Debating between M-Audio Revolution and Audigy 2 oem

[black_dog]

Hello,
I am planning on building a new intel 2.4c system and plan to overclock it. I'm torn between the M-Audio Revolution ($90) and the SB Audigy 2 oem ($72). I really like the revolution for its high sound quality. The only thing I dislike about it that it doesn't have a hardware accelerator. Does anybody know if this causes signifcant performance decreases in games (and future ones)? A review on firingsquad says that the difference is negligable with todays cpu's but a review from xbitlabs (on a intel 1ghz) showed that there was a difference between the revolution and audigy 2.
The audigy 2 seems like a good all around card that is faster in games. I'm wary of Creative due to all the problems and issues people have been having with them. Right now i'm leaning more heavily towards the revolution because I have been craving high quality music from my computer.
Any thoughts and input on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Or you can just tell me to spend more money and get the revolution

 

[sup3rcarrx8]

Get the M-audio Revolution. It's just worth the money and sounds superb.

 

[Deadly Dude]

i dont no much about the m-revolution card

but i am a big fan of hercules for soundcards, u ever thought about a Hercules Gametheatre 7.1? hercules make solid drivers

 

[Bonka]

Since you are getting a 2.4GHz proc and the review used a 1GHz, save yourself the cognitive dissonance and get the Revo. If you have the opportunity to buy it, grab it if you appreciate its characteristics.

Canadian residents don't have it so lucky

 

[X86Dude]

The choice is clear to me.....both cards.
The SoundBlaster for games and the Revolution for music.
If you're wondering yes I have both cards the difference in gaming with the two cards is more then just framerates, sensaura blows.

 

[Maximouse]

Canadian residents don't have it so lucky

The M-Revolution card is readily available in Canada, in fact, one of my PC's is equipped with one which I bought from a Toronto store.

I guess I dont quite understand your statement

Al

 

[dropadrop]

Changing from creative to hoontech really changed the quality of sound on my computer, and I did'nt feel such a big differance in games. I would imagine the m-audio has atleast equal sound quality to the dsp24 I have.

Then again, I'm not the kind of gamer who would care too much about framerates... I'd get the m-audio.

 

[Bonka]

The M-Revolution card is readily available in Canada, in fact, one of my PC's is equipped with one which I bought from a Toronto store.

I guess I dont quite understand your statement

Al

I'm from Vancouver. Pretty dry around here.

 

[sup3rcarrx8]

There you have it, black_dog, get the M Rev.

 

[black_dog]

Thanks for all of your replies!!!!

I'm probably going to get the revolution at this point since I care more about music quality than fps performance. I listen to audio alot with my computer and would only be using a two speaker setup or headphones so the audigy's game effects would not be to important for me.

I'm also aware that the tests with the intel 1000ghz should be taken lightly since it is so much slower than what I would have. My concern was with newer games like Half Life 2. From the firingsquad review it seems that fps drops with the revolution are negligable now but their review of Half Life 2 noted that the game engine took a considerable toll on high end systems. But this might be a moot point because if a game drops that much in fps it is not going to be only based on your sound cards performance.

After I have had a chance to test out the revolution, I will post a new thread on what I think of it. It will be a sad day when I have to retire my Aureal Vortex Super Quad 2500 PCI

 

[shutoutkeeper3]

I'm also aware that the tests with the intel 1000ghz should be taken lightly since it is so much slower than what I would have.

I dont think so... Although I wouldn't mind 1000 GHz...

 

[idioteQnology]

i game about 33% of the time and listen to music/watch movies the rest. i havent heard the audigy 2 much but the revo sounds beautiful. from what i have heard the terratec 'something'lite is a tad over $100 beans and sounds a touch better than the revo and performs a bit better in game situations for cpu usage over the revo but it wont be in stock until sometime in october.

 

[Bonka]

Well I JUST purchased the Revo at the local London Drugs. I had NO idea they even stocked them. To say the least, I am VERY pleased with this purchase.

It'll be replacing the Hercules Fortissimo II soundcard I'm currently using; are the differences really night and day?

Anybody else using the Revo with the Logitech Z560's? Any comments on that combo?

 

[PachManP]

Thanks for all of your replies!!!!

I'm probably going to get the revolution at this point since I care more about music quality than fps performance.

Quality over fps? what you smokin' man? seriously can anyone hear the diff without really expensive speakers? The audigy has good sound and I bet if you're running mp3's that'd be the quality bottleneck

 

[mateo]

Quality over fps? what you smokin' man? seriously can anyone hear the diff without really expensive speakers? The audigy has good sound and I bet if you're running mp3's that'd be the quality bottleneck

I take it you aren't/haven't been a musician. Or seriously listened to something other than rock/metal, then. I've heard the difference between a SBLive (its not an Audigy, but still) and Revo on headphones so crappy you shouldn't have been able to hear much at all. Also, if you go far enough to get good sound hardware, I think you'd listen to something with more quality than an MP3 (ex. Ogg, Flac, Wav, etc.).

Sorry if that came off a little harsh and ranting, but sound is belittled by too many people.

 

[Ubik]

The Revo, definetely. I just got one myself, and the difference just between it and my old Santa Cruz is unimaginably awesome.

Just a caveat, though: It doesn't seem to like the 3rd PCI slot.

 

[R4lN]

I too am debating getting a M audio revolution to replace my existing Audigy platinum. The problem I have with the creative cards is that it seems like every one I have owned have caused conflicts with everything. I think maybe creative writes poor drivers for these cards. I understand that many drivers written by many different manufacturers also can be poorly written but Ive had at least 6 creative cards and motherboards from Asus, gygabyte, to even esc and Ive had the same type of sound issues with them on all boards. As far as frame rate goes in terms of gaming, that isnt an issue. The human eye can only see 30 frames per second. Most video cards are capable of keeping up with that rate in even the most graphical intense games. sooo come on guys on a scale from 1 to 10 in terms of sound quality what do you rate this card 10 being superb?

 

[Bonka]

I too am debating getting a M audio revolution to replace my existing Audigy platinum. The problem I have with the creative cards is that it seems like every one I have owned have caused conflicts with everything. I think maybe creative writes poor drivers for these cards. I understand that many drivers written by many different manufacturers also can be poorly written but Ive had at least 6 creative cards and motherboards from Asus, gygabyte, to even esc and Ive had the same type of sound issues with them on all boards. As far as frame rate goes in terms of gaming, that isnt an issue. The human eye can only see 30 frames per second. Most video cards are capable of keeping up with that rate in even the most graphical intense games. sooo come on guys on a scale from 1 to 10 in terms of sound quality what do you rate this card 10 being superb?

Too easy.

10/10, especially for the price. If you thought you can get great sound from the TBSC, you'll "WOW" after this, again and again..

 

[TruckyJ]

Hey, I too am looking at an M-Audio revo. card. However! I have a Leadtek TV tuner that I just bought that needs to use the soundcard line in for audio support.

I have read that the MA Revo has goofy line in issues. Is this true? Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I'll just get an audigy 2 if there is in fact "issues" with this.

Let me know.