Audigy 2 Value or ZS?

[BrandtP]

Time for a new sound card. It will be used mainly for gaming. How much different is the sound quality and performance between the Value and ZS?

Thanks in advance.

Brandt

 

[cookingfrags]

i would doubt there would be much in either performance or sound quality...the difference between the two comes mainly between the features, supported standards, and software package (the Value has, IMO, a "healthy" sized software package...not nearly as bulky as the ZS'). but the gold-plated connectors MIGHT make a difference in sound quality...

i dunno how much difference the additional THX configuration utility would make either...

as far as i can see, they follow the same gaming standard (EAX 4.0 Advanced HD), although the EAX 4.0 Advanced HD drivers havent come out for the Audigy 2 Value yet.

 

[trifler]

The ZS supports 7.1 speakers. The non-ZS versions only support 6.1 speakers. As far as I know, this is the only difference.

 

[cookingfrags]

the older Audigy 2 (non-ZS) was 6.1, but the newer "Value" supports 7.1.

 

[trifler]

This is true, but his post said he was looking at an Audigy 2 Value, not an Audigy 2 ZS Value.

 

[cookingfrags]

the "Value" marking replaces "ZS," so a "ZS Value" doesn't exist. although he isnt asking about the regular Audigy 2, i was just clarifying the difference between it and the Audigy 2 Value.

 

[Richensw]

Dumb question; but would EAX 4.0 work on older games that only support EAX 1 ??

IE: I have EAX enable in DoD with my SBLive! 1024, will I still be able to get the same EAX with an Audigy 2 ZS?

 

[folken]

I'm pretty damned sure EAX is backward compatable so a EAX 4.0 sound card could definatly play EAX1.0 game sound. But the EAX 1.0 game isn't going to play in EAX 4.0 because it isn't made for it. I could be wrong due to my lack of deep knowlege in the inner workings of sound but it sounds good to me

<A HREF="http://www.folken.net/myrig.htm" target="_new">My precious...</A>

 

[cookingfrags]

i dont think so. EAX 1 and EAX 4.0 probably use different APIs (application programming interfaces) or sets of code, so you won't get EAX 4.0 AHD (and is exclusive to the Creative line of sound cards, btw).

 

[Richensw]

Yeah I meant 'would I be able to still get EAX 1 on an EAX 4 HD sound card' basically.

 

[darnoc]

When you consider the cost of the Audigy 2 value it really is a good value. Looking over the specifications for what I want a new sound card for it looks perfect.

http://www.soundblaster.com/products/audigy2value/compare.asp

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