SuperTed Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 Hi all, First, thanks to everybody who provided video card information for me. I have ordered a new card and it should be here in the next day or two. Second, I am now looking to upgrade my sound card. I currently have a Turtle Beach Montego A3D 64 Voice card and I know nothing about sound cards. Is that card any good? What cards are good? Thanks for the help. SuperTed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 The A3D-based sound cards should be good. Some of the newer cards out have more voices (128 +), but I'm not sure how much of a difference that may make in CM. The question is are you happy with the sound you are getting in the Gold demo ? If so, then you may be fine for sound (the Gold demo uses 22kHz samples, while the Full version is using 44kHz samples). The full version will have more sounds and ambient sounds which your card should handle. If you do desire to upgrade then the Creative SoundBlaster Live series should do an excellent job (they are PCI cards, which your current sound card is probably too). The retail "Live X-Gamer" should be fine. Most of the differences in the retail versions are the software that is bundled with each card (though the "Platinum" has some extra connectors). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 The SoundBlaster Live! series is actually you're best bet. They have the EMU10K1 reprogrammable processor that can keep up with new sound developments. All you have to do is download the latest version of LiveWare! and you can maintain the latest in computer sound technology. I just bought a SB Live! X-Gamer for $100 US and it came with 3 full games. Can't beat that! The Live! series also has EAX sound (environmental sound) that lets you "bend" the sound to mimic certain particular environments. Like say you're playing Thief, a game that comes with it, set the EAX to "Stone Corridor" or "Stone Room" and it gives that echo effect like you would think that envirnment would make. For CM, the EAX setting that makes the most sense is "Forest". A couple others actually sound cool for some effects like the background explosions, but they don't sound right for the main action. ------------------ "I for one, am pretty damn close to Genius"--Ol' Blood & Maximus [This message has been edited by Maximus (edited 06-21-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikester Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 All right you sound hounds. I have the S/B Live card already. Thinking real serioiusly about upgrading my somewhat chintzy speakers though. What's my best bet / bang for the buck. Do the "digital" speakers work w/ the SB Live card? Are there any real benefits to the digitial speaker setup? What about 2 speaker system like what I have now vs. surround 4 speaker systems. Are they worth it? Thanks for any input / thoughts you may have. Mikester out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Left4Dead Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 One oft-overlooked consideration when it comes to soundcards is "CPU utilization" (i.e. the amount of CPU time and system resources used by the sound card). Most non-Creative Labs soundcards have a 7-12% CPU utilization. Sound Blaster Live cards typically have a CPU utilization in the 3-5% range. Sound cards with high CPU utilization can cause things like sound stutters and generally decreased performace, especially in games. Granted, if one has a high-end system, even a sound card with high CPU utilization doesn't affect things too much. However, moderate to low-end systems can be noticeably hampered by resource-hogging sound cards. IMO, the Sound Blaster Live family of cards provide a pretty good balance of price, compatibility, stability and performance, especially if your primary use of sound cards is for playing games. If you plan on using your soundcard for things such as music recording, midi, etc., I'd look to another sound card. just my 2 cents, Lefty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 Lefty, Not nescesarrily true about the CPU Utilization. My Aureal SQ2500 Superquad which is a slightly updated A3D 2.0 card uses between 0 to 2% on average... And I think the 3D Sound is better than the Live! (Which for me has to much reverb) And,a great deal. Seen them available online for around 40 bucks,and it will allow the use of digital speakers like the Live! series do... -Rookie [This message has been edited by Rookie (edited 06-21-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Left4Dead Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 Rookie, Good observations about the Superquad... However, I did say *most* non-SB cards have higher CPU utilizations (I wasn't talking about the latest Aureals). In fact, I've got two decent computers (P3-500's) and one has an SB Live Platinum and the other has the exact same card that you just mentioned Interestingly, I don't notice much difference between the two (both cards are driving the exact same type of speakers) L4D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARCHANGEL Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mikester: All right you sound hounds. I have the S/B Live card already. Thinking real serioiusly about upgrading my somewhat chintzy speakers though. What's my best bet / bang for the buck. Do the "digital" speakers work w/ the SB Live card? Are there any real benefits to the digitial speaker setup? What about 2 speaker system like what I have now vs. surround 4 speaker systems. Are they worth it? Thanks for any input / thoughts you may have. Mikester out.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> M, I am far from an expert, not to mention that I have some hearing loss . However, I have a set of Altec Lansings with a subwoofer that is wondrful in CM and flight sims. The subwoofer makes a hell of a lot of difference, IMO. I have also seen the surround sound and it is ever better with those two additional speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfe Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 Even though I have an A3D sound card, I don't know that I'd buy one right now. Aureal recently filed for bankruptcy, so future driver support may be a real question. Looks like CL is the last manufacturer standing. I have the Altec-Lansing ACS48 speakers. Love 'em. The 40 watt sub woofer really kicks. You can find them for ~$90US. Can't wait to get CM and listen to some of those 14" battleship shells landing. The Klipsch Promedia are supposed to be some of the best PC speakers around, but may be tough to find (lotsa back orders). And they're not exactly cheap. - Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiftymicrolitres Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 I'll echo the sentiments on the Aureal Superquad 2500. Dual speaker and digital outputs giving me quite spiffy sound on the gold demo and other games. I've got the front channel hooked up to my home stereo and the rear channel hooked up to some Altec 3 speaker system (2 sats, 1 sub). The sats I have hanging on the wall behind me. Aureal is currently refiling under chapter 11, and I picked up my card OEM for $76 Cdn (about $55 US). 5m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 L4D, I had a MX300 also,and that used a little more,3 or 4% but I wanted the digital out I suggest anyone who is a gamer to avoid any A3D Board not based on the 8330 chipset. They are usually A3D 1.0 and suck down CPU Cycles like Sebastian Janakowskis dates suck down roofies I just don't like the Creative Labs guys either. If it was up to them we'd still be using ISA soundcards Hopefully Aureal can ressurect themselves and continue to produce cutting edge chips and api's... Until mine doesn't work with CM2 or 3 I will keep it I think. -Rook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Left4Dead Posted June 21, 2000 Share Posted June 21, 2000 yeah, digital-out is a must. I really used to think that computer speakers weren't that important... Then (after much searching) I got my hands on my Klipsch's. L4D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Yea,The Klipsch are an amazing setup. ARCHANGEL TAKE NOTE HERE It sounds like a war in my apartment with those things, lat alone DVD's.... -Rook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guachi Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Mikester, How much are you willing to spend? Jason ------------------ Betas available to everyone are just publicity stunts anyways. -FK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MantaRay Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Boston Acoustics make good speakers, and are cheap, but my buddy spent a fortune on some speakers and they can shake his building down! I will ask him tomorrow what they are. Ray ------------------ When asked, "How many moves do you see ahead?", CAPABLANCA replied: "One move - the best one." MantaRays 5 Pages Hardcore Gamers Daily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikester Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Thanks for all the advice guys! Let's see, in general I'd say I'd not want to spend anything more than $150-$200 (US). Although I've been working hard lately and feel like buying some new toys so I quite easily might spend $50-$100 more than this. I had an Altec Lansing (model A300 or something) set of speakers some time back. Two satellites and subwoofer, but the thing went belly up kinda early in life (fuse keeps blowing out no matter what I try to do including getting that slow burn fuse or whatever it is they call those things). So I havn't been real happy w/ AL's speakers (although the sounded pretty darn good). What are the real audible / technical advantages of digital speakers over "standard" ones? Better sound quality? Higher signal to noise ratio? The digital speakers still have to transfer what I assume is a digital sound wave form coming out of the sound card back into an analog waveform (I assume there is a digitial to analog converter in the speaker itself somewhere?) in order to drive the speaker itself, so I'm not sure I understand what the advantage of the digitial speakers are. Guess I'm trying to understand whether the extra cost to get digital speakers is worth whatever the benefits are that they offer. Thanks again, Mikester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikester Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Rookie, So you have the Klipsch speakers? Are they the Promedia V2-400's? I just found these over on gamespots review page for sound cards and speakers at: http://www.gamespot.com/hardware/sound/speakers/ Sounds like a really cool toy to have. Does anyone have or has heard the Creative Labs DTTS-2500 Digital Surround System? "Sounds" like it's supposed to be pretty good to. Amazing thing to me is that these things don't cost $300-$500 for high end digital system like I thought they did. Mikester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Mikester, The Promedia V2 400's are an amazing set of speakers. Simply stated they blow away all my friends Stereo Speakers and Surround Setups. By a wide margin. The highs are very clean,the midrange is just as good and the Low end (Bass) could perform CPR on a small child. If I had neighbors close enough I am sure when I fire off a full magazine of 9mm in Rogue Spear it would sound like I wass offing my Family. When Artillery hits in CM I am scarred Get them. Order them now they will take 6 weeks as Klipsch is always on backorder. But you will be soo happy with them. I have a set of the Creative FPS2000 (Almost the same as the DTS2500's) on my second rig. They are very nice but nowhere near as powerful. They are worthy of the excellent reviews they get,but are not in the same league IMHO. They use digital out and it eliminates the hum and hiss you hears sometimes when other speakers get turned way up and there is no sound at the time,like in windoze. The Klipsch are analog and hum a little but its not bad at all... Hope this helps, -Rook [This message has been edited by Rookie (edited 06-22-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikester Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Great! Thanks for the 1st hand info Rookie. Where did you get yours? Online? I was looking at buycomp.com where I've bought many things in the past, but they don't carry them. Does the Klipsch package come w/ any rear speaker stands? Thanks again, Mikester [This message has been edited by Mikester (edited 06-22-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Mikester, They are only available two places as far as I can tell. Directly from Klipsch or from Dell's online store Gigabuys.. No rear stands included but I got a pair at radio shack reasonably priced. The ones that Creative ships frankly Suck You will not be sorry. Only downside is they do not do 5.1 but I can't tell the difference anyway -Rook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikester Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Rookie, Thanks. Found Klipsch's page. But main page is not working right now. Got a direct link to the promedia page and did see the option to buy there. Heading over to check out Dell's site now. Mikester out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Mikester, Klipsch Store and they have rear speaker stands available but are $89/pair (OUCH) But they are offering free shipping and wall mounts for the speakers FREE for a limited time (Not sure for how long) -Rook , Always happy to help spend your money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tailz Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Aureal AU8830 hooked to a Labtec Subwoofer... After hearing the drone of a formation of B17's in European Air War and the pounding of six fifties in a Mustang (after the Meatwater Soundpack) I can't believe I waited so many years to get a better sound system for my box. (Can't wait to hear the mod sounds for CM either!) I can totally drown out the sound of the neighbors thumping the walls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikester Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Rookie, Just purchased from Klipsch Store base on yor recommendation and two sparkling reviews I read online. Thanks for the link. I couldn't find them anywhere else either. Dell had them, but same price ($250) and had to pay shipping. Little more than what I wanted to spend, but what the h***. Says I should have them by June 28th which is next Wed. Thanks again for everyone's advice. Mikester out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted June 22, 2000 Share Posted June 22, 2000 Mikester, Cool Deal. You get the free wall mounts? Free is free afterall I was hesitant to spend that much on *computer* speakers also but when you crank em up the first time the smile on your face will be worth the added expense. Hell,I don't even use my Stereo anymore Tailz, Subwoofers are cool. Meatwater does some cool stuff,but I was dissapointed with his work in Panzer Elite. His EAW and SDOE packs are pure gold tho Luckily I have no neighbors I need to overpower but my dog does get a little nervous when the arty rains down -Rookie "Hmmmm Wonder If I can get commision from Klipsch for this" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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