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I don't have a 5.1 speaker set up so I can't evaluate 3D surround in games, but as far as sound quality goes, the Audigy is fantastic, and it's not very expensive. Sound quality is crisp and enhanced and pronounced, very very nice. Since I just wanted a decent sound card and not have to pay something like $200, the Audigy was definitely the best buy. I've had this card for about a month now, running it on a Dell Quad-Core Vista 64 machine. At first I didn't think I'd hear any difference in my mp3s between the Dell on-board sound card and the Audigy, boy was I dead wrong.
The add-on needed for optical/coaxial sound is seldom available even on Creative's store. However, if you need Dolby in any way, avoid this card like the plague. There are pros and cons to this audio card alas.PRO: easy to install, and plays well with PC speakers, up to PC surround sound speakers. Lastly, tech support is severely lacking.If you wish surround sound on a desktop PC, this card might suit you. For Blu-Ray and Media PCs, get this card: Diamond XtremeSound 7.1/24 bit Sound Card with Dolby Digital Live ( XS71DDL ) Drivers took minutes to install, and the converted volume control allows you to set each speaker.CON: Does not support true Dolby 5.1/6.1/7.1, thereby making it incompatible with HD DVD and Blu-ray. Optical sound to an audio receiver stands at Stereo PCM, not 5.1.
It turned out to be an issue with my motherboard, not the onboard audio specifically (so the sound card didn't fix the problem), but after using the card for a few weeks, I've decided to keep it anyway since I can notice some subtle differences in the quality of my sound as compared to the onboard audio on my motherboard. I actually only ended up with this card after purchasing it to try and solve a problem I was having with audio stuttering using the onboard audio. This is a good cheap sound card for those looking to go away from onboard audio without spending an arm and a log for a bunch of features and hype that most people really don't need. I hear a bit more detail in my music and games using this card as compared to the Realtek onboard audio on my motherboard.
Installation was a breeze though. And on the plus side I've gotten ~5-10% less CPU usage. It was not. vibrations from hard drives, dvd player, etc). I bought this card to get away from my onboard sound of my ASUS P5B motherboard.
If you need to tweak every sound setting this card is not for you. Can't say I mind since there are a number of free equalizers available online, google will guide you if interested. like I had from my integrated audio. Comes with an equalizer, but I think it only applies to the media player that is included as well because I can't tell a difference for the rest of my system. For those unfamiliar with how sound works:**Most motherboards DON'T have dedicated hardware to process music or multi-channel sound and instead use software and custom drivers (aka a codec) and the cpu to supplement a sound card**This method is not good for multiple reasons in that it takes away from system performance and it provides inferior sound quality in the process. 24 bit/96khz is more than enough for non-audiophiles who just want a clean sound. The clarity and crispness of the sound is far beyond anything that can be provided by integrated sound. Details aside this card is perfect for anyone looking to have a notch above integrated sound.
I was having issues with audio lag and crackling from my headphones and thought the problem would be solved if I bought a sound card. Says it has EAX capabilities but I don't have any games that support EAX so can't test that out. If you've been thinking you want a hassle free way to have solid audio for less than $30 then this is the perfect card. However, I did figure out the problem with my mobo (PCIe x16 link settings stuck at x1) and considered returning to onboard sound until I started using this. While this is by no means the best sound card out there it has a dedicated chip and the sound has no trace of interferance from other components (i.e.
The Sound Blaster card is a whole lot cheaper than the external usb box that it replaced. It is worth every penny and out performs cards that are much more expensive. I bought this card to replace an external box that quit working after several years of use. I am totally satisfied with this card, as it allows me to have true surround sound, and also comes with a program that has a graphic equalizer and allows you to add all different kinds of special sound effects. I am 100% satisfied with its performance and highly recommend it. I have six speakers and a sub-woofer connected to my computer, so the standard sound card thats installed on the motherboard only allows for one connection. This Sound Blaster Audigy Se card intalls inside my computer so I don't have to tie up a usb slot like I did for the external box.
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