Live! MP3+ alright? Or must have Audigy2?

[LRW]

I need to upgrade my sound (right now I'm using the AC97 chip on my
motherboard. =P

My brother has an Audigy2, and raves about it, and indeed it's about
400% better than my current sound. But the lowest I can find it is
$70, and while it's likely worth it, it's still $70.

I can get a Sound Blaster Live! MP3+ 5.1 for $35.
Now I know you get what you pay for, and looking at the stats the
Live! is half as good a card as the Audigy2.
But is the Audigy2 that much worth it? I'm just playing games on it
like EVE:Online and Neverwinter, and listen to MP3's now and then
(almost all ripped at 160bit anyway), will difference between the two
cards for this purpose really be that much worth it?

Thanks for any advice!
Liam

[Grasso]

SB dead! is o.k.. But get one with a CT1297 codec, for example a
retail version, not an OEM version with crappy Sigmatel codec!
(http://grassomusic.de/e/rauschen.htm)

Uli

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------- http://grassomusic.de -------

[Grasso]

>Huh. The one I'm looking at does say OEM, but its chip is listed as
>neither you mentioned, but instead: EMU10K1 Synthesizer Chip

Yes, that is the main chip, the digital portion. I speak about the
A/D, D/A and analogue portion which is also important. If you cannot
have a quick look at the chip (a 6x6mm, rather tiny, quadratic chip)
you should not buy a OEM version.

>Anyway, I just head that Live! has been known to have some problems
>with games, like in EverQuest you can't hear sound effects with the
>Live! card. =/

Well, some games have problems with that soundcard, others with other
soundcards. Unfortunatly one cannot run two typical consumer audio
cards simultaniousy on one system because MS messed it up, so you have
to decide.

Uli

--
------- http://grassomusic.de -------