Question for SB Live! & Audigy owners.

[someone 0]

I'm among the SoundBlaster users that have problems with WinXP and my SB Live card. I've seen several threads about people with Live and Audigy cards having the same problems (static, cracle & pop etc), and yet some with the same cards do not have a problem. The only solution so far is to disable hardware acceleration.I should be ordering the parts for my new system next week, and I was going to get an M-Audio Revolution 7.1. I just happened to look at the Audigy2 cards, and I saw a picture of both cards. Vsually there is a difference between the two.http://www.ircore.com/~reaper/uploads/audigies.jpgThen it hit me. Maybe the reason some people have problems, and some don't is because there's a difference between the OEM and retail cards.So, please post weather you have an OEM or Retail card, and if you have the crackles and pops or other problems in WinXP.BTW, I have the OEM SB Live! 5.1. I've tried it in both my systems and get the same results.

[Guest GiZBUG]

Have an Audigy.I had a few pops with it in my AMD system (using VIA chipset).I switched to a P4 and it runs fantastic

[Guest ront1]

What real differences do you see between the 2 cards other than the jacks. One is gold plated possibly. I don't this would or would not contribute to the problem either way.Ron

[MikeAdamo 51]

Hey Someone!I have a Dell Dimension 8250 with the Audigy2 card and I was suffering from horrible hisses and pops with just about everything I ran. I downloaded the newest drivers, uninstalled the old ones, re-installed and have had NO problems since. Sound quality is fantastic.I'm not claiming that this is THE fix but it worked for me. I think the key is to uninstall the old drivers first, clean out as much of the left over files as possible then go and reinstall.Good luck!Mike

[Guest drobson]

I have the pretty one on the right, and it works great. I've never had any problems with any SB card.Darrell

[someone 0]

>What real differences do you see between the 2 cards other >than the jacks. One is gold plated possibly. I don't this >would or would not contribute to the problem either way. >>Ron The capicitors have different markings on them, perhaps brands/manufacturers. Maybe the retail cards use higher quality capacitors? Also the OEM card has 57 capicitors, and the retail card has 56.

[John_Tavendale 453]

Wouldn't matter if it's OEM or Retail, at the end of the day the reference design is the same. Its the drivers that make them work in the Windows enviroment.There is NO difference between OEM and Retail other than cosmetic features and packaging :)

[Guest RiddlePilot]

Audigy Platinum here...no problems in any games except a few minor ones in Nascar 2K2. I only play FS and a few driving sims, and it works fine for all. Even better is the fact that I have my 400 watt sound system hooked up to the Audigy, then my headset going to my onboard sound. Works real nice for flying online :7

[GeorgeM 2]

You may find some useful info at www.3dsoundsurge.com. Click on 'Forums.' There is one for general topics and others dedicated to individual sound cards.As a side note: it is the best site that I've found for data on speakers for both unbiased performance evaluations and technical/user advice.-GeorgeM at 5B6

[someone 0]

Poeple, all I was asking for was for owners of Live and Audigy cards to post if they have problems and weather they have Retail or OEM.I've tried everything possible to fix it, it is a driver issue with XP. I have two computers, and I've tried the card in every PCI slot, and manually assigning it a uniq IRQ through the BIOS, on both computers. Using my old computer, manualling assigning it an unused IRQ, I installed WinME. The card performs flawlessly in everything. Format the HD and install XP, the card becomes crap. I am using the latest drivers (dated 2/28/2003).Some people have the same problems and some don't. I'm just trying to figure out why.I did find evidence that, at least for the Audigy, that some of the OEM cards are different. Some users with OEM Audigy2 cards are unable to install the drivers downloaded from Creative's website. Installing the drivers they get a message saying no Audigy card is found.

[Guest TerryT]

I do not have a "Stand Alone" audio card in my system and I too get the garbles and hisses when the system gets maxed out with weather and complex scenery. I am just running off the audio chip on my Gigabye motherboard. I was hoping to eliminate this by going to a similar type audio card.Guess not.Terry

[Guest FPSFREAK]

You haven't given any system specs as to MB or chipset but are you running the latest set of chipset drivers for your motherboard? Are you running the latest bios?. I say this because I have seen probably 70% of hardware issues turn out to be Driver,chipset or Bios issues and not a hardware problem. I'm running the retail version and have not had a single problem. Hooked to my 680's this thing is unreal. My advice. Before blaming the card,check to make sure your system is up to date. If it is, you may have just gotten a bad card. It happens.Bobby

[Guest Id Rather Be Flying]

What you are looking and hearing at is a WELL DOCUMENTED **FACT** that the creative soundcards period have a problem when integrated with VIA chipsets and I have a hunch others as well. It is a problem of the sound card not releasing the bus and vice versa with the motherboard chipset which neither VIA or Creative will admit their own design issues. There is a latency patch that should help you.http://download.viahardware.com/vlatency_v019.zipAs far as your soundcard witchhunt, I wish you luck. I have a retail Audigy2 Platinum on an 845PE P4 motherboard with no problems but my AMD/Via motherboard made my 5.1 surround speakers sound like they were fried.

[Guest]

Hi RiddlePilotWhen I had my SB Live, I had the aircraft sound on my speakers and the ATC chat on the headsets/mike but since I changed to an Audigy 2 I lost my inboard sound; this inboard, realtek is reconized by WIN XP and Roger Wilco (the configurations are the same as with SB LIve) but I can't have a sound. :-(Any help?Thanks in advanceRegardsC.M.G.

[Tabs 2,790]

I have a retail SB Live Platinum and get pops and crackles in FS (especially when changing throttle position) like crazy. I always assumed it was just cause the card is old, not as much DX support for newer games etc... Does this really happen with the new Audigy 2 cards as well? I may have to look elsewhere for sound on my new system I'm building this summer if that's the case...Ryan