?
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Corsair3200 on 09/10/02 11:08 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Defective]

I really dont care about Creative's business practices. I am not a "fan" of any particular company. They exist to make money, not to be your friend. I think it is important to look at the history of support and reliability of any company's product. It would be incorrect to assume that because Creative is a big company that their product is somehow more reliable. I was suprised when I discovered how many problems there were with some of their products. I have seen 2 SB products die or develop interesting quirks. I have purchused 2 non-creative sound cards, a Turtle Beach Malibu (a few years ago) and my current Hercules Game Theater XP. I was happy with the quality of the Malibu and am now very impressed with the Game Theater XP. You cant beat the features of the GTXP for its price. After these experiences, my opinion is that Creative may be the big boy on the block but by no means the king.

---------------

Stupidity should be painful.

 

[icy_oblivion]

I would go with Turtle Beach for the most part they have good cards for the price.

I crossed the line into insanity so long ago I no longer have any idea which way to go to get further from the line.

 

[Manngc]

I just built a new system myself last week with an Audigy Gamer card. The sound for WCIII was GREAT. Then I started viewing replays and found that the computer would consistly do a "Squeal of Death" (ie. Lockup)during the replays. I downloaded all the most up-to-date drivers and isolated the problem to the sound card. I've tried several things to try and get it to work perfectly...but failed every time. So I'm returning it and going to test my brother Turtle Beach in my system before I order it. Just my 2 cents. If you have an idea on how to get the Audigy Gamer to work on my Gigabyte 81GX, please tell me!

Mann

 

[Guest]

Ahh yes the sqeal of death. Nice to know some things never change. Guess I won't be getting one of those.

 

[Black_Cat]

I wonder if Creative advertizes the Squeal of Death as one of the Audigy's features. My GTXP doesn't have the Squeal of Death. Perhaps I should get an Audigy.

To start press any key. Where's the "any" key? --Homer Simpson.

 

[Guest]

"Stupidity should be painful. "

study your own sig. :lol:

I really dont care about Creative's business practices. I am not a "fan" of any particular company.

as you are, im not as well.

im just talking about experience, round 20 years more precisely. :lol:
what do you think? Creative is created by monkeys & honeys?

of course not, they are there to make money like everyone on that capitalistic world. but what do you think? they can make money from nothing? not of course, they need correct products too. & their products are more than correct because Creative is the number one for sound cards & now a bit also for multimedia stuff. yes they make some bugs creating their first release of drivers & softwares for their products. they correct that afterward. Can you precise me a company which supplies so many softwares for their products for a price that way so little? do you know exaclty the package of softwares they deliver with?
& i don't speak about the hardware which is as best as possible among the concurrency.

about the technology? who created EAX, EAX2, Environmental Audio 1 & 2?
who is behind trying to copy that technology?

LAUGH!

think about a little & teach yourself about IT, software & hardware.

note: i'm not a fan! i'm not speaking about <i>"love"</i> about a brand. i am (an expert, i don't know) simply a user from many & many years.



note: they try also now to point out musicians with their last top notch products...

... & it seems that success is beginning to appear in the horizon ...





i've plugged my home blower to my case ... dunno what happen ... that works?!?
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Corsair3200 on 09/15/02 00:33 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Tommunist]

people who think they are experts...hahahhahahhaahhaahha

*** Duff Man says a lot of things, OH YEAH!!! ***

 

[Guest]

go back to your cage, <i><b>C</i></b>ommunist.


i've plugged my home blower to my case ... dunno what happen ... that works?!?

 

[Defective]

First of all, before responding to an attack, it is a good idea to make sure that you were, in fact, being attacked. When I mentioned being a "fan" I was refering to myself, not to you. I could have easily have used the word "proponent". I was not attempting to state that you were somehow a geekfan of a component company. I was stating my own stance on the topic.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion about the company. Attempting to rake me over the coals for mine is poor forum form. I didnt say that I didnt care "for" Creative's business practices. I stated that I didnt care "about" them. This means that I dont care one way or the other. This was responding to someone above who sited those practices.

I only look at their products. I did not say they made a bad product, but I can speak from personal experience that their products have not had the assembly quality of the other PC components from manufactures of equal stature and reputation. I have seen 2 SB products die and I have seen also several problems with their drivers and other OS/Hardware configurations.

I dont use heresay or general opinions. I draw my own conclusions from what I experience and the experiences of those whom I trust to be accurate.

I know a gentleman who works in the music industry. He has a studio set up in his own home. There are several computers that go with this setup and not one uses Creative's products. Its not because they are bad products. It is just because they are not that level of hardware.

I am happy that you are satisified with their products. Your experience with them has been positive (this is not to say that my experience with them has been altogether negative), however, others have other opinions about the companies products and it would be proper form in a forum such as this to debate their statements and not use personal attacks and character assasinations. They add nothing to the discussion or debate and only detract from the integrity of the forum.

---------------

Stupidity should be painful.