PCI Express audio cards

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steviep

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Now, I'm getting a new machine now... likely I will be purchasing it with new Logitech 5300e speakers (as per my posts in this forum).

With this new machine, I was going to throw in a simple Audigy 2 ZS or Audigy 4 Pro (probably the ZS) PCI card, as right now I just have a Live 5.1. It would run those speakers at 4.1, but not the full 5.1.

HOWEVER... reading this forum, it was speculated that Audigy 3's are on their way, and they will be PCI express. My question is... should I live with my Live 5.1 for now, and run these speakers at 4.1 and wait for PCI-ex...

OR should I buy the Audigy 2 now, and then later pick up the PCI-ex Audigy's? The reason I'm weary of spending money on a regular PCI card, is that now with these new mobos, PCI slots are much harder to come by. (the board I'm looking at only has 3) and I will have all these free PCI-ex slots to use up. I also don't want to be throwing out money.

The reason I'm asking in the first place, is to see if anyone has any speculation as to when the pci express audio cards will arrive. If it's soon, I will likely hang onto my Live.
 
Speculating about the availability of a product that does not even exist yet = foolish.
The only thing I can think of that is more foolish is waiting to buy one. ;)
 
If you want to play games now, get an Audigy 2. If you want to listen to music, skip the Audigy, get an M-Audio Revolution. Don't wait for a card that may or may not exist.
 
It will exist, it's just a question of when. I don't want to fork out $100 and then later (before the end of the year) fork out another $200 for a PCI-ex. As I said, regular PCI slots are much more precious now. I already have a Live 5.1 sitting in one. Does anyone know something about the rampant speculation of the "Audigy 3" pci-ex?
 
Ah, March... Soundblaster Zenith. Thank you :)
I guess I should stick with my Live for the time being... but how come that's the only smidge of information on the 'net about it, at least that I could find? You'd think there would be some hype or initial specs or something, just a couple months from the speculated launch.
 
Not from Creative.... we hardly ever see any information about their new stuff till it's been launched.
Take the Audigy4 as an example of that.
Who saw that one coming till they anounced it?
 
The way I see it is that you can either buy a great card now, in PCI, or you can buy roughly the same card later, in PCI Express, and pay more and wait longer. Your pick...
 
You're right. But I want to do something with these damn PCI express slots :D
Besides, with the recent news that Intel is launching a new chipset next month, I may wait to buy the computer anyway.
 
Well, the info about the new PCI-E card says that it's a brand new archetecture. Knowing Creative, that means probably about nothing, but there's a small chance that it will actually incorporate some nifty features...after all, they've got a much more robust bus to work with, along with more bandwidth. I'm waiting for something great out of Creative, I'm not happy much at all with my Audigy2, so their next card has to impress the crap outta me if they expect me to buy it.
 
I think I'll wait for this "Zenith", too... as the quality from the Live 5.1 to the Audigy 4 isn't really worth me blowing a few hundred bucks Canadian... I want to see what they have up their sleeve. I just wish I could find more info SOMEWHERE on this damn thing.
 
i am holding off for zenith too - just hoping it has Dolby Digital Live encoding ability

fingers crossed!!!
 
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