nf7-s SOUNDSTORM vs SBLIVE 5.1

AMDxp 2.2ghz SBLive 220x10 2,2,2,11
UT2k3 performance

All settings on highest possible. Hardware 3D Audio and EAX

Flyby-antalus
61.481049 / 181.318863 / 503.128845 fps -- Score = 181.444016
botmatch-antalus
12.067384 / 58.420078 / 123.998360 fps -- Score = 58.442902


All settings on highest possible. Hardware 3D Audio

flyby-antalus
41.187424 / 180.637497 / 488.243317 fps -- Score = 180.764206
botmatch-antalus
12.130422 / 59.100750 / 124.060165 fps -- Score = 59.123505


All settings on highest possible. Software 3D Audio

flyby-antalus
60.781044 / 181.203445 / 486.367554 fps -- Score = 181.327560
botmatch-antalus
12.401192 / 67.772766 / 144.299667 fps -- Score = 67.802902

AMDxp 2.2ghz SoundStorm 220x10 2,2,2,11
UT2k3 performance

All settings on highest possible. Hardware 3D Audio and EAX


Flyby-antalus
61.386791 / 181.681870 / 531.478149 fps -- Score = 181.810120
botmatch-antalus
12.422099 / 62.784660 / 137.371078 fps -- Score = 62.813354

All settings on highest possible. Hardware 3D Audio


flyby-antalus
55.081898 / 182.060791 / 483.589081 fps -- Score = 182.163864
botmatch-antalus
12.381754 / 62.669277 / 136.401901 fps -- Score = 62.697426


All settings on highest possible. Software 3D Audio

flyby-antalus
61.257149 / 181.886063 / 501.750275 fps -- Score = 182.013687
botmatch-antalus
12.555334 / 67.505135 / 142.876205 fps -- Score = 67.535873

So all in all. Soundstorm is faster in ut2k3 if you plan on using hardware 3d and eax IMHO

Somehow I made this reply into a post?


I too once had a S/Blaster 5.1.

Only it made my system run 10Degrees hotter!Wierd it was.

I didnt even have to be playin a game or using a program.
As soon as I loaded the drivers,up she went.

Take the drivers out,down she came.

Did you notice any temp diff?

Thats strange, no I didn't notice any difference in temp. If anyone has an audity 2 itd be nice if you did this test.

Hmmm interesting. I ditched my Audigy (not 2) and used Soundstorm. So far I'm happy with it.

Some ppl seemed to have problems installing Live and Audigy cards with NF7-S.

Tawcan said:

Hmmm interesting. I ditched my Audigy (not 2) and used Soundstorm. So far I'm happy with it.

Some ppl seemed to have problems installing Live and Audigy cards with NF7-S.

Click to expand...

SBL5.1 doesn't sound half as good as the soundstorm. Even the Audiology2 doesn't have much on SS but costs more than the mobo.

The onboard sound (soundstorm) has to be turned off in the BIOS before installing another PCI soundcard.

If only I could use the SPIDF outputs on my Soundstorm...apparently the digital to analog converter isn't very good.

I don't like using my mic on soundstorm.. it sounds fked up and doesnt work right in ventrilo. So i just use the SS for sound and my sb for my mic

My mic sounds nice !! Just have to mute all other inputs and kick the level down

well i dont mean it sounds horrible.. i just couldnt get it to work right w/ that program and i use that program a lot so

johan851 said:

If only I could use the SPIDF outputs on my Soundstorm...apparently the digital to analog converter isn't very good.

Click to expand...

what do you mean?

johan851 said:

If only I could use the SPIDF outputs on my Soundstorm...apparently the digital to analog converter isn't very good.

Click to expand...

SPIDF is a digital output you send to another AD converter such as a reciever or HT preamp.

BTW the analog output of the Soundstorm is very good too IMO. I use it to drive my stereo system and it sounds great.

im not convinced. next to the digital output analogue stinks. it's hardly suprising though - the dac's they use are junk.

The analog outputs aren't equal to say a $500 firewire breakout boxed pro card but they're surprisingly good considering the Soundstorm chip is maybe an additional $10 or $15 in mobo cost.

It sounds a heck-of-a-lot better than my old SBL5.1 did and better than most HT sound equipment sold in Circuit City.

actually those realtek 650 dacs on the nf7 are worth around 50c each. they really are that bad lol.
Analogue quality is largly down to the dacs used. unfortunaly abit decided to use the worst of the three they could choose from.

In the end though i agree, it's still better than an sblive! but digital just blows it away.

he was saying how its worth the 10-15 extra on the mobo

i know, but i was saying the analogue output isnt dictated by the soundstorm chip. it has nothing to do with it. It's solely down to the dac's used, and the dac's that are used are very good for their cost, but no match for say - an audigy. On the other hand, ditial out from the soundstorm IMO surpasses the audigy in terms of S.Q.

i must have sucky ears, I cant tell the difference in sound between sblive and ss. I just use ss because of the performance difference. (sb is slower)

Actually the SS & Realteck analog outputs do sound better than the exact same Realteck DACs on an Intel board. So SS does do something to the analog output.

My next box will most likely be an Intel duallie so I'll be using an audiophile pro soundcard/breakout box for speaker testing and recording.

Would any of you have any idea where a Philips Acoustic Edge sound card fits in to this comparison?

I'm toying with the idea of replacing my 8K3A+ with an NF7. I'm pretty happy with the sound of my Philips card and my Yamaha TSS-1 speakers. But as good as it sounds, there is always room for improvement.