[dima1109]

Its time for me to upgrade from the onboard sound. I am on a pretty tight budget ($70 would be pushing it), so here are some cards I am considering:

Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
Turtle Beach Montego (pushing it)
X-fi Xtreme Music (pushing it)
Audigy 2/ZS
M-Audio Revolution

It would have been a no-brainer if you could still buy the AV-710, but unfortunately, it disappeared from everywhere.

New suggestions also welcome.

Thanks.

 

[rincewind]

There are two on eBay.

Chaintech AV-710 7.1 Surround PC Sound Card - eBay (item 190189724832 end time Jan-18-08 14:05:46 PST)

Chaintech AV-710 7.1 Channel 24-bit Digital Optical Out - eBay (item 160197993649 end time Feb-10-08 21:12:32 PST)

 

[dima1109]

I meant it in a sense, it would have been a no-brainer to just get an AV-710 for $30. I'm not sure if it's superior to another cards that cost $65
Or is it?

 

[Bonzi]

Too bad there's no posibility to get a chaintech av-710, for music it is ideal in my opinion, probably even for $100, I happened to use a audigy2zs card some time ago, bought it for $80. I don't know if X-fi is any better than chaintech av-710, but if it is then $100 is worth IMO for a X-Fi.
Creative Audigy2 ZS cards sound kind of strange to me. I mean colored, it's like they try to buy you with technology instead of natural sound, and it had anoying hiss.

Av 710 is capable of melting my heart, completely! Audigy2ZS- never did that! although it "seems" warm sounding. But it's worth mentioning that audigy2ZS has a more powerful amp, chaintech won't drive Etymotic ER4S, audigy2 ZS drives them much better!

 

[Bonzi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dima1109 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I meant it in a sense, it would have been a no-brainer to just get an AV-710 for $30. I'm not sure if it's superior to another cards that cost $65 Or is it?

Oh, it is sooo much better than Audigy2ZS for music, you have no idea, but that's just me, maybe.

 

[rincewind]

While I haven't really 'kept up' with things, I was always under the impression (and from past experiences) that nothing made my SB was exactly intended for high fidelity. As far as I know, they still all resample everything to 48kHz regardless what you ask it to do. Maybe someone else can confirm that. It was a darling on these forums (still is?) for a reason.

 

[anime_file]

Hey, they still have AV-710 at newegg. although its open box. $26 shipped

Newegg.com - Open Box: CHAINTECH AV-710 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Interface Sound Card

although its open box, can't be any worse than whatever you buy on ebay.

 

[Zunefan1]

Go with the X-Fi

 

[anime_file]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zunefan1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Go with the X-Fi

Which one?