The Soundcard Is Dead: Anand

[ROBSCIX]

Not off the top of my head. I will see if I can find it though. It wasn't official tests, just guys posting findings in a thread. If you have the gear, try the test. Depends alot on the soundcard and receiver you have. If you are using a onboard as a link to a receiver, your getting the best sound possible. How ever if you have one of the newer cards you may find your set up will sound much better using analog connections over digital. Test for yourself.

[Donnie27]

I'm talking about a seperate PC used soley for that purpose - not your only rig

I know, I have an old P4 2.6C in my Den and that's where I might use one of the CMedia based cards. Honestly, I don't see much use for them otherwise, but that's just me.

What I meant was, I've seen way more computers not connected to the HTS in most folks homes. For every one HTPC I see, I see about 10 folks NOT using it as such. While visiting Germany, I saw much more of that kind of thing. Most folks there have limited space.

[Donnie27]

Very interesting, I don't suppose you have a link to a AVS thread regarding this?

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=897555

I never post there but read their threads quite a bit!

Using the 7.1 analog outs is the only way to take full advantage of the high-end parts on the Xonar (and the Prelude, which I went with). DVD-Audio playback on PowerDVD Ultra sounds incredible and easily outperforms most, if not all universal players I have heard, so much so, that I use my HTPC as the DVD-Audio player on my main system. I don't believe you can transmit high resolution audio via the toslink/optical or coax digital ports due to digital rights issues and/or bandwidth limitations.

[ROBSCIX]

Very interesting, I don't suppose you have a link to a AVS thread regarding this?

It was the AV forum X-Meridian 7.1 thread. Here:
Auzentech X-Meridian 7.1 thread
Now there are quite a few post in this thread to look through but you see alot of instances of posts such as this:

Sound quality is exceptional due the reason, I'm not sure whether or not it can get any better than this. I have the LM4562 opamps.
I basically, hear no difference between letting the card perform the D/A or letting the Arcam does it. Now, mind you that the Arcam AVP700 is a mighty processor when it comes to Music playback.

There have been comparison to ROTEL's, Arcam, DAC's as well as quite a few Receivers. If you have the gear and one of the new modern cards try it out and judge for yourself. It doesn't really mean the receiver or Pre/Pro is bad it is just the DAC section of the card is better.

[Donnie27]

Anyway, the sound card isn't dead and ain't dying anytime soon.

[khellandros66]

Nah it`ll be around...though I think creative should sue the big MB manufacs for their integrated set ups screwing the entire external pci sound card market.

Though, last I checked, doesn`t hdmi mean you can have your gpu working as a sound card 0_o

Perkam

I think they should wisen up and embrace this ideal...

I would love a Xi-Fi Onbaord that has Dolby Digital Live, and THX certified, with the right caps, DACSs and op-amps. I would rather see that then 10 usb port connections and a dozen SATA ports. Gimme a great gaming board with SLI, Xi-Fi, 4 Sata Ports, 2 external usb, 1 eSATA, and I will be happier then a pig in $h!t, I would drop $300-350 on a board like that...

~Bobby

[RAW-Raptor22]

I think they should wisen up and embrace this ideal...

I would love a Xi-Fi Onbaord that has Dolby Digital Live, and THX certified, with the right caps, DACSs and op-amps. I would rather see that then 10 usb port connections and a dozen SATA ports. Gimme a great gaming board with SLI, Xi-Fi, 4 Sata Ports, 2 external usb, 1 eSATA, and I will be happier then a pig in $h!t, I would drop $300-350 on a board like that...

~Bobby

^^^+1

[Zorlac]

I want a non-Creative Labs card with the following:

1. PCI Express
2. Native OpenAL (hardware accelerated in Vista 64 if possible)
3. Native XAudio2 (hardware accelerated in Vista 64 if possible)
4. 128+ voices for gaming
5. Uncompressed multi-channel out via HDMI
6. Solid Caps
7. High-end upgradeable DACs just in case my Marantz receiver does suck compared to the DACs on the card...heh
8. Amazing driver support with releases frequently (i.e. nVIDIA/ATI)
9. Software = driver & config panel (no more/no less)

[`danny]

I want a non-Creative Labs card with the following:

1. PCI Express
2. Native OpenAL (hardware accelerated in Vista 64 if possible)
3. Native XAudio2 (hardware accelerated in Vista 64 if possible)
4. 128+ voices for gaming
5. Uncompressed multi-channel out via HDMI
6. Solid Caps
7. High-end upgradeable DACs just in case my Marantz receiver does suck compared to the DACs on the card...heh
8. Amazing driver support with releases frequently (i.e. nVIDIA/ATI)
9. Software = driver & config panel (no more/no less)

I'd almost die for one of those

[Donnie27]

I think they should wisen up and embrace this ideal...

I would love a Xi-Fi Onbaord that has Dolby Digital Live, and THX certified, with the right caps, DACSs and op-amps. I would rather see that then 10 usb port connections and a dozen SATA ports. Gimme a great gaming board with SLI, Xi-Fi, 4 Sata Ports, 2 external usb, 1 eSATA, and I will be happier then a pig in $h!t, I would drop $300-350 on a board like that...

~Bobby

Sure as hell not getting it with current $350 motherboards LOL!

Sorry Zorlac. X-Fi Prelude is already on the market and doing just fine thank you very much There is already an minimal install with drivers and Audio Control app. Anyone with real experience and not talking out their @$$ already knows that LOL!

[Zorlac]

Sure as hell not getting it with current $350 motherboards LOL!

Sorry Zorlac. X-Fi Prelude is already on the market and doing just fine thank you very much There is already an minimal install with drivers and Audio Control app. Anyone with real experience and not talking out their @$$ already knows that LOL!

The Prelude is still a Creative Labs X-Fi at its core and the drivers are still written by Creative Labs. The card is not PCI Express. There is no uncompressed multi-channel HDMI audio out (no such card exists). There is no native XAudio2 support (..and again, no such card exists yet).

I have a X-fi Elite Pro and have had nothing but problems and many annoying issues in XP Pro 32 and now in Vista Ultimate 64. I have been tempted to buy a Prelude until my dream cards come out, but I dont see how the Prelude would fix my driver issues since the drivers on each card are from the same company (props to Auzentech if they do not include all the bloatware). I have also looked into the Claro Plus+ card, but then I would be missing out on native hardware accelerated OpenAL in the Vista games that do support it.

At this point, I do not see a clear choice for hardware accelerated audio for gamers in Vista except for a Creative based native OpenAL card, but not all games use OpenAL. There is also FMOD and soon XAudio2 just to name a few possible future standards.

Why doesnt nVIDIA just buy out Creative Labs and then release an uber soundcard based on the SoundStorm with Creative tech and all the other bells and whistles I mentioned in my prior post???? I bet Creative would be chump change to nVIDIA!

[Soulburner]

You need PCI Express for what?

And while I bet they could purchase Creative, they would'nt be "chump change". You have to remember sound cards aren't the only thing they make.

[Zorlac]

Based off of Anandtechs article, it does not appear Creative is worth much anymore....stock price reflecting this. *shrug*

...let a man dream!

EDIT: And I dont "need" PCI Express, but it sure is nice to get rid of legacy standards. I'm sure most gamers only use one PCI slot if any now anyways (that being a sound card).

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

Based off of Anandtechs article, it does not appear Creative is worth much anymore....stock price reflecting this. *shrug*

...let a man dream!

EDIT: And I dont "need" PCI Express, but it sure is nice to get rid of legacy standards. I'm sure most gamers only use one PCI slot if any now anyways (that being a sound card).

Stock price isn't the only thing needed to consider.

How about how many stocks for start.


Also, for all you people who want onboard high end audio. That is dumb.

The interference from the mobo is a big reason why onboard sucks. but not the only.

[Donnie27]

The Prelude is still a Creative Labs X-Fi at its core and the drivers are still written by Creative Labs. The card is not PCI Express. There is no uncompressed multi-channel HDMI audio out (no such card exists). There is no native XAudio2 support (..and again, no such card exists yet).

I have a X-fi Elite Pro and have had nothing but problems and many annoying issues in XP Pro 32 and now in Vista Ultimate 64. I have been tempted to buy a Prelude until my dream cards come out, but I dont see how the Prelude would fix my driver issues since the drivers on each card are from the same company (props to Auzentech if they do not include all the bloatware). I have also looked into the Claro Plus+ card, but then I would be missing out on native hardware accelerated OpenAL in the Vista games that do support it.

At this point, I do not see a clear choice for hardware accelerated audio for gamers in Vista except for a Creative based native OpenAL card, but not all games use OpenAL. There is also FMOD and soon XAudio2 just to name a few possible future standards.

Why doesnt nVIDIA just buy out Creative Labs and then release an uber soundcard based on the SoundStorm with Creative tech and all the other bells and whistles I mentioned in my prior post???? I bet Creative would be chump change to nVIDIA!

Yes and I'm using a Creative X-Fi right now with ZERO PROBLEMS. I've seen far more folks with working X-Fi than mess up ones. I don't need PCI-E or 64bit and I'm still very happy with WinXP 32bit. Yet, other folks I know with 64bit Vista and WinXP aren't having any problems either.

Not all games use OpenAL but most of the good ones do. Even none EAX and OpenAL games like Half Life 2 still sound great because these games will use up to 8 sounds to just make machine-gun fire. NOTHING processes sounds faster than Creative's DSP=P Ask a Headphone guy about the difference between a slow and a fast Driver to see what I mean. So its 128 voices are easily processed with low latency. No back and forth to the CPU so no delay.

Instead of arguing, let's trouble shoot your system tomorrow? Deal?