MrPeabody Posted August 24, 2001 Share Posted August 24, 2001 So I am building me dream office now which means I get to run speaker wires for rear speakers ...yeah! My question is, shall I upgrade to the SBLive 5.1 XGamer or should I go with the AE 5.1? I've read that peeps are having trouble with rear seperation using the SBLive card however, the AE doesn't seem to offer a Dolby Digital decoder(Correct?). The software bundle with the XGamer is better but I need a GOOD card not more games! My last card was a Monster MX300 which was good except that they stopped making them and I can't get new drivers for it. I don't want to go with the AE and then have Philips abandon their sound card division ... SB has been around a long time and seems to be there for the long run. I am leaning towards returning the SBLive 5.1 I bought and getting the AE. How about sharing your feelings on this issue. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin_tx_16 Posted August 24, 2001 Share Posted August 24, 2001 first of all, what OS do you have? I personally would go for Creative, maybe the new audigy if you can. there is this realy cool adapter you can get for your sb live cards that makes optical inputs or outputs and all kinds of other great stuff for only 21 bucks. the AE is really cool with the channel seperating and the DD thing... i think it requires a seperate decoder like the Audio Tornado. If you really want a super system then you would get the Hercules Game Theator XP. that thing really really rocks, it has a daughter board thing that has all kinds of options. The audigy is really powerful, 4x more powerful than the current live sound cards. but the price and the release date is unknown to me. ------------------ -justin Just do me a favor and run up my counter... I know that sounds sad but so is my site! http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/berry/88/ I beat DBvader to 600 posts! I beat DBvader to 700 posts! This message has been edited by justin_tx_16 on 08-24-2001 at 04:31 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPeabody Posted August 24, 2001 Author Share Posted August 24, 2001 Thanks for your input! I am running Win98 with no immediate plans for upgrades. I have a feeling the audiogy(sp) is going to be a little too pricyfor awhile and I need a card now. So is the Dolby decoder a major point to have? I mainly do games and MP3s and want to have the best sound experience when gaming. I am afraid I don't no much about the Hercules card but will look into it. Doesm the AE rear channel seperation come in handy? I mean will it make a difference for most of the games (and MP3s) avaliable now and ones to come? I want to stay under 100 bucks... since I'll be throwing most of my cash on the 4.1s! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VIV Posted August 24, 2001 Share Posted August 24, 2001 Nah, go with the AE. I've tested both cards on MY speaker system (MUCH higher quality then any multimedia system), and the AE provides a better and nicer overall sound. You might think the QMSS funtion (the one that seperates the channels so well) isn't much, but think about it this way. The AE can take a good 2.1 speaker system and produce a very reasonable facsimile of a 5.1 environment, and in a 4.1 setup, I found a phantom centre channel to be more pronounced. Another interesting advantage is the ability to take a stereo source (mp3) and blow it out into a full 5.1 (or in the Pro's case, a 4.1). Unless you're a VERY strict audio purest (because the music is stereo, they would argue that playing it in something like 4.1 would colour the sound), you would probably find the effect to be pleasing. As for the GTXP, ya, if you want the breakout box, go for it. It'll provide the same quality as the AE (they're both similar, AND they're both higher quality then the Live 5.1), so either one will do. As for the Audigy, don't put ANY faith in it until it's come out and been reviewed by reputable sites (3dsounddurge). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin_tx_16 Posted August 24, 2001 Share Posted August 24, 2001 yeah, that is so true. i would go with the AE if you want the channeling it is just that the SB Live does not take up so much resources so that you could game smoother, but if you are really making a rock'in system the extra ram and MHz or GHz will more than makeup the difference of the AE. I really really really love the GTXP. you have to check it out. you can find some for around 120. ------------------ -justin I am an amateur, but if it is professional help you want contact Amy. Email Amy or Call Toll Free: 1-888-554-5665 Just do me a favor and run up my counter... I know that sounds sad but so is my site! http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/berry/88/ I beat DBvader to 600 posts! I beat DBvader to 700 posts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPeabody Posted August 24, 2001 Author Share Posted August 24, 2001 My system specifics Win98 ABIT BH6 Celery OC'd to 850 128 ram Voodoo3 AGP HP burner CD-ROM etc... So would this system be more than sufficient to handle the AE without any slowdown? I really aprreciate this information. Does the Hercules card also have channel speration like the AE card?] This message has been edited by MrPeabody on 08-24-2001 at 10:56 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VIV Posted August 24, 2001 Share Posted August 24, 2001 I'm CURRENTLY running a Celery 466, 192 megs PC133, TNT2 U.... and everything works fine with my AE, so should be no probs with yours. PS. buy some more RAM it's cheap as hell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin_tx_16 Posted August 25, 2001 Share Posted August 25, 2001 yeah, you should be ok but really, get some mroe ram if you can, it is so cheap right now and will be going up in price soon because of a lawsuite made by RAMBUS Corp. Other companies broke a patent law that they had on the SDRAM and that is why it was so cheap, everyone could make it. now that the lawsuit has been settled, some of the low price comapnies have been forced to not make it anymore because they can not afford it. That is how I understand it. ------------------ -justin I am an amateur, but if it is professional help you want contact Amy. Email Amy or call Toll Free: 1-888-554-5665 Just do me a favor and run up my counter... I know that sounds sad but so is my site! http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/berry/88/ I beat DBvader to 600 posts! I beat DBvader to 700 posts! I beat DBvader to 800 posts!** (does not matter anymore though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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