I'm upgrading my system and am looking for a soundcard... any recomendations?

I've considered the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum because the features and the breakout box are good fit with my needs, although the reviews haven't been all that great. I'd like 24bit, optical I/O and at a minimum , THX, etc. are nice but no required. An included breakout box or front panel would be REALLY nice all in the $200 price range.

 

I have the original Audigy card. $50 around a year ago. Great card for the money. Sounds clean and crisp.

 

I would never buy anything from creative. Mediocre products for a TON of money. I mean, who would pay 200+ for a soundcard (audigy platinum) Forget creative.....get the best......FOR LESS!!!

1. Guillemot Digifire 7.1($50)
2. Guillemot Fortissmo III 7.1($40)
3. Philips PSC604 or PSC605 ($25.00-$39)
4.Turtle Beach Santa Cruz($25)

 

Audigys are $50 if you know where to look.

 

The bottom of the barrel audiogy is 50 bucks. the top of the line ones are more. I have creative, but I also have a POS old computer. If I had to buy another car today, it would be one of those.

 

If you want features and good gaming, you have to go creative, it's as simple as that. Yeah, the company sucks and and so does the vast majority of the software they put out, but the hardware works very well and no one else has the industry wide support that creative has established. Also, last I checked, all audigy 2 cards use the same chip, with different features tacked on (ie live drive, games, sound editing software etc.).

 

yeah, for me the attraction is the break-out box. If the thing works I'll be very happy!

 

for fantastic sound quality go with m-audio revolutions

 

Seriously, try something like this from Guitar Center, the M-Audio 7.1 24/96khz card for $99.99. I used cards like this when I built my college's radio station. They work well.


http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=03...ase_pid/703670/

 

BTW: let's see creative put out something with clean sound -- the card above has a 107dB signal-to-noise ratio.