Audigy 2 Platinum ZS - Is it reallly that bad ?
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Posted on Aug 26, 2004 08:13 am
Bleak
A small pie will soon be eaten
Member Since: Aug 26, 2004
I'm only just getting started with home recording and have most of the gear BUT i have purchased the Audigy 2 zs Platinum. I know ,like you, i'll evenutally realise it's limitations but is it capable of producing anything decent? It cost me $500 (Australian) so im rather hoping it's not complete rubbish. if it's any help some of my other gear is.
Pre amp _ Behringer Ultragain Pro 2200
Mic - Behringer b-2
Headphones - Sennheiser HD 280 Pro (for monitoring)
ALl running on a P4 3.2 with a gig of ram
Thanks in advance for any comments:)
Cheers
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Aug 26, 2004 08:18 am Well, for that money you certainly could have gotten a better card, that's for sure...
It's unfortunate that so many people believe Creative Lab's hype about their cards capabilities...I asked SB for a promo/review product so I could look at it first hand for the web site, but they never even responded...based on anything I have read, it is the best of the Sound Blasters. But, to me, that doesn't say much.
It really all depends on how many tracks you want to record, the quality you expect and your threshold to frustration. I have heard some decent stuff made on an SB, but the people that do that I would love to hear them record on a real studio card.
BleakA small pie will soon be eatenMember
Since: Aug 26, 2004
Aug 26, 2004 09:04 am Thnks for that. My music wont have too many tracks but quality is important. I guess i'll have to battle on with it and look for something better down the track. Thanks again for your reply
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Aug 26, 2004 01:36 pm having said that its one of my ambitions to record and release a quality album using only my soundblaster and free software...
olddogMember
Since: Jul 02, 2003
Aug 26, 2004 02:23 pm I can't directly compare the SB Audigy 2 series to cards such as the M-Audio cards, but the A 2 is head & shoulders above the SB Live Series cards and basing negative opinions of Creative cards on the Live series and earlier is doing so without any real fact to back up it up. Even the Live! series does pretty good, but the CPU usage is quite high compared with other cards.
The reviews I've read of the SB A 2 series puts them squarely in competiton quality wise with cards such as M-Audio Delta series. Where they always get dinged (and rightly so IMO) is the Platinum series for a poor mixer applet and price. The SB card is a more versitile card as well, if you require a card for more than just recording music.
You should be able to get excellent quality recordings with the card, but in the end it's more your ability to make, mix, and master a recording that will determine just how high that quality is. :)
That said I plan on buying an M-Audio mainly for more inputs/outputs, I really don't expect my sound quality to improve, but who knows. :)
Dan
Aug 26, 2004 02:29 pm SB never has, and presumably never will, use as good of A/D D/A convertors as any of the more respected recording cards. They don't use balanced inputs and don't really even use 1/4" inputs that often, tho some of their cards are starting to know. Those facts alone put it a step under any real recording card.
However. as olddog said, should you also listen to DVD's, play games and such a card like that is needed for all the silly environmental features of games that the real card makers don't waste time and energy on.
