SC recommends that are NOT Creative

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=HPSF=Roadrunner

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
285
I am looking for a good soundcard, but have had it with Creative. Is their a good alternative? I couldn't find a good, general. thread regarding it.

I am a gamer, but also do alot of music oriented stuff. Mostly basic listening, burning/ripping, but I do some ripping of vinyl LP's also. My Audigy 2ZS has done a great job, but my front panel stopped working, and really need some RCA inputs for my setup.

Ideally, I would like alot of input, and outputs. Mostly RCA line level, and I have a custom case, so a breakout cable would be prefered over a front panel inerface. I would like to be able to hookup front panel headphone, and mic jacks (one of many problems I have with Creative).
I am also curious about speaker output options available. Are their cards that offer more than one main speaker output miniplug? I would like to be able to hook up Stereo speakers through a seperate integrated reciever/amp, headphones, two built-in monitor speakers, and a 2.1 self-powered speaker setup. Don't ask why, I just do.
I would like to stay below $200, but would consider more, if it was really worth it.
Has anyone tried M-Audio, or Auzunetech?
 
My brother has used an M-Audio SC for a few years. One of the cheaper PCI models :) He was very happy with it, both with the quality in games and when doing music recording/editing. Piles of I/O options.
 
Yeah, the only real choice is a Xonar, or a Prelude if you don't mind a creative chip in a non-creative card.

M-Audio is horrendous driver support, so that that with a grain of salt.
 
Driver support is a concern. As for creatives hardware, that is one of the areas I have been happy with them, so I guess small props to Creative there. The Asus cards were one I was curious about too. Thanks guys, keep yer opinions coming. It would be nice to see a good, general, comprehensive, stickied thread about SC's, but I didn't seem to find one.
 
I have a Xonar D2X and the drivers are okay. Not updated too often but I haven't had any problems that I'm aware of, either.
 
ASUS Xonar
HT Omega Striker / Claro
Auzentech Xplosion

I might be missing a company or specific product name, but I think those are the available alternates to Creative for your price range
 
I have an m-audio audiophile 2496, which has very good sound quality and meets all of your requirements, except that driver support with operating systems newer than XP32 really is terrible.
 
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