[Spitzfiya]

I have the HD-497s and I'm wondering if the Chaintech AV710 would be good for gaming.

Right now im using onboard AC-97 and I really hate it, I havent been able to find a Driver that sounds good with UT2k4 because all of them sound terrible! I can't belive how much difference there is between drivers and how bad they all sound. AC-97 really blows, I have no idea what Drivers i'm supposed to be using...nothing sounds like it should and I can't understand why

The driver eithier sounds really tinny and dull with very odd positioning effects or the Treble is raspy, the bass is gone, or the sound crackles and pops?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

LIKE What? And it's not my headphones....definitly not my HD-497s because they sound absolutly amazing with Foobar + Kernal Streaming or a good source.

I'm so pissed that I can't enjoy any of my games, I really need a decent sound card with no frills, something that sounds good with UT2K4. Since I'm only using headphones I'm guessing the AV-710 is a no brainer but if it sounds wierd in UT2k4 I wont get it....

Can someone comment on the AV-710 + UT2K4?

Thanks!

Stupid onboard sound....

 

[comabereni]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitzfiya I have the HD-497s and I'm wondering if the Chaintech AV710 would be good for gaming. Right now im using onboard AC-97 and I really hate it, I havent been able to find a Driver that sounds good with UT2k4 because all of them sound terrible! I can't belive how much difference there is between drivers and how bad they all sound. AC-97 really blows, I have no idea what Drivers i'm supposed to be using...nothing sounds like it should and I can't understand why The driver eithier sounds really tinny and dull with very odd positioning effects or the Treble is raspy, the bass is gone, or the sound crackles and pops?!?!?!?!?!?!?! LIKE What? And it's not my headphones....definitly not my HD-497s because they sound absolutly amazing with Foobar + Kernal Streaming or a good source. I'm so pissed that I can't enjoy any of my games, I really need a decent sound card with no frills, something that sounds good with UT2K4. Since I'm only using headphones I'm guessing the AV-710 is a no brainer but if it sounds wierd in UT2k4 I wont get it.... Can someone comment on the AV-710 + UT2K4? Thanks! Stupid onboard sound....

I understand the Chaintech is bad for gaming, but I do use it for music. I have Soundblasters of various flavors in several other machines I set up for my kids to game with and they all sound and work good. I know people around here hate the SB Live! series, but I they are good for games and compatible with almost everything. And, as you probably know if you've done much reading on this site, you can have them both in your machine at the same time.

 

[Mr.Radar]

Though you can have SB-Live will work, it's nothing but a driver nightmere for Windows XP machines (and it sounds terrible too, with decent headphones). You should buy the AV-710 from a place you can return it to, like www.newegg.com (which has a great return policy), in case it sounds bad.

EDIT: This is just what I've read/heard from others.

 

[Spitzfiya]

Considering its so cheap and really good for music I think ill take my chances. I'm getting it locally (Order in / Store pickup)

 

[cadobhuk]

I played ut2k4 with audigy 2 and with emu1212m wich is not a gaming card.Emu1212m sounded actually better,but its only downfall was the inability to work in "headphone mode" wich is artificial binaural sound,when gaming soundcard simulates positional sound that allows you to hear if the enemy is behind,below or above you.Audigy2 does that if you open the speaker settings application and set it to headphones.Emu can only output "flat" stereo in games.Av710 would be no better in that regard i imagine.

 

[Mr.Radar]

I've read that most people prefer the "two speaker" mode to the binarual "headphone" mode with the Audigy.

 

[Spitzfiya]

So AV-710 + UT2K4 anyone?

 

[funnytimes]

It should work, but you'll take a performance hit with AV-710, as it borrows a couple CPU cycles. If I were in the market for a cheap gaming card, I'd buy an Audigy 1 LS, a no-frills Audigy 1 card with great gaming performance and decent (alot better than AC97) sound. Froogle says $34-50. doesnt have all the features of audigy 2

audigy 1 not 2

 

[funnytimes]

$29.99 for Audigy LS after $15 rebate, $6 fedex

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduc...102-160&depa=0

Not bad. Too bad my Santa Cruz isnt broken, or I'd replace it with this for my gaming rig.

 

[cadobhuk]

That link shows audigy 1 LS,not audigy2.Too bad.

 

[Mr.Radar]

The Audigy LS and ES aren't hardware accelerated cards like real Audigys. They're actually closer related to the current SoundBlaster 16 line.

 

[Necroist]

If you were to compare the chaintech to nvidia's soundstorm and sblive, which will be better?

 

[Mr.Radar]

The digital and analog outputs of the Chaintech are better than the digital and analog outputs of the nVidia SoundStorm which are better than the digital and analog outputs of the SB-Live.

 

[Imyourzero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Radar The digital and analog outputs of the Chaintech are better than the digital and analog outputs of the nVidia SoundStorm which are better than the digital and analog outputs of the SB-Live.

Yeah, it would seem that 1212m/0404 > AV-710 > SoundStorm > SB Live.

I don't know where the Revo, Sonica, TB Santa Cruz, and other cards fit into that chain though. Also, I've heard that the Audigy 2 > Audigy > SB Live so the Audigy cards may not be quite at the bottom of the chain. I would guess that AC97 audio is at the bottom of everything, though.

 

[skitlets]

I actually found onboard soundstorm ac'97 > audigy 1. The audigy 1 sounded lifeless, dull, and muddy. I believe soundstorm only refers to the optical out, but if its not, then void my comment, because I have a soundstorm mobo.