CALROG.COM: Sound Blaster Audigy, the Next Standard in Mainstream Audio

Sound Blaster Audigy: the Next Standard in Mainstream Audio
By C. Rogers, 12.01

For the past few years, the standard in audio has been Creative Labs' Sound Blaster Live card. Since introduction, the SB Live has impressed the masses, with the ability to playback 16-bit/44 KHz audio with different sound environments. Any end-user who has taken the time to experiment with different sound environments within the AudioHQ utility has known the promising abilities of the Sound Blaster Live, in both hardware and software fields.

Creative Labs recently decided to end "milking the cow" with the SB Live series. The newest high-end solution from Creative Labs is called the Sound Blaster Audigy.

What makes the new SB Audigy card different? The first and most impressive feature is the ability to play higher-frequency audio. The Audigy card has the ability to convert and output audio up to the 24-bit/96 KHz standard. Sound can be processed in real time at a 48 KHz frequency, however for higher frequencies up to 96 KHz, an included analog-to-digital converter is used to achieved this. For many audio enthusiasts, this is a major step forward in next-generation audio.

3D audio is available with 6-channel setups, which is a definite advantage in FPS games such, Quake III , Max Payne, or Unreal Tournament.

The Sound Blaster Audigy uses the E-Mu 10K2 audio processor, which is twice as powerful as the the SB Live's offering. The Audigy card is available now as a retail-boxed product, however many PC OEMs have taken likening to this, and may include it in more PC product lines over the next few months.

It is likely the Sound Blaster Live will begin disappearing from retail outlets over the next coming year. However, bargain basement customers may be pleased to see SB Live cards selling for rock-bottom prices by then.

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