[slunk007]

Hey guys,

Looking at that other thread regarding dual soundcard setups has got me thinking... How much better is the Revo or Delta compared to my Audigy2 Platinum for music sound quality?

Yes, I've read all the posts saying that it is better in terms of music sound quality, but I was wondering if someone could elaborate on that a bit.

I'm prepared to drop some dough on another soundcard, but I really want to be sure that I will hear a significant difference in SQ so that I'm not throwing my money away.

One of my main complaints at the moment with my Audigy2 is that I distinctly hear a hissing/static when playing a song thru the headphone jack of the A2 LiveDrive. This only occurs when the headphone volume on the LiveDrive is at 100%. Basically, to get it to playback at a loud enough level, I hear hissing. Would getting a new source fix this?

Finally, are the m-audio cards (revo or delta) capable of playing as loudly as the A2 LiveDrive without an amp thru headphone out? Right now, I find that the sound is almost as loud as I would like it to be on the A2, so knowing whether or not my new card will need an amp RIGHT away would be an important thing to know.

Thanks.

 

[ls20]

i have the revo.... no hissing whatsoever. whether you will need an amp or not will depend on what headphone you choose to use... which also will determine whether you will need to upgrade soundcards in the first grade...

 

[slunk007]

Oh right. I knew I was missing something in my first post. Yeah... I would be using my ATH-A900's with the card. Eventually, I would like to get a JMT Home amp.

I don't notice the hiss on my a2 until I turn the volume up. Then I start to hear hissing.

So if there are any others that have the dual setup going, please elaborate more on the sound differences.

Thanks.

 

[Vedder323]

im standing by on this as well... I cant undertstand what people hear that I cant... I like the sound of my Audigy 2 but most folks here say its trash for music... So, what IS the difference in sound???

 

[lazybum131]

Try plugging your headphones to the jack on the actual Audigy 2 card (back of the computer). The front drive that comes with the Platinum is suppose to degrade the signal.

If you have to up the card volume to 100%, then I think you really need a dedicated amp for your headphones. Just for comparison, with my KSC-50s, it's a comfortable listening level with the master volume on my Audigy 2 set at 15%.

 

[slunk007]

Thanks, but so far, nobody has really addressed my original question. Help me please!

All I am wondering is if someone can explain to me why A2 is not considered a music soundcard. Explain to me how MUCH better you think the m-audio cards are vs creative and WHY. The more descriptive the answer, the better.

Anyone?

 

[lini]

Well, I can only speak for the A1 (haven't checked the A2 yet) compared to the Terratec DMX 6fire (similar to Revo, based on Envy24 soundchip): It's certainly not a day and night kind of difference (only once you're used to the better quality

), but the 6fire delivered a more colourful presentation, while the A1 seemed more flat and lifeless. That was, of course, especially obvious with 16 bit/44 kHz material - but even the Hercules Game Theater XP and the Philips... uhm... top-model of the Edge series, probably the Acoustic Edge... or was it the Seismic Edge? ... anyway, both of these did better than the A1 for redbook, too, although also being of the resampling kind (whereas the Envy24 based cards have no obligatory resampling for 16b/44kHz stuff).

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[slunk007]

Thanks lini! Do you think there would be a noticeable difference if my audio is in MP3 form (--alt-preset-standard)? Would it be much more apparent using CD?

Noob question: Is resampling usually a bad thing?

Thanks.

 

[davvy]

I have got both the A2 Platinum and the Revo (on the same machine).

Yes, the SQ of the Revo is considerably better, but you need decent equipment to appreciate it.

My headphone setup is just the D66 Eggos, unamped (and hopefully to be upgraded later this year). To be honest with these, there is possibly a slight edge to the Revo over the A2, but I am not sure if you snuck around the back of my computer and switched between the cards I would even notice.

But when I connect them to my stereo in the lounge, which is only a low-mid fi system worth maybe US$2500, the difference is obvious. It is a while since I did the A-B testing but as I remember, via the analogue outs the Revo just sounded cleaner throughout bass, midrange and treble with the tighter, punchier bass standing out in particular compared to the A2. Connecting the digital outs to my Audio Analogue Maestro CD player (which has digital input) the Revo is again a clear winner (presumably due to the A2s resampling issues), with the A2 sounding generally veiled and muddy in comparison. By the way far and away the best SQ of any of these setups is the Revo via the digital outs to the CD player - so I guess that is in agreement with what a few other people have said, that the best way to get decent sound from your computer is to use a decent soundcard, digital out and an external DAC.

So anyway, sorry if I got a bit carried away. In answer to your original question, I would think that with a decent set of headphones and an amp you will be able to hear a worthwhile difference if you upgrade to the Revo from the A2 (especially considering it costs less than $100 US). However obviously you must be using fairly high impedence headphones if you need the volume on 100% (I normally listen to the Eggos on around 20-25% with both cards) so I would guess that you need an amp . Even if there is enough volume at 100% with the A2, with an amp the SQ will be a lot better at the same volume. You will get a BIG jump in SQ just using the A2 with an amp and then once you've gotten used to that, or saved up a bit more money or whatever, then you can upgrade your soundcard and get a further incremental improvement. But I really think that if you just upgrade to the Revo without an amp, you are still going to be disappointed.

Hope that was helpful.

 

[Xanadu777]

Quote:

Originally posted by slunk007 I'm prepared to drop some dough on another soundcard, but I really want to be sure that I will hear a significant difference in SQ so that I'm not throwing my money away.

While waiting for the Revo to be released last February, I went with the Audigy 2 Platinum. I thought it sounded decent enough until the Revo arrived. The difference was immediate and distinct however I've blocked Creative out of my memory, real quick. Besides the sound, the user interface is so much nicer on the Revo. As far as throwing money away, I think you can still sell the A2P on ebay for more than the Revo cost new. It's worth the change, even if you don't sell your A2P IMO.

 

[lini]

Sorry, slunk007, but I'm the wrong person to ask about mp3: I've exactly got 1 mp3 file, and that's a fun song done by friend.

But yes, resampling is usually considered as not so good, unless it would already fall in the upsampling category. The visible analogy would be displaying 1024 x 768 pix on a tft display with 1280 x 1024 pix native resolution rescaled to full size. Artifacts vary with implementation, but at least you'll get a somewhat blurred image.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[slunk007]

Now we're getting somewhere with these posts. Thanks a lot guys. I now have a better idea of what I will eventually buy. So it looks like I will have to go with a new soundcard eventually. I am also looking into buying a JMT Home amp. I'm thinking that the amp will come first, but I may just bite the bullet and get both at the same time.

This place is like quicksand. Looks harmless enough, until you fall in!

Cheers!

P.S. More responses are definitely welcome!