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Doc
 
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Default ? for Arny Krueger and others Soundblaster Noise levels

I mention Arny since I've looked at his website and have read comments
he's made the SB cards, but welcome responses from anyone.

Arny, you've mentioned you don't think the Audigy or Live cards are
particularly quiet, and I've heard others bitch about them allegedly
being noisy. Actually, the last time I looked at your site, I saw info
on the Live but you didn't have anything on the Audigy that I could
find in your Sound Card comparison section.

Not trying to be a wise-guy, but did you test the Live with the CD
audio muted? I've found that this makes a HUGE difference in the
obvious "hiss" I hear, going strictly on a seat of the pants "naked
ear" basis. With the CD audio muted, it sure sounds mighty quiet and I
have to crank it basically all the way up to hear much of anything,
and a portion of that is surely from the receiver/amp I have the
computer sound going through. With CD audio unmuted, it becomes
hissier at somewhat lower levels. Ditto the Audigy.
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Arny Krueger
 
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"Doc" wrote in message
om
I mention Arny since I've looked at his website and have read comments
he's made the SB cards, but welcome responses from anyone.

Arny, you've mentioned you don't think the Audigy or Live cards are
particularly quiet, and I've heard others bitch about them allegedly
being noisy. Actually, the last time I looked at your site, I saw info
on the Live but you didn't have anything on the Audigy that I could
find in your Sound Card comparison section.


It's true that I've gotten kinda laid back about posting test reports at
www.pcavtech.com. PCAVTech dates back to 1996 or so when there was a real
lack of reliable tests of sound cards. These days anybody who can download
the AudioRightmark program can make their own tests. Doesn't mean that I
haven't been testing cards.

Not trying to be a wise-guy, but did you test the Live with the CD
audio muted?


Of course!

I've found that this makes a HUGE difference in the
obvious "hiss" I hear, going strictly on a seat of the pants "naked
ear" basis.


Well, here's one back at ya! Why haven't you downloaded the Audio Rightmark
program and done your own tests?

With the CD audio muted, it sure sounds mighty quiet and I
have to crank it basically all the way up to hear much of anything,
and a portion of that is surely from the receiver/amp I have the
computer sound going through. With CD audio unmuted, it becomes
hissier at somewhat lower levels. Ditto the Audigy.


But of course.

I think that it's good to distinguish between the requirements on an audio
interface that is used for just listening, versus one that is used for audio
production. Just listening is easy - you only use half of the card - the
playback part. And you only put the music through it once before you listen
to it.

Audio production goes well beyond just listening. All of the audio gets
round-tripped at least once, and if you are using outboard effects, then the
music may end up making several round trips, picking up more noise and
distortion each time. The requirements are far more stringent, no?

There's also been some behind-the-scenes upgrading of the Live! and the
current product is better than the one I tested way-back-when. However, just
about any of the lower end cards that are sold for the specific purpose
still have head-and-shoulders better performance.

I don't I've ever said that the Live or Audigy were noisy POS. In
production use, either is a gigantic leap forward from the SB16. SB32, and
SB64 which comprised the previous generation of CL audio cards. Believe it
or not the SB64 was sold as a card for audio production!


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Doc
 
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"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...

I've found that this makes a HUGE difference in the
obvious "hiss" I hear, going strictly on a seat of the pants "naked
ear" basis.


Well, here's one back at ya! Why haven't you downloaded the Audio

Rightmark
program and done your own tests?


Uh....I...that is....er....I mean...

Actually, I've never heard of it before. :-)


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Arny Krueger
 
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"Doc" wrote in message
nk.net
"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...

I've found that this makes a HUGE difference in the
obvious "hiss" I hear, going strictly on a seat of the pants "naked
ear" basis.


Well, here's one back at ya! Why haven't you downloaded the Audio
Rightmark program and done your own tests?


Uh....I...that is....er....I mean...

Actually, I've never heard of it before. :-)


Well you did now! ;-)


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