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Thread: Creative Labs Audigy or Philips Acoustic Edge?

  1. #1
    Ultimate Member AuraEdge's Avatar
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    Creative Labs Audigy or Philips Acoustic Edge?

    I'm about to get a new sound card.
    Dont know which one to get though.
    Audigy's brand spanken new, and Acoustic Edge is tried and true.
    I'm looking everywhere for reviews, and cant find them head to head in any review.
    Is that because the audigys so good you cant even compare the two? or is the Edge an underacknowledged card?

    Which one should I get?
    And how come?
    Get techie on me, I like it.

    As far as I know now, it looks like the audigy has lower CPU usage, but the Acoustic edge has better sound functions. The audigy sounds like it does better in extreme circumstances, but the Edge does better in normal circumstances. They both support 5.1 and they both are around the same price. (~$60 OEM, ~$100 Retail)

    BTW I prefer the Edge to the Santa Cruz, as far as what I've read. I have a 2.1 Setup, and will be migrating to 5.1's eventually.

  2. #2
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    Sorry I can't get more techie than personal experience, but I'll take a shot any way.

    I just upgraded from the SB Live 5.1 to the Audigy Platinum. The first time I put in a CD to give it a listen I could not believe the difference. The sound was a BIG improvement, and I thought it sounded good before. The difference in clarity and soundstage was very noticable. I guess it's the 100db S/N ratio and better processing. Anyway, it sounds better than any bookshelf system I have ever heard and better than a lot of full size systems.

    As always with anything audio, a lot will depend on how good your speakers are. If you have or eventually want to upgrade to a really good set of speakers, then the Audigy will definately make the most of them.

    I hope this helps. I think MaximumPC magazine will be reviewing the Audigy in their Nov. issue, and they have been known to get a bit techie at times. I hope you enjoy it, whatever your choice.
    "I know. Wonderful! Marvelous! Perfect!" -from 'Brazil'

  3. #3
    Ultimate Member AuraEdge's Avatar
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    Audigy 1, Edge 0

    I actually want to get the Acoustic Edge, but I'm afraid its dated now that Creative has rolled out the new potential "SBLive" of the next couple years.

    I dont know how the techonogies of the two size up to eachother, nor whether the extra CPU usage is much of a concern when you count your processor in Gigahertz.

    I also never thought there was much sound quality improvement from the SBLive to audigy, but the BIG improvement you cited seems to denote otherwise, expecially since the "big" is in all caps .

  4. #4
    Ultimate Member SPEEDO's Avatar
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    Have you looked at the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz?

    It's a real nice item!

    SPEEDO

  5. #5
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    I had the Phillips at one time. Sounded great, but CPU usage was massive compared to my old SBLive. Had the Herc GTXP also. It sounded great also, but had bugs out the **** at the time (still do). Finally settled on a TB Santa Cruz which is what I'm using now. So far, this has been the best overall sound card I've used to date. It's not a bad choice if you want to save a few bucks (it's priced comparitively with the Acoustic Edge).

    Personally speaking, if I was buying a new sound card from scratch or given just a choice between the two you've mentioned, I'd go with the Audigy. It's the most advanced, consumer-level sound card out there right now and I've yet to see a bad review of it. Newegg.com has the OEM version for only $66.

  6. #6
    Ultimate Member AuraEdge's Avatar
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    Yep I have looked at the Santa Cruz (Last sentence of original post). Not many of the features of the Santa Cruz stuck me as an excellent feature. The QSound and QSurround, however, seem like awesome features.
    On the Audigy, EAX3 seems like it wouldnt make much real world difference. Not sure about anything else though.

    Maybe I'm wrong, and someone can enlighten me to so whats so great about the Santa Cruz compared to the Acoustic Edge or the Audigy.

    Maybe I should point out what kind of user I am...I listen to music and play games on my computer. I'll watch the occasional DVD, but not often at all. I dont do any audio editing, so that doesn't matter. Also, as previously mentioned, I have a 2.1, and will go to a 4.1 or 5.1 soon.

  7. #7
    Ultimate Member SPEEDO's Avatar
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    I must be going blind I could swear that wasn't there originally or I would not have bothered posting!

    SPEEDO

  8. #8
    Ultimate Member eagle1's Avatar
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    I'm not going to get techie on you (maybe because I can't ) but judge for yourself and take a look at these reviews from Tomshardware:

    http://www6.tomshardware.com/video/0...927/index.html
    http://www6.tomshardware.com/video/0...925/index.html
    eagle1 signing off.....


  9. #9
    Ultimate Member AuraEdge's Avatar
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    I just wish someone would mention the Edge and the Audigy in the same review. All of them compare the Audigy to the Live, which, since its a latter generation card from the same company, is obviously better.

  10. #10
    Ultimate Member eagle1's Avatar
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    Yeah but since these reviews have everything from live to turtle beach, compare the cpu consumption and all that stuff side by side with the review of the audigy and try to reach a conclusion by yourself.!

    Creative has always made good cards and these audigy series seem to move up a notch.!!!
    eagle1 signing off.....


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