[Alydon]

Hi all,

The title says it all. I'm looking to upgrade the gaming sound card in my rig ( currently an SBLive!) and was wondering what practical differences, if any, exist between the ZS and non-ZS Audigy2 cards in terms of SQ, soundstage, 3D positioning, framerate, etc. Digit-life's review of the Audigy2 ZS lists the following technical changes:

Quote:

1. The new analog output mode (7.1) added to the existing 6.1 2. 108dBA SNR instead of 106dBA (claimed for analog output at 2V signal with AES17 filter) 3. DTS ES support in addition to Dolby Digital Surround EX 4. ASIO2 support, the additional 24/96 mode (offered by A2 Platinum eX) 5. Bundled software changes: the new THX settings panel, multiband equalizer, karaoke mode 6. New EAX4 (still virtual; to be actually implemented closer to the year-end alongside updated drivers).

The Digit-life article also has pics of both the A2 and A2ZS and they appear to be layed out slightly differently. I don't know enough about electronics to tell if those differences will change the SQ, though.

Also, FWIW I'll be almost exclusively using HD590's (soon to be either HD595's or DT880's - Damn you, Head-fi!

) pumped through my Corda Blue, and don't plan on ever getting a 5.1 speaker setup or anything.

In any case I'm seeing vanilla Audigy2's (non-Value) on eBay for around $25, which is about half of what a 2ZS is going for there. Is there any reason to go for the 2ZS in my situation or would a plain A2 be fine?

Lastly, I'm probably going to upgrade my Chaintech card for music listening to a Juli@/AP192/0404 in the next few months. If I go digital-out from an Audigy2/2ZS to my music card for gaming is there any change in soundstage/3D-positioning quality compared to using the Audigy2's analog-out directly?

Thanks in advance for any input...

-Aly

 

[xanderf]

AFAIK, the only difference between an Audigy 2 and an Audigy 2zs is that the zs supports 7.1, whereas the 2 supports only 6.1. The plain '2' was replaced with the '2 zs' pretty rapidly, though - Creative's site shows virtually no traces of the plain-Jane '2' nowadays.

RE: your plan...keep in mind that you really WILL be limited to stereo sound, then - even from games. The Audigy 2 cannot output surround sound from the digital output (aside from passthrough, which doesn't help games any) - just stereo. Shouldn't be any change in the quality of the output, though - the Audigy doesn't really care if it's outputting stereo on the analog or digital output.

EDIT: Although, I'd say if you are just using it for headphones, and gaming is the reason you are thinking about an Audigy at all - you MIGHT want to consider the X-Fi Xtreme Music. More than what the Audigy goes for, of course, but word on the street is that it has a VASTLY improved 3d virtualization algorithm for representing in-game surround sound with headphones. HUGE difference in games (with headphones) is what everyone seems to say.

 

[Alydon]

Xan,

Thanks or the fast reply. I don't mind being limited to 2-channel only. I don't watch movies on my PC, and using my 590's through the Meier-crossfeed on my Corda does such a phenomenal job at reproducing surround-like effects that TBH I really can't see getting much improvement from the A2's surround output signal. The x-feed gives me a HUGE improvement in 3D-positioning over standard 2-channel w/ headphones, so much so that I strongly suggest any gamers who have an opportunity to try one of Jan's amps for music listening give the x-feed a try in their favorite FPS games if they can. It really is that amazing.

As for the output quality getting changed when pumped through a second card, I was more concerned w/ my primary music card changing the soundstage/3D-positioning when it converts the A2's digital signal to an analog one, as opposed to the A2's digital out changing it. I wasn't too clear on that.

It's good to hear that the digital-out shouldn't change it any, however.

The X-Fi XtremeMusic is a card that I had considered, but for that price I can get an A2 and a 0404, or an A2 + AP192 for ~$30 more. I am really curious about how much of an improvement there is w/ the x-fi over an A2 when using headphones, though. I may very well get one a year or so down the road, but for now I don't think I can justify the added expense. Anyone here have any experience comparing the two directly?