Audigy 2 or an Audigy 2 ZS?

[Reefsmoka]

I want to get a new soundcard because my current Soundblaster Live 5.1 digital just doesnt cut it with todays games.

I'm stuck between 2, either the Audigy 2 or the Audigy 2 ZS. Now i want to know is the Audigy 2 ZS worth the extra £30 over the Audigy 2?

 

[ChristopherP]

Lol... i use the onboard 6.1 Dolby surround thingy in my Abit IC7-G...works just fine!!

then again i have 2 huge speakers that come up to my waist....routed through a 25 year old amp into the back of my pc lol

 

[Reefsmoka]

I have onboard sound, but once ya have a sound card ya know the difference.

Though the Nforce 2 sound is supposed to be one of the best onboard around.

 

[muckshifter]

I want to get a new soundcard because my current Soundblaster Live 5.1 digital just doesnt cut it with todays games.

I'm stuck between 2, either the Audigy 2 or the Audigy 2 ZS. Now i want to know is the Audigy 2 ZS worth the extra £30 over the Audigy 2?

If your a musician, yes, if you just want to hear game noises, then any old card will do.

If you want to get the best out of your present card, use 5.1 speakers ... I don’t think it will make any difference in a game, as I know of no game that uses surround sound.

 

[Reefsmoka]

It does make a difference.

When your playing games and there alot of action going on, you can hear distortion, and its very off putting.

I dont want a 5.1 setup because i havent got the room . (well i do want ).

 

[ChristopherP]

I have onboard sound, but once ya have a sound card ya know the difference.

Though the Nforce 2 sound is supposed to be one of the best onboard around.

Yes, it is, but you don't have it, neither do I. I did though, it was good. Not much i can notice between it and my IC7 - it uses some Realtek AC97 thingy...

Game noises may not be in surround mucks but isnt it all that EAX stuff you get out of high end cards? just better quality in general i thought...

i'd say save your money though reef, get something else that will make your PC better even.

 

[Reefsmoka]

Sorry guys im gonna go behind your backs and buy an audigy 2 .

I see myself as a hardcore gamer, and i'm not settling for this crackly/ditortion non-sense when Half Life 2 is looming round the corner .

The Audigy 2 goes upto EAX 2 where as the Audigy 2 ZX goes to EAX 4 .

But i'm not spending £70 -£80 on a sound card! So the Audigy 2 shall have to do.

 

[ChristopherP]

thats cool man, thats cool.

 

[muckshifter]

Hey Reef ... its your money.

 

[Quadophile]

Try Turtle Beach or Philips they sound much better than Crapative you intend to buy, If you stick to two channel you would be better off. You can spend more on two channel speakers if you stay away from 5.

The calculations are as follows:

2 channel system £100 = 5 channel system £250
2 channel sytem £100 = 7 channel sytem £350

Above calculation will give you more or less same quality of sound but look at the figures. Many start off with a budget of 2 channel and end up with 5.1 for same amount and the quality goes down the drain.

I just wanted to give you my opinion like others, the honest opinion and nothing else.

You make the decisions.

 

[ChristopherP]

Reef - i think Quads advice would be worth taking here - hes the true sound genius of our bunch...

 

[Reefsmoka]

Too late, i've just picked up a complete and utter bargain!

An Audigy 2 for £18 inc VAT! From www.ebuyer.com .

You look anywhere on the net and its £50.

 

[ChristopherP]

Fair play.

You do however know that it will come wravveled up in bubble wrap on its own - instructions MAYBE but prob not right? no box or such...

Good luck with ebuyer...

 

[Spooky Mouse]

Reef.. I Also Have A Soundblaster Live...
Although Now Dated It Still Keeps My Machine Going Beep For Now!!...(Beep Is About All It Does )
Like You I Have Also Thought About The Audigy2...
(Spooky Thinks About Allot Of Things.. !! But Never Seems To Get Them)

Reef Let Us Know What Yours Is Like When You Get It From Ebuyer..
Whats The Difference You Notice Between The Soundblaster Live And The Audigy2

 

[Reefsmoka]

Fair play.

You do however know that it will come wravveled up in bubble wrap on its own - instructions MAYBE but prob not right? no box or such...

Good luck with ebuyer...

And what use is a box or instuctions?!?!?!

I know its OEM, i buy most of my things OEM, its saves alot of money. You can easily optain drivers and instruction manuals over the net.

My friends ordered around £2000 worth of stuff from ebuyer, and they havent messed up an order yet. I ordered a 1.6Ghz Duron processor from them the other day and it come within 3 days .

 

[ChristopherP]

aparently its when you send things back that it gets tricky...

 

[Spooky Mouse]

Reef have a look at this ..........Creative Audigy2 Platinum eX Sound Card Review

www.digit-life.com/articles2/creative-audigy2-platinum-ex/

It may be of interest

 

[floppybootstomp]

reef: That's actually quite a bargain mate, I do hope e-buyer don't mess you about. I also notice the 5.1 version on there for £27.00. I'm tempted. Very tempted. I want a better sound card on my second machine, the Gigabyte onboard AC97 works fine with 2.1 but just don't seem to cut it with a 5.1 setup.

And as I have a set of 5.1 speakers just sitting here not being fully utilised, I may have to go this route, methinks.

Reef, let us know how your purchase goes and what you think of the card, OK? Would apreciate that, thanks.

 

[Reefsmoka]

I got an email saying it was a mistake -_- . (ahh well i thought it was). Its gone back up to £50 .

I might just save me coin for the ZS version.

 

[Quadophile]

Really sorry to hear that, Reef