[C4 Suke]

Which do you recommend?

The Audigy 2 is THX certified, if that really means anything, could be that m-audio never paid for certification, while M-Audio has 7.1, but its not even 7.1 dolby digital, I think its just 2 extra speakers.

Other difference I noticed was 106 dB for the Audigy 2, and 107 dB for M-Audio, is this a significant difference? Thanks!

Suke

 

[dd3mon]

This has been covered alot in this very forum, I suggest searching.

Basically it comes down to: Audigy2 is faster for games. Revo sounds better.

That's about it.

-dd3mon

 

[Solude]

Revo hands down. My Revo replaces a Music Hall CD25 as my main source. That's pretty bloody amazing for the price. As for games, EAX is pretty much a non issue and I didn't take a performance hit changing from my Live! to Revo. M-Audio Revo or if you want to spend a little more, AudiophileUSB.

 

[VincentD]

I have read some where that they compare all the different soundcard of 2.1, 4.1, 6.1, 7.1. They say that the audigy 2 win at sound quality at the moment, although they are much more expensive. They also said that no source today used 7.1 channels and that you have to buy alot of speakers to take advantage so the price would than balance out with the audigy 2. But they recommend the Audigy 2 if you like Eax HD games.

 

[MagusG]

I have to put in a vote for the REVO. I don't play games much and I really only use 4.1 sound, but the line outs on this thing are ultra clean. I like it. It blows my live out of the water.
-Mag

 

[Uncledan]

I got both Audigy 2 and M-Audio 7.1.

I vote for M-Auido 7.1 if you short of money.

 

[Mik]

Revo has no hardware mixing and crap drivers but sounds good.

Audigy has hardware mixing, crap drivers and doesn't sound as good as the Revolution.

So game performance with the Revo (or any card based on the Envy24HT chip) is gonna have weak game performance, due to its software-only mixing even in 2 channel situations.

The sound quality difference between the Audigy and Revo is large but the game performance difference is also significant in 2 channel audio (I never use any EAX or 4+ channel stuff). I haven't done any benchmarks but a new game like EVE Online is smooth with the Audigy and is visibly choppier with the Revo on a 1.73GHz AthlonXP with 512MB ram in WinXP.

The s/n ratio numbers given by manufacturers aren't really real. I ran the RMAA 5.0 loopback tests on my Revo last night and here are the results:

http://www.gmronline.com/mik/M-Audio...hz%2016bit.htm

Also, you might want to check this review for some more numbers comparing the Audigy, Revo, and other cards but they messed up something with the RMAA tests cause their numbers for the Revo are way lower than they should be:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...,994531,00.asp

The differences in game performance between the Terratec Aureon 7.1 and the Revolution can be attributed to driver differences. Hopefully the M-Audio drivers will improve soon.

 

[C4 Suke]

I'm leaning more towards the revolution, but I am thinking of adding a reciever in the future and using as a home theater system, so would it matter which one I got? Would the spdif out produce different quality in each sound card, or would it result in the same sound? Thanks!

Suke

 

[Solude]

You'd need one hell of a great receiver to have it's DACs beat the Revo. Hate to sound like a broken record but the Revo replaced a Music Hall CD25 in my system and I love it.

 

[dd3mon]

Quote:

The s/n ratio numbers given by manufacturers aren't really real. I ran the RMAA 5.0 loopback tests on my Revo last night...

The numbers quoted are for one way transfers (the spec is for line-out, line-in may be noisier) under ideal conditions (I'm assuming) - with no cable or EMI interference. I have no doubt the specs given by sound card manufacturers are correct, for how they test (same applies to all audio-hardware companies), it's just sometimes those figures are much different in a real world application (especially when placed inside the average computer with cables everywhere).

-dd3mon

 

[C4 Suke]

"You'd need one hell of a great receiver to have it's DACs beat the Revo. Hate to sound like a broken record but the Revo replaced a Music Hall CD25 in my system and I love it."

Solude, you have any specific reciever in mind? What would beat the Revo? Thanks.

 

[Solude]

Think $2000+ for such a receiver. Talking stereo here though. No idea how the Revo performs as a Dolby 7.1 decoder.

 

[stereth]

Quote:

Originally posted by Mik Hopefully the M-Audio drivers will improve soon.

I hear that! If the drivers in question have the same problems as the drivers for the Sonica, I hope they fix it soon. My Sonica renders games unplayable and Quicktime and Divx movies unwatchable. It can't even handle Flash.

 

[dd3mon]

I think the USB bus is the limitation there, I wouldn't expect performance from any USB (1.0) device. However, firewire

-dd3mon

 

[aos]

Run the test again, in 24 bit / 96kHz mode this time. You'll get better numbers (about -102dB SNR for example). I've posted my results on this card somewhere in DIY forum, though probably on headwize. You're running into theoretical limit of 16 bits so you are not going to be able to measure better than about 96 to 98dB SNR.