Blast from the Past: Creative Announces Updated Sound Blaster Z SE Discrete Sound Card

[djisas]

Get an actual external dac instead.

I bought one, it was inferior than my old sound card...
Basically it would cost more than a sound card and it wouldn't drive my speakers...

 

[progste]

No. What we don't need is more clutter on our desks.

Then put it under your desk or use the integrated chipset.
This kind of sound card will give you no advantage over what's included in a decent motherboard.

 

[Ruru]

This kind of sound card will give you no advantage over what's included in a decent motherboard.

I disagree on that. I had the older SB Z and it was superior over a decent integrated one.

 

[djisas]

Well, I had a X-fi fatal1ty champion, then moved to integrated and back to a X-fi fatal1ty pro pcie...
Probably the last good 7.1 card...

 

[Wirko]

Or they could put PCI slots back on mobos so those of us who already have high end sound cards can use them on modern hardware

We still have a nonzero number of S1200 and AM4 mobos to choose from, all of them low end though. I built my 2016 PC around an old PCI soundcard, an E-mu 1212m. The card doesn't pick up any audible interference from VRMs and other dirty stuff inside the chassis. Amazing, considering that it's not even shielded.

 

[bug]

I have integrated Realtek 1220 on Gigabyte B550 AORUS PRO motherboard and an ultra old Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS discrete audio card, connected to Teufel Cubycon 5.1 speaker system and AKG N60NC headphones and there is just no comparison. Realtek 1220 sound like a shallow shit with a lot of static noise compared to Audigy. Discrete audio solutions are still well worth it when coupled with decent speakers/headphones. I mean what's the point of having hi-fi headphones/speakers when you feed it with bad audio source?

Onboard sound is always crappy if you use analog out. So don't.
For years, I've been using digital out + ordinary DVD players and it made a world of difference. Then I bought a Dragonfly Red

This discussion changes a little if you also want to use a mic, though.

 

[progste]

Onboard sound is always crappy if you use analog out. So don't.
For years, I've been using digital out + ordinary DVD players and it made a world of difference. Then I bought a Dragonfly Red

This discussion changes a little if you also want to use a mic, though.

schiit fulla has a mic input I guess.

 

[freeagent]

I have an old Asus Xonar Essence ST I would like to use. But honestly the onboard audio on my board is pretty good for what I'm using it for now. And to listen on my stereo I have a line out from my GPU so its not really missed. I don't use headphones because I like my subs.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Then put it under your desk or use the integrated chipset.

No thank you. I prefer an internal sound card.

This kind of sound card will give you no advantage over what's included in a decent motherboard.

Rubbish. That statement clearly shows how you misunderstand how sound devices work.

 

[Camm]

You buy these for the DSP, rather than for the sound quality.


In that regard, I have a possibly silly setup with a Creative X3 external, which then goes Optical over to a Topping D90, to then output game audio to my headphones or speakers.

 

[lexluthermiester]

You buy these for the DSP, rather than for the sound quality.

Nope, I buy them for the sound quality.

 

[bobbybluz]

I scored an Asus Xonar D2X in pristine condition with all the accessories in the box that looks like new for $20 a couple of weeks ago. It's the 6th one in my collection. 13+ years old and still slightly better specs than the new Creative card. The aftermarket Uni drivers are a must for them, Asus drivers were never up to the task.

When I was still in broadcast radio we tried several different consumer and professional audio cards. In the actual broadcast studio PC's we ended up using pricey Audio Science because they had AES/EBU digital inputs and outputs for the Harris digital mixing boards. When it came to doing production work for broadcast the D2X was and still is my favorite audio card. Digital coaxial & SPDIF inputs and outputs, 7.1 audio and great sound quality. When combined with Sound Forge Pro 14.0 it's a Swiss Army knife of versatility.

 

[progste]

No thank you. I prefer an internal sound card.

Rubbish. That statement clearly shows how you misunderstand how sound devices work.

The bit stream is reconstructed into a wave (in this case by the sabre chip) and then amplified to line/headphone amplitude levels, there is not much to understand in that sense.
Using an internal card will give you a rubbish noise floor because of all the interference inside the case and the shared power supply with the other components, so even if you use an high end chip and a good output stage it will give you poor results and those money you dump into the sound card would be better spent elsewhere.
If you care about having good sound it's better to just send the digital signal via usb or optical to an external device for the conversion to happen there.
It's fine if you want the internal card anyway but don't go around talking as if you know better when you don't understand the basics.

 

[R-T-B]

I bought one, it was inferior than my old sound card...
Basically it would cost more than a sound card and it wouldn't drive my speakers...

They aren't meant to drive speakers. You'd then need an amp. Or a combo unit.

Rubbish. That statement clearly shows how you misunderstand how sound devices work.

I mean, there are good sound cards but this is really a middle rung one. And even the best sound cards are going to deal with more interference in a PC case than a DAC, nature of the beast I'm afraid.

 

[bug]

The bit stream is reconstructed into a wave (in this case by the sabre chip) and then amplified to line/headphone amplitude levels, there is not much to understand in that sense.
Using an internal card will give you a rubbish noise floor because of all the interference inside the case and the shared power supply with the other components, so even if you use an high end chip and a good output stage it will give you poor results and those money you dump into the sound card would be better spent elsewhere.
If you care about having good sound it's better to just send the digital signal via usb or optical to an external device for the conversion to happen there.
It's fine if you want the internal card anyway but don't go around talking as if you know better when you don't understand the basics.

I agree with what you say, with two caveats:
1. You can get lucky and get next to no interference when using a sound card. Not something I'd base my build on, but it can happen.
2. Past your twenties, your hearing dulls, even if there are some interferences, you may not spot them so easily.

Bonus caveat: if you don't have quality cans, interference is the least of your worries.

 

[Apocalypsee]

I wish they make new card based on CA20K2 DSP (X-FI Titanium DSP). I wished hardware accelerated audio would come back to PC because there is barely any improvement in terms of sound quality in games. Last game that impressed me immensely in terms of sound is Doom3 and Battlefield 2 which both using EAX (4 and 5). I still using X-Fi Titanium HD till this day, no onboard sound can come close.

 

[R-T-B]

I wish they make new card based on CA20K2 DSP (X-FI Titanium DSP). I wished hardware accelerated audio would come back to PC because there is barely any improvement in terms of sound quality in games. Last game that impressed me immensely in terms of sound is Doom3 and Battlefield 2 which both using EAX (4 and 5). I still using X-Fi Titanium HD till this day, no onboard sound can come close.

I do agree hardware accelerated audio would be nice to have again.

Most of the same effects can be done in software mind (see Creative Alchemy) but they have latency and cpu load, and you notice it at times.

 

[bug]

I do agree hardware accelerated audio would be nice to have again.

Most of the same effects can be done in software mind (see Creative Alchemy) but they have latency and cpu load, and you notice it at times.

Well, removing hardware acceleration at the time was the right thing to do (audio drivers were really crappy, blue screening if you looked funny at them), but it would be nice if hardware sound processing acceleration could make a comeback. Sans the blue screens, of course.

 

[lexluthermiester]

And even the best sound cards are going to deal with more interference in a PC case than a DAC, nature of the beast I'm afraid.

That makes a lot of assumptions, most of which would likely be insignificant.

I do agree hardware accelerated audio would be nice to have again.

Yes, yes it would! Tell that to the morons at Microsoft who have come up with the sound driver model.

but don't go around talking as if you know better when you don't understand the basics.

You keep telling yourself that.

 

[R-T-B]

That makes a lot of assumptions, most of which would likely be insignificant.

They aren't assumptions. Experiencing talking here. Computers are EM farms and yes you can hear it if you don't get a well-shielded sound card. This isn't one.

I don't say this out of desire to knock you. This is a problem I have personally had across multiple builds, and took years to finally realize what was going on. I have actual science to back it up, but who am I vs anyone these days?

 

[djisas]

They aren't assumptions. Experiencing talking here. Computers are EMP farms and yes you can hear it if you don't get a well-shielded sound card. This isn't one.

I think my previous card was way better at this than the current one, it was a nightmare to clean the signal, even a walwart adapter started screwing with it everything...

 

[R-T-B]

I think my previous card was way better at this than the current one, it was a nightmare to clean the signal, even a walwart adapter started screwing with it everything...

Onboards were worst for me but I think it's because my CPU was a LGA1366 at the time and the VRMs were HUNGRY.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Computers are EM farms and yes you can hear it if you don't get a well-shielded sound card. This isn't one.

Rubbish. That has been true for decades. Old SB cards don't suffer from noise problems and neither will this one. Really? Why are YOU of all people trying to spread FUD? Not taking this personally, I'm just surprised that you haven't taken a few moments to think that over...

Onboards were worst for me

Onboards have only been ok recently as board makers have isolated the audio circuitry from the rest of the board components. Still doesn't do much for the quality though.

 

[djisas]

Onboards were worst for me but I think it's because my CPU was a LGA1366 at the time and the VRMs were HUNGRY.

That why I picked the X-fi card, wasn't too happy with onboard either...
it sounded decent, but it lacked a dedicated headphone out and picked all the noise...
I cant live without my soundcard's front panel...

For, it was mainly one of my case's feature, the illuminated front logo, it run on high voltage and was transferring noise to the audio signal.

Lot's of cable managment and cleaning, and replaced every old fan as well...

Rubbish. That has been true for decades. Old SB cards don't suffer from noise problems and neither will this one. Really? Why are YOU of all people trying to spread FUD? Not taking this personally, I'm just surprised that you haven't taken a few moments to think that over...


Onboards have only been ok recently as board makers have isolated the audio circuitry from the rest of the board components. Still doesn't do much for the quality though.

Well, it turns out my current card picks up external noise...
It has been fixed though...

All that said, I would buy a new SB card, a 7.1...

 

[R-T-B]

Really? Why are YOU of all people trying to spread FUD?

Might want to think about that a bit.

Old SB cards don't suffer from noise problems and neither will this one.

I'm guessing you don't use high sensitivity headphones.