Wait you are using the audigy 2 from circa 2003/04? That's awesome if so. How does it work with windows even with the adapter? Didn't windows Vista kill sound cars and creative labs?
Yes, i got the card in 2004, upgrading from a Sound Blaster Live! 5.1.
All the features (including all the EAX stuff) work fine, i'm using Daniel's custom drivers for Windows 10. Though, to be honest, i mostly care about the sound quality in music. I don't care about extra features in video games other than clean 5.1 and powerful sound, which the Audigy provides.
I use an Asus Xonar card which supports DTS Live. It encodes 5.1 to DTS which works over an optical cable. I think the card cost me $30 6 years ago.
I also tested stuff like Dolby and DTS with optical but i prefer the more raw, less processed sound of the analog 6 channel direct connection.
I’m currently still using a sound blaster x-fi titanium hd. When I upgrade to arrow lake later this month I’ve been debating whether I want to try going without it and using onboard audio for the first time…
I wanted to test this card but i saw that it has a newer software than Audigy and doesn't support treble balance and "Advanced EAX EQ" effects (only the standards ones). I'm using both of these features so i need the older software i guess.
Just after messing with the receiver EQ that I manage to achieve a result as good (if not better) than I had with my old pci sound card.
Honestly i tried very hard to achieve the same clarity i get with the profile i use with my Audigy, using only the standard equalizer. It doesn't get close IMO. Even just the treble option (which all newer cards lack) is superior to any equalizer setting or the "crystalize" option in newer soundblasters. The later sounds so much more processed and weak IMO. Which is why i didn't like the Soundblaster Z at all in the end.
What about using an external USB DAC? like a focus rite?
But a quality dac is as good if not better today, for your eq, sure you may like the eq that is bundled together with ur card, but if you use proper eq you can iir/fir to do the same and / or better
But may Take more knwoledge/ time and skills. If your happy just keep using it. But there are other ways.
See, i don't know. Because for me, in the end, it's not just about the quality of the hardware, it's also the combination with the software. I'm not going to claim the Audigy 2 has the best hardware, most likely some newer cards i tested (like the Soundbaster Z) are superior. Maybe.
But the software makes all the difference. I need the treble and Advanced EAX EQ, i also need the "stereo surround" in the SMSS panel for music playback specifically. I haven't managed to ever make a profile with the different software of other cards that sounds nearly as good to me. And i'm not talking about a subtle difference here.
The Audigy 2
does have better hardware than the Rx though, i know this for sure because both cards share the same software but the Rx can't handle my profile and i feel it sounds less deep overall.
I am wondering if the issue OP had was with electrical interference for his mainboard chip (perhaps he was using the front audio)? Onboard and discrete sound the same.
I wish i could demonstrate in real time (like i did with a few friends who had doubts and left rethinking their life choices) how this isn't the case
at all. The difference isn't even subtle. And sure, you are probably right if you just use the default settings. But i think you are lucky, i wish i didn't discover this card and what it provides, building new PCs would be so much simpler this way.
Care to post a picture of your setup?
Not sure if you want some PC case porn, i still have a few things to add/change/fix so the build is not 100% ready yet. But i will post a picture that's useful to anyone who is wondering how such an adapter works:
As you can see, the card has been moved a few centimeters away from the motherboard but not enough to not be able to close the case. Thankfully the adapter is very thin.
I also had to remove the metal bracket from the Audigy, otherwise the bent part where the screw goes would interfere. I had to use this small cable wire to secure the card on the case, so it won't float.
You can also see i'm losing some inputs. I put some electrical tape because the forth input touches the case. The other two i could actually use but i don't so i covered them as well. I only use the three inputs you see here. I think i was lucky here since i didn't have to cut that small piece of the case that gets in the way.
It's not the best looking solution but it works. Much better than i hoped for since i was very skeptical about how it will fit, if it worked at all.
