[mAsh]

I've been in a dilemma for the past couple of weeks (since I received my A900s that is), about upgrading my computer source. Im a heavy gamer and a music lover, so I was hardlocked between the EMU-0404 and the Audigy2 ZS. However, you said that you can use them both, AND gain from the hardware sound processing (3D + EAX effects) of the A2ZS and have the EMU's sound quality.

Is this easy to setup, and will I really notice an improvement in my games and music?

Plus how much better is the EMU in comparison to the A2ZS, and how much better is the 1212m in comparison to the 0404?

Lotsa questions there

 

[Mr.Radar]

The 0404 is way above the Audigy in sound quality and the 1212m is a step up from the 0404. You'll definately notice an improvent in your music with the 0404 or 1212m. If you want the sound quality of the 0404 or 1212m with the positional effects of the Audigy then send the Audigy's digital output to the 1212m's digital input and use the 0404/1212m as your DAC (you just need to set it up right in the Patchmix control thingy (I don't own an EMU card so I couldn't help you with that)).

 

[mAsh]

Hmm... Thanks

Im just sorry about my wallet

 

[aug1516]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Radar The 0404 is way above the Audigy in sound quality and the 1212m is a step up from the 0404. You'll definately notice an improvent in your music with the 0404 or 1212m. If you want the sound quality of the 0404 or 1212m with the positional effects of the Audigy then send the Audigy's digital output to the 1212m's digital input and use the 0404/1212m as your DAC (you just need to set it up right in the Patchmix control thingy (I don't own an EMU card so I couldn't help you with that)).

This has recently been brought up in another thread and according to Creative, EAX and any kind of CMSS enhanced 3d audio is not output via the digital out on the Audigy sound cards. So when you are gaming, the sound you get out of the Audigy would be the same as the sound coming out of the EMU. They are both just stereo PCM signals. I would sell the Audigy 2 and just keep the EMU.

 

[Asmo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aug1516 This has recently been brought up in another thread and according to Creative, EAX and any kind of CMSS enhanced 3d audio is not output via the digital out on the Audigy sound cards. So when you are gaming, the sound you get out of the Audigy would be the same as the sound coming out of the EMU. They are both just stereo PCM signals. I would sell the Audigy 2 and just keep the EMU.

This is true, and is a reason why I never understood why people suggested doin this, its been known for awhile, from people with digital connected pc speakers who discovered this as well.

The only reason would be for compatibility, or 'performance' but I have not noticed any probs with the emu 1212m in the games i have tried.

Only reason to keep an audigy 2 would be to have them connected to a set of surround pc speakers for gaming, and keep the emu hooked up to your music listening setup.

 

[aug1516]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asmo This is true, and is a reason why I never understood why people suggested doin this, its been known for awhile, from people with digital connected pc speakers who discovered this as well. The only reason would be for compatibility, or 'performance' but I have not noticed any probs with the emu 1212m in the games i have tried. Only reason to keep an audigy 2 would be to have them connected to a set of surround pc speakers for gaming, and keep the emu hooked up to your music listening setup.

Well there are still people around here that didn't know this and have recommended that people keep their Audigy to get EAX and 3d audio via the digital output. You should chime in on the other thread titled "Gaming Sound Card" or something like that.

 

[mAsh]

but would i still get a performance increase by using the audigy and not just the EMU? does the audigy process sound at all, or does it just passes the workload along to the EMU?

i dont get this

 

[QSilver]

I read a review of I think one of the M-Audio cards the Revolution 7.1 or the 2496 I can't remember which and the reviewer tested one of those cards against an Audigy2 specifically for performance in Directsound, Directsound3d, and the Audigy2 had about 1% cpu use average compared to the 10% cpu usage of the M-Audio card. That was enough to grab my attention as 10% cpu usage would impact game performance for sure. Someone needs to do a cpu performance test with Directsound on the 0404 for sure. It could be that the EMU 0404 performs very well.

 

[QSilver]

Just checked and it was a review of the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 at Digit-Life, they include RightMark 3D Sound benchmarks of that card against an Audigy2 and the Audigy2 beats it by a BIG margin in cpu load:

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/...n71/index.html

That site also reviewed a M-Audio Audiophile 2496 but did not bother to test the 3DSound performance in Directsound2d/3d, too bad. I have never seen a test like this done on the EMU 0404 or 1212m. Hopefully someone who has either the 0404 or 1212m will see this and get the RightMark 3D Sound benchmark application it is free and only 1.82mb in size. Here is the link to the download page, it is the first file on the list: http://audio.rightmark.org/download.shtml

After you install the RightMark program there will be a shortcut to "RightMark 3DSound CPU Utilization test" in your start menu. Then post your results here if you can.

 

[mAsh]

i really want to find out about this

 

[aug1516]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mAsh but would i still get a performance increase by using the audigy and not just the EMU? does the audigy process sound at all, or does it just passes the workload along to the EMU? i dont get this

I can't see how you would get any kind of perormance increase from the Audigy. The only performance increase comes when the Audigy uses it's hardware to process the 3d audio information. Since the digital connection doesn't use any of this, the performance increase would not exist. You might as well use the EMU for gaming IMO.

 

[Mr.Radar]

The Audigy cards have hardware mixing, while Envy24 based cards do it in software, which when you get into the 64 audio stream range can take up a huge amount of CPU power.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aug1516 I can't see how you would get any kind of perormance increase from the Audigy. The only performance increase comes when the Audigy uses it's hardware to process the 3d audio information. Since the digital connection doesn't use any of this, the performance increase would not exist. You might as well use the EMU for gaming IMO.

Why not run the Audigy's analog out into the EMU's analog in? At least that way you'll still get the Audigy's EAX processing if that's what you're after, even if it's coming through the Audigy's lower-quality DAC. (Or, if you've got an input switcher, run the Audigy and EMU into that and switch between them.)

Given the fact that EAX doesn't work on the S/PDIF out, it does look like there's no point in using the Audigy's digital out, but you can still take advantage of if you use an analog connection.

 

[aug1516]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dixie Flatline Why not run the Audigy's analog out into the EMU's analog in? At least that way you'll still get the Audigy's EAX processing if that's what you're after, even if it's coming through the Audigy's lower-quality DAC. (Or, if you've got an input switcher, run the Audigy and EMU into that and switch between them.) Given the fact that EAX doesn't work on the S/PDIF out, it does look like there's no point in using the Audigy's digital out, but you can still take advantage of if you use an analog connection.

That is probably the best way to go if you want EAX from the Audigy and don't want to use any kind of splitter with your headphone amp.

 

[Rempert]

It would probably be worth the hassle to use a splitter or even make the switch manually for long gaming sessions. It's bad enough that Creative is forcing you to use their DAC, but having to then go through both ADC and DAC on the other card will surely make things worse.