Ditto

Creative live 5.1 here, and creative 5300 speaker setup, but you need the KX drivers to make the soundcard work, NOT the creative ones
regards
SImon

On this machine I'm still using the Live! MP3+, with upgrade plans in the research stage.

Still waiting for reviews, but the via sound chip looks promising as it's used by some decent enough brands like m-audio & terratec.

Soundblaster is/was supposed to release an updated audigy 2 this spring that actually does 24 bit throughout the chain without downsampling to 16 bit. Otherwise myself I haven't seen enough advantages between the audigy line and the Lives.

The USB & firewire boxes are looking ever more promising - give you both soundcard & some mixer functions.

FWIW: if you're upgrading speakers as well, might want to take the plunge into 6.1 or better and save yourself the upgrade later. [I wish they'd make the power supplies standard so could just add as many sets as you want without adding to the wall wart farm - just another pipedream I'm sure, but I've so many of the D___ things I swear some mornings they've bred]

I'm guessing as long as I have the amps (or active speakers) I'll be able to use my Delta 1010 (10 in/outs) right?
TIA,
Randy

http://industryclick.com/magazinearticle.asp?magazineid=141&releaseid=9652&magazinearticleid=135270&siteid=15


Check the above link for some monitor systems for surround sound. "Slightly" more expensive than the Creative solution. ;)

M

Just a quick reminder to everyone... Remember who is gonna be listening to your final project, and what will they be using? Not saying not to get something *nice* of course, just that more then a few folks have gotten into trouble producing something that sounded like doggie doo doo when placed back on 50 cent speakers or on a mono TV.

If I was looking right now...
I'd look at the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 audio card and the Klipsch 5.1 THX surround speakers.
Depends what quality/audience you're aiming for. Family usage only, or commercial release?

M

Equally, anything mixed on a substandard system will sound terrible on a good home theatre setup. All the bad things masked by your monitors will be clearly heard. The key is to check your mixes on multiple systems, from the best you can, to the cheap mono limited bandwidth speaker in the kids' room.

There is no 'one size fits all', that's why recording studios have multiple monitoring systems, and still burn a CDR so the producer can listen to it on his car stereo on his weekends.

Mark

Although I agree with MyST and Baylo in theory, my pocket book doesn't! One thing, I think, that needs to be taken into consideration is that the 5.1 will be used for DVDs, will it not? Hence, one assumes they will be played on "higher end" sound systems (for the most part).

I've been looking at the Klipsch ProMedia 5.1. Currently, I'm using their ProMedia 2.1 and have been utterly impressed with the sound. Haven't decided on a card yet, though.

Well, you're already looking at the Klipsch like I mentioned. So I guess I wasn't that far off on the budget. I think if you check out the Revolution 7.1 by M-Audio you'll probably see it offers all you want at a price that's within your budget.
I'd get M-Audio stuff before Creative or Hercules anytime, especially if audio quality is an issue! M-Audio caters the Pro Audio crowd, the others only WISH they could.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProAct5.1/

The above link takes you to Sweetwater.com. They're a surrround spkr system that looks to rival those from Klipsch.

¢¢

Well I have the nVidia's nForce2 based SoundStorm, which incidently is also used in the xbox and is much better than Creative Live , better than Audigy and below Audigy2.

Thanks for the tip, MyST. I did visit the site, and you're right. Sure would be nice if one could hear how they sound. Also checked out M-Audio. Have heard only good about them and their cards.

Here's what I would do...
Sweetwater sells all kinds of reference monitors, affordable to very expensive. Call them and tell them what you plan on doing with these, and ask them if they think these would be good for your application. If they know you'll be using them as reference surround monitors(on a budget), they might tell you that you can't find better for the price OR they might say these are more for gamers, so skip them.

M

It looks to me as though the Alesis system is just a rebranded version of the Logitech Z-680 THX system. One thing that is different between these and the Klipsch system is the Klipsch has tweeters in the satelites, where the Logitech and Alesis systems are a single full range cone. By the way, the Logitech's can be found for almost $100 cheaper on Pricegrabber.com than what Sweetwater lists the Alesis system for.

JBJones

In that case I'd definitely go for the Klipsch first.

¢¢

I realize now that if I concocted my own speaker/amp system (regardless of how killer it may sound in my studio) it probably would be a terrible mix on a matched system. So I realize I will have to buy one of these systems but have another question which might not be so dumb. As I mentioned I have a Delta 1010 and I am running the WDM drivers in my audio app (Sonar). However, my only options in the dropdown in V4 (pref/audio device) are MS sound mapper, Win classic wave and M Audio Delta ASIO; any idea as to why it doesn't recognize my WDM drivers (I have "share drivers with other programs" checked in Sonar).
TIA,
Randy

About the Creative drivers... I've fought with them, and called their support line several times, and I can't get everything to work at once. What are the KX drivers? Where do I get them?

Thanks.

Gary

You're right jb! They even use the same photograph!!! And charge another $100 just for the nameplate. What a rip! Still, I'd like to compare them (listen to them) with the Klipsch 5.1 system.

I've always been a Klipsch fan but you may want to read the reviews here regarding their durability. http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=467878/mode=google/ut=4046183604402b48

Here are a couple of reviews of the Klipsch and the Logitech systems. There is however almost a year between articles.

Logitech Z-680 5.1
http://www.gamersdepot.com/hardware/speakers/logitech/z680/001.htm

Klipsch Promedia 5.1
http://www.gamersdepot.com/hardware/speakers/klipsch/promedia_51/001.htm


JBJones

http://kxproject.spb.ru/index.php?skip=1

Yeah, I had read those a day or two ago, along with some reviews by a several very unhappy owners, when I started considering my options. I'm thinking perhaps they fixed the problem(s). But who knows. I can't imagine them still selling all this time if they are as buggy as they were in the beginning.