BF2S Forums Looking for Sound Card

Depends on what OS you're running. If you're not running Vista then an X-Fi card is the best thing you could invest in. Even the lowest model of X-Fi is going to blow the card you have now out of the water.

XtremeGamer is the absolute best way to go. I have it...it's AMAZING for gaming.

I would personally suggest going with the Fatal1ty version if you're willing to drop the extra money. Having the extra console in one of the cd drive bays is very useful, plus it gives you the option for digital optical sound which is very nice. On the other hand, if you don't want to spend the extra money then go with the XtremeGamer, it's still a badass card.

what speakers do you have?

BeerzGod wrote:

Depends on what OS you're running. If you're not running Vista then an X-Fi card is the best thing you could invest in. Even the lowest model of X-Fi is going to blow the card you have now out of the water.

Don't say that, SBLive owns!

I have an X-Fi extreme Gamer, i'm on xp. I can run all games at the max audio quality, ultra high for most, in 5.1, never had any driver/other issues, though if you switch to vista this will change it's the cheapest card that ;ets you run all settings ultra high.

So what are the biggest advantages of the Fatal1ty over the XtremeGamer? My friend has the Fatalit1y and loves the front audio port because he can do guitar recording and stuff with it, but since I'm not into that, what does having digital optical sound and stuff mean?

Since I'm going to college in about a year and there will probably be little (if any) money upgrading this comp, would I ever have problems hooking up my computer to a home theater set up with the XtremeGamer?

Max, I currently have I think Logitech X-230 speakers, the ones with two satellites and the sub woofer, similar to the one with five satellites. Using Icemat Siberia headset.

Thanks so far guys.

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

Mitch92uK wrote:

I have an X-Fi extreme Gamer, i'm on xp. I can run all games at the max audio quality, ultra high for most, in 5.1, never had any driver/other issues, though if you switch to vista this will change it's the cheapest card that ;ets you run all settings ultra high.

o you saying my audigy can't do that? o.O

Nah i didn't mean that but I know of people buying the extreme music then not being able to use the x-fi setting because technically it isn't, the extreme gamer is the cheapest with the x-fi chip or something ...  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-fi

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

So what are the biggest advantages of the Fatal1ty over the XtremeGamer? My friend has the Fatalit1y and loves the front audio port because he can do guitar recording and stuff with it, but since I'm not into that, what does having digital optical sound and stuff mean?

Since I'm going to college in about a year and there will probably be little (if any) money upgrading this comp, would I ever have problems hooking up my computer to a home theater set up with the XtremeGamer?

Max, I currently have I think Logitech X-230 speakers, the ones with two satellites and the sub woofer, similar to the one with five satellites. Using Icemat Siberia headset.

Thanks so far guys.

Ok, the ExtremeGamer;

-Doesn't come with a front bay
-Doesn't have digital output/input, digital is like a higher quality sound, though analogue still sounds fine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_sou … ital_sound
-Not sure about the home theatre but I'd assume most home theatres use optical/digital input and so there may be a problem ...

I'm pretty sure that's right :p

feel free to correct

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

Cool man, I'm looking about getting the X-Fi Fatal1ty without the front port. Gets me the extra input/output and a better sample rate for only about $30 more than the Gamer.

If you'll use if the SPDIF's worth it, just I had very little funds at the time and don't use anything with SPDIF

Last edited by Mitch92uK (2008-04-15 05:36:36)

Zimmer wrote:

Don't. Get the ASUS Sonar. It's about 10x better than any Creative card ( fact - there is a comment about it somewhere on this forum and a review ).
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showprodu … mp;subcat=
It beats all of them and has official DOLBY surround sound and is officially better than any creative sound card.

It's true, the Xonar cards produce better quality audio than any of the X-Fi range, the DX (and probably the others too) allow enabling of X-Fi mode in most games as well (yes BF2 too), win win all round.

.Sup wrote:

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

Zimmer wrote:

Don't. Get the ASUS Sonar. It's about 10x better than any Creative card ( fact - there is a comment about it somewhere on this forum and a review ).
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showprodu … mp;subcat=
It beats all of them and has official DOLBY surround sound and is officially better than any creative sound card.

It's true, the Xonar cards produce better quality audio than any of the X-Fi range, the DX (and probably the others too) allow enabling of X-Fi mode in most games as well (yes BF2 too), win win all round.

X-FI is better for gaming. EAX 5.0.

Xonars do that too, software rather than hardware based encoding but the sound replication is identical.

Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2008-04-15 07:22:54)

.Sup wrote:

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

.Sup wrote:

X-FI is better for gaming. EAX 5.0.

Xonars do that too, software rather than hardware based encoding but the sound replication is identical.

Are you sure it has EAX 5?

Yes.

Edit : Not 5, it has compatability to 2 and it has it's own equivalent for Vista - it converts the EAX to its own sound.