Audiophile 2496 and Sblive Value

Fisu · Jun 24, 2003, 12:50 PM

I mean this with no disrespect to Kx driver developers; you actually made my cheap Sblive Value worth something. Anyhow now that I got this new card I must do little comparison.

AC3 passthrough works wonderfully and Spdif output always, without any hazzle, outputs 1:1 digital signal(according to RMAA 5.1). With Kxdrivers my Value didn't output AC3 nor did the spdif output anything else than 48Khz/16-bit signal with low quality conversion.

The midi output passes sysex information without any CPU usage, kxdrivers (must be a bug) made the computer nearly freeze during the transmission. Also there is hardware handling the midi connections so the latency and timing should be good.

The difference in sound quality both, in analoq and digital outputs is very, very noticeable. According to http://www.pcavtech.com/soundcards/ the Digital output of the Sblive 4620 (value?) is flawed and it certainely sounds very different, especially in the bass part. Also according to RMAA tests I did (value out->audiophile in and audiphile->audiophile), the sblive value's both outputs are pretty close to audiphile's, but I would have to say that by ear the difference is much more obvious. I haven't compared (with RMAA) the sblive's line in to the audiophile's 2 x audio in, but I'm going to assume the difference there is the same or (as more probably) greater. In a few recording tests I made the key difference was that I didn't have to scroll the mixer slider in place somewhere 1/4 from the bottom like I had to do with sblive, but it was just right the way at the full 0db.

I haven't compared ASIO, Gsif etc. and I don't believe the comparison is necassary, atleast at this point in kxdriver development.

I'v had exactly one problem with this card as of yet: windows XP digital (through IDE) CD-playback is somehow bugged.

I hope this information is useful to someone. Both cards work great alongside and currently sblive is working as a soundfont playback device (sblive 48Khz digital out -> audiophile digital in).

Fisu · Jun 24, 2003, 01:09 PM

I just found two RMAA 5.1 test on my HD I did a few days ago. The first one is audiophile analoq out -> analoq in and the secound is Sblive digital out (48Khz / 16-bit) to audiophile digital in. In comparison the audiophile digital loopback was the same as reference.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/tuomas.t/Audiophile.htm
http://www.kolumbus.fi/tuomas.t/Sblive_48khz.htm

Serenitynow · Jun 24, 2003, 03:41 PM

Thanks for the review. I found it interesting that the AP card's analog test didn't test out as all excellent and also that even with similar #'s the AP sounded better than the SB. Would an average person listening to both cards always say that the AP sounded better? I guess to be fair, I mean recorded and played back on the same card.

Also, when you use your Sblive digital out (48Khz / 16-bit) to audiophile digital in (for soundfonts) can you still be recording it on the AP in 24/96?

Thanks for your help!!

Jun 24, 2003, 12:50 PM	#1
Fisu DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Audiophile 2496 and Sblive Value I mean this with no disrespect to Kx driver developers; you actually made my cheap Sblive Value worth something. Anyhow now that I got this new card I must do little comparison. AC3 passthrough works wonderfully and Spdif output always, without any hazzle, outputs 1:1 digital signal(according to RMAA 5.1). With Kxdrivers my Value didn't output AC3 nor did the spdif output anything else than 48Khz/16-bit signal with low quality conversion. The midi output passes sysex information without any CPU usage, kxdrivers (must be a bug) made the computer nearly freeze during the transmission. Also there is hardware handling the midi connections so the latency and timing should be good. The difference in sound quality both, in analoq and digital outputs is very, very noticeable. According to http://www.pcavtech.com/soundcards/ the Digital output of the Sblive 4620 (value?) is flawed and it certainely sounds very different, especially in the bass part. Also according to RMAA tests I did (value out->audiophile in and audiphile->audiophile), the sblive value's both outputs are pretty close to audiphile's, but I would have to say that by ear the difference is much more obvious. I haven't compared (with RMAA) the sblive's line in to the audiophile's 2 x audio in, but I'm going to assume the difference there is the same or (as more probably) greater. In a few recording tests I made the key difference was that I didn't have to scroll the mixer slider in place somewhere 1/4 from the bottom like I had to do with sblive, but it was just right the way at the full 0db. I haven't compared ASIO, Gsif etc. and I don't believe the comparison is necassary, atleast at this point in kxdriver development. I'v had exactly one problem with this card as of yet: windows XP digital (through IDE) CD-playback is somehow bugged. I hope this information is useful to someone. Both cards work great alongside and currently sblive is working as a soundfont playback device (sblive 48Khz digital out -> audiophile digital in).

Jun 24, 2003, 03:41 PM	#3
Serenitynow DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	audiophile vs. Sblive... Thanks for the review. I found it interesting that the AP card's analog test didn't test out as all excellent and also that even with similar #'s the AP sounded better than the SB. Would an average person listening to both cards always say that the AP sounded better? I guess to be fair, I mean recorded and played back on the same card. Also, when you use your Sblive digital out (48Khz / 16-bit) to audiophile digital in (for soundfonts) can you still be recording it on the AP in 24/96? Thanks for your help!! __________________ Thanks! Serenitynow

Jun 24, 2003, 01:09 PM	Thread Starter #2
Fisu DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	I just found two RMAA 5.1 test on my HD I did a few days ago. The first one is audiophile analoq out -> analoq in and the secound is Sblive digital out (48Khz / 16-bit) to audiophile digital in. In comparison the audiophile digital loopback was the same as reference. http://www.kolumbus.fi/tuomas.t/Audiophile.htm http://www.kolumbus.fi/tuomas.t/Sblive_48khz.htm