[dj_stick]

ac-3 and DTS - i think the only real difference is number of channels… afaik ac-3 (dolby digital) is 5.1 while dts is either 6.1 or 7.1
and as for the sound quality it should be the same as it is a digital source and only converted to analog after the processing (whether h/w or s/w)

[wolfran]

Thanks for the info dj_stick.

One more question, I'm sure that SB Audigy DE supports 24bit/96kHz playback, does that mean the card should handle dvd-audio, dvd movies, etc. with multi-channels at 24bit/96kHz with no problems?
It just that the windvd websites mentioned that SB audigy doesn't support 24bit/96kHz.
I'm just rather confused here.

[dj_stick]

no, it does not have the hardware support for 96khz playback… the onboard DSP is locked at 48khz - im not sure if it is 24bit or not though
Audigy 2 models havea p16v chip that supports 24/96 playback and recording

the audigy card, however, will still play back your DVD videa/audio, just that it will re-sample the audio to 48khz

[wolfran]

Originally posted by dj_stick
no, it does not have the hardware support for 96khz playback… the onboard DSP is locked at 48khz - im not sure if it is 24bit or not though
Audigy 2 models havea p16v chip that supports 24/96 playback and recording

the audigy card, however, will still play back your DVD videa/audio, just that it will re-sample the audio to 48khz

But this creative website here says that it does support.
http://asia.creative.com/products/audio/audigyde/
Maybe I don't quite understand it properly, perhaps you could help me with the actual meaning?

[Judas]

wolfran, basically, simply put... it's like driving a car... say the car is driving 96khz/24 bit down a road, this road supports it fully... then you come to road you just can't possibly drive 96khz/24 bit down, however, you can drive 48khz/16bit down no problems.... however, one draw back, EVEN if the road changes back to 96khz/24 bit , the car has already slowed down and can't speed up.... (one way to put it in simplest terms)..... Creative can say they support 96khz/24 bit playback because some specific chips and traces do exactly that... however, it's justa marketing ploy as by the time it gets through the rest of the nessary chips.... the sounds are downsampled against there will, to 48khz/16 bit quality. In order for it to be pure 96khz/24 bit sound, Every single chip on that sound card has to be PURE 96khz/24 bit supported.... and i've yet to see a soundcard that has anything of the sort

[wolfran]

Originally posted by Judas
wolfran, basically, simply put... it's like driving a car... say the car is driving 96khz/24 bit down a road, this road supports it fully... then you come to road you just can't possibly drive 96khz/24 bit down, however, you can drive 48khz/16bit down no problems.... however, one draw back, EVEN if the road changes back to 96khz/24 bit , the car has already slowed down and can't speed up.... (one way to put it in simplest terms)..... Creative can say they support 96khz/24 bit playback because some specific chips and traces do exactly that... however, it's justa marketing ploy as by the time it gets through the rest of the nessary chips.... the sounds are downsampled against there will, to 48khz/16 bit quality. In order for it to be pure 96khz/24 bit sound, Every single chip on that sound card has to be PURE 96khz/24 bit supported.... and i've yet to see a soundcard that has anything of the sort

Nice explanation Judas.
So.....if I'm not mistaken the SB audigy 2 zs should be able to handle pure 24bit/96khz while the SB audigy has only certain components in it that support the 24bit/96kHz.
Is this the case?
I guess my point: what are the advantages of audigy 2 zs compare to audigy de (besides the 7.1 support and advance recording stuff)? Is it worth it to upgrade now? Or does Creative have another card coming out?
I'm going to use it only for games(40%), movies(30%), and musics(30%).

[Judas]

actually... the ZS, even though it has more pure 96khz/24 bit chips on it.... there are still a few that arn't.... however, i think the DJ knows a bit more about which, and were or how to use some of the 24 bit stuff.... i still don't beleive it's truely 24 bit 96khz yet though

[dj_stick]

alright judas, any pure, unaltered (like no EAX effects , reverb, chorus etc) 24/96 audio streams stay at that resolution/sample rate… any EAX or other effects processing does, the sound is re-sampled, and then the effect sound is upmixed and mixed in with the original stream

[wolfran]

So since audigy 2 zs supports 24bit/96kHz while audigy de doesn't. Is it a good upgrade?
Does the sound much cleaner and better quality on audigy 2 zs than audigy 1?
I just don't want to make unnecessary upgrade.
Thanks for all the infos guys. They're really helpful.

[dj_stick]

i don't think the sound will be much difference… only real reason for me to upgrade from my audigy to an audigy 2 would be the 24/96 recording (when supported by kX)
how ever, when using AC-3 passthrough mode on your audigy card, any dobly digital audio will be passed straigh out of the card unaltered and send to an external decoder if you wish it to

[wolfran]

Originally posted by dj_stick
i don't think the sound will be much difference… only real reason for me to upgrade from my audigy to an audigy 2 would be the 24/96 recording (when supported by kX)
how ever, when using AC-3 passthrough mode on your audigy card, any dobly digital audio will be passed straigh out of the card unaltered and send to an external decoder if you wish it to

I guess I'll stay on my audigy de until the next creative card or whatever better solutions later on.

[Geminiwave]

sorry but uh, what is this EEPROM problem you're talking about?

Edit: Crud...didnt notice the 4 extra pages of posts past the one I was looking at. Nevermind you dont have to answer it guys

[dj_stick]

an EEPROM is the programmable memory chip, on the sb cards one of these holds the electronic data identifying the card as what it is - there have been some people to mod these - turning a soundblaster 4.0 to a 5.1 "softmodding" it, and then usign digital outs to get the extra outputs

[Esaz666]

m-audio make good sound cards.
i have an m-audio audiofile 2496 and it has been never given me a problem.
i have now upgraded to emu 1212m and will test it and then post about it.

[raz2007]

Hello!i'm an owner of the SB Live! Platinum 5.1, though i could say i'm satisfied i want somethig better.. i'm thinking of getting a new Audigy 2, but don't want it to cost a lot.. so i was wandering: can i connect the Live! Drive IR to a new audigy2 card? is there any way i can do it?

[dj_stick]

yes you can, read the Audigy 2 AD_EXT thread for more info

[alvinladen]

anyone tried cmi 8768 here? is it good?