Audigy 2, 4 question

[inspiron8200guy]

What is the differnece between the Audigy 2 Zs and the Audigy 4? Is the Audigy 4 better or am I better off with the ZS? I looked at both briefly and couldn't figure out the difference.



Thanks

P.S- I don't have the cash or need to go with the X-FI.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

When you can get an Audigy2 zs for as cheap as they've been going for $40-ish, then that's a solid choice to go with.

Differences in performance between the A2 and A4 seem to be pretty small, and certainly not worth the price difference as the A4 is still very expensive afaik.

 

[orangat]

Where can you get the A2 ZA for 40ish? Maybe with a rebate but defintely not that low even for a oem model.

The difference is that the A4pro has better components for better sound quality and has a much better resampling algorithm. The soundsurge review said its better than the revo. But the ZS is already pretty decent for music.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: orangat
Where can you get the A2 ZA for 40ish? Maybe with a rebate but defintely not that low even for a oem model.

The difference is that the A4pro has better components for better sound quality and has a much better resampling algorithm. The soundsurge review said its better than the revo. But the ZS is already pretty decent for music.

Yes, rebate deals. Some recent ones:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=40&threadid=1690070&enterthread=y
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=40&threadid=1684318&enterthread=y
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=40&threadid=1682543&enterthread=y
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=40&threadid=1670284&enterthread=y

 

[darkswordsman17]

Originally posted by: inspiron8200guy
What is the differnece between the Audigy 2 Zs and the Audigy 4? Is the Audigy 4 better or am I better off with the ZS? I looked at both briefly and couldn't figure out the difference.



Thanks

P.S- I don't have the cash or need to go with the X-FI.

Um, the Audigy 4 costs more than X-Fi, unless you're going for the super high end models.

Basically all they did is up the sound-to-noise ratio. There's little to no real benefit of going with the Audigy 4.

 

[alcoholbob]

The Audigy 4 Pro looks like it has much better specs than the XiFi extreme music.

It has an external breakout box for recording and bitperfect SPDIF output.

It "only" supports EAX4 vs EAX5, and doesn't have XiFi's great new (useless) compression algorithm. Well not entirely useless, if you have speakers with no tweeters like Logitechs, I guess it would help. Then again, why would you spend so much on a sound card and flake out on speakers?

 

[inspiron8200guy]

Okay, that's what I thought. I actually saw the Audigy 4 for $80 at Best Buy. I thouught that was the going rate for the 2 ZS.

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: inspiron8200guy
Okay, that's what I thought. I actually saw the Audigy 4 for $80 at Best Buy. I thouught that was the going rate for the 2 ZS.

What you saw at BB was the A4 non-pro. It has an inferior dac (and possibly other inferior components) compared to the A4pro. The dac is about the same as the A2ZS while the A4pro uses the newer 2 channel Cirrus logic dac (4 of them for 8 channels). The DSP is the same as the A4pro.
If it doesn't support EAX2/3 however, its of little use to gamers.

 

[The J]

The DSP for all of the Audigy cards is the EMU Systems EMU10k2 (though I've read the A2ZS one referred to as EMU10k2.5), I think. Does the Audigy 4 have different instruction sets or BIOS improvements?

 

[orangat]

The DSP for the A4/A4pro is still emu based but the components are better for the more musically inclined. Until the x-fi debuted, the A4pro was considered the best gaming+music soundcard. the reviewer on SS thought that it outperformed the revo.
http://www.3dsoundsurge.com/reviews/Audigy4Pro/audigy4pro.html

 

[LED]

The Audigy 4 Pro looks like it has much better specs than the XiFi extreme music.

I have the Aud2, 4, and heard the XiFi which wins hands down

 

[alcoholbob]

What speakers do you run? Just curious.

 

[LED]

2 Home Made Jobs with Klispsh 4.1+2.1 for 8.2 total

 

[cepher2101]

as a audiophile...id say...NON

unless your backstage making files for record companies (which your not, because they use equipment other than computers for this stuff)...theres really no audifble difference....what the 4 does come with is a little desktop box of where you can mess with settings...add components...useless sht like that....ill put down 99% that you wont use it...or any of the extras the 4 has over the 2...plus, its nice to save a buck...just go with the 2zs...and all is well

 

[ZH]

The A4 does support EAX 3 and above, which most modern games use. I'm not sure about below ver 3, though I would assume Creative wouldn't be that dumb not to. The quality of the hardware is better.
Realistically tho.. unless you have a hi-fi THX-type speaker setup that you've spent a good amount on, you probably won't notice the differenct in the sound quality. Even if you do have the expensive speakers, your ears won't be able to tell much of a difference.
Go with the cheaper ZS 2. I found one for $68 on Amazon.

 

[Stretchman]

I love it. Just the other day I could walk into Office Depot and pick up a Sound Blaster Live! for around 10 bucks. Shaweet!

 

[CSMR]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Basically all they did is up the sound-to-noise ratio. There's little to no real benefit of going with the Audigy 4.

Interesting pair of sentences.

 

[SEAL62505]

Sorry to bring this thread back to life, but I was wondering if there is anymore to audigy4 vs audigy2 zs. The audigy 4 i am interested in is the best buy $80 one (not the pro). Does anyone know of any good comparisons out there on the web?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: RuffRyder1672
Sorry to bring this thread back to life, but I was wondering if there is anymore to audigy4 vs audigy2 zs. The audigy 4 i am interested in is the best buy $80 one (not the pro). Does anyone know of any good comparisons out there on the web?

There's also the X-Fi available for $75 AR right now. Check hot deals.

A2zs is back for $40 AR.

I think those would be better options than the A4.

 

[CKTurbo128]

Guys, just letting you know that the Audigy 4 (NON-PRO) model is essentially a re-badged Audigy 2 ZS, confirmed by Chastity of 3DSoundsurge (the reviewer of the Audigy 4 Pro at that site):

http://www.3dss-forums.com/cgi-bin/wwwt...=4&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=365&fpart=all

Nope, doesn't use the same DACs. It uses a single 8-channel DAC instead of 4 stereo DACs.

Basically, the Audigy 4 Non-Pro does not have the same DACs as the Audigy 4 Pro; it uses the same DACs as the Audigy 2 ZS.

http://www.3dss-forums.com/cgi-bin/wwwt...=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=365&fpart=all

OK then. The regular A4 is a repackaged A2 ZS, so I am not surprised you didn't notice a big difference. If you had gotten the A4 Pro, then it would be a different story.

In comparing to the X-Fi, the differnce would be noticable, but would mostly be a "bug fix". Oh, and better opamps, which may account for some of it.

So in other words, the specs and sound quality are nearly the same as an Audigy 2 ZS. Also, the Audigy 4 Non-Pro chipset looks a bit different than the Audigy 4 Pro.

 

[SEAL62505]

thanks for the info! well, now I just realized there is an x-fi extreme music for fairly cheap these days. I have an audigy (1) and was mostly interested in gaming. I know that the x-fi supports a newer eax (Battlefield 2 makes use of it). Would I see a big change in CPU utilization? How about in the sound for games? I am assuming the new version of eax brings something new or better?

 

[KeepItRed]

Originally posted by: inspiron8200guy
What is the differnece between the Audigy 2 Zs and the Audigy 4? Is the Audigy 4 better or am I better off with the ZS? I looked at both briefly and couldn't figure out the difference.



Thanks

P.S- I don't have the cash or need to go with the X-FI.

I was thinking the same. I was originally going for the Audigy 4 PRO for $320 CAD when I saw the Audigy 2 ZS for $79 CAD. What's the difference? Audigy 4 can go a few dB's louder and has a little bit less distortion. Features are the exact same. Huge waste of money.

 

[Hav0k99]

Originally posted by: CKTurbo128
Guys, just letting you know that the Audigy 4 (NON-PRO) model is essentially a re-badged Audigy 2 ZS, confirmed by Chastity of 3DSoundsurge (the reviewer of the Audigy 4 Pro at that site):

http://www.3dss-forums.com/cgi-bin/wwwt...=4&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=365&fpart=all

Nope, doesn't use the same DACs. It uses a single 8-channel DAC instead of 4 stereo DACs.

Basically, the Audigy 4 Non-Pro does not have the same DACs as the Audigy 4 Pro; it uses the same DACs as the Audigy 2 ZS.

http://www.3dss-forums.com/cgi-bin/wwwt...=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=365&fpart=all

OK then. The regular A4 is a repackaged A2 ZS, so I am not surprised you didn't notice a big difference. If you had gotten the A4 Pro, then it would be a different story.

In comparing to the X-Fi, the differnce would be noticable, but would mostly be a "bug fix". Oh, and better opamps, which may account for some of it.

So in other words, the specs and sound quality are nearly the same as an Audigy 2 ZS. Also, the Audigy 4 Non-Pro chipset looks a bit different than the Audigy 4 Pro.

FINALY SOMEONE ANSWERS THIS! There are many threads of 2 zs vx 4 and most people take it as 4 Pro when it clearly says 4!!! I have an Audigy 4 and also wanted to know out of the 2 which was better. X-Fi is not an answer!!

 

[Mem]

I have the Aud2, 4, and heard the XiFi which wins hands down

Also depends on speakers you use as well,as for compatibility the Audigy have better drivers and no problems like some nForce 4 motherboards have with XI-FI cards,true the newer versions don't have that problem now and most motherboards now have a BIOS update fix too.


Audigy 4s are going for great prices at moment,I'm happy with mine,stop gap for me until PCIe sound cards arrive.

Personally I would skip XI-FI and wait for next generation,hopefully we will see a PCI-E version too.

 

[rox1co]

A4 doesn't have EAX? i'm reading at the site it has EAX 4

http://creative.com/products/product.as...tegory=1&subcategory=434&product=14103

EAX® ADVANCED HD?:

* EAX 4.0 ADVANCED HD supports multiple simultaneous audio environments for exceptionally realistic 3D sounds in games ranging from first person shooters to multiplayer online games.