CD Quality sound at a bargin price...
Written: Aug 10 '00 (Updated Aug 11 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sound quality is outstanding...
Cons: None at this time...
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| vemartin's Full Review: Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! Value Sound Card |
When it became time to upgrade my old workstation I decided that I once again wanted a real sound card in lieu of one built into the motherboard. Those tend to produce mediocre sound and do not come with a wide range of features to play with; i.e. separate bass and treble controls, and surround sound features.
I have always had a hankering for Creative Labs Sound Blaster cards since owning my first—a Sound Blaster 16 ISA—lo those many years ago. So naturally I sought them out for my new PC. After days of reading some very good, and not so very good sound card reviews, I settled on the Sound Blaster Live! Value, which I purchased from on-line merchant Mwave.com (www.mwave.com), for $47.90, OEM. When you consider that this card is $99.99 retail, I did do not do too badly.
The Sound Blaster Live! Value utilizes the same EMU10K1 audio processor as the Sound Blaster Live!; the only difference between the two is the software titles that ship with both. The sound card has two audio outputs, which allow me to listen to up to four analog speakers, which simulates 3-D sounds (this is idea for gamers). There is also an input for microphone and a separate audio input. Here is a listing of the software that ships with the retail version of this card:
· Unreal™ Special Edition by Epic MegaGames®
· Prody Parrot™ by Mindmaker, Inc.
· TextAssist® by Mindmaker, Inc.
· VoiceAssist® by Mindmaker, Inc.
· Sound Blaster® Live! Experience
· Creative PlayCenter™
· Creative Launcher™
· Creative AudioHQ™
· Creative Rhythmania™
· Creative WaveStudio™
· Creative Soundo'LE®
· Creative Keytar™
· Predefined Game Environment presets
· Music Library
I am very impressed by the sound I get from this card! I have mated it with a pair of Altec Lansing sub-woofer/satellite speakers and the sound is as advertised and 1000% better then my old motherboard integrated sound card. MP3’s (yes I use Napster on occasion), play with CD quality sound, minus a creditable mid-range, and CD are clear, crisp and refreshingly loud.
If you are looking for a bargain priced sound card that offers superior sound and advanced controls, you can't do better than the Sound Blaster Live! Value.
Please Check out my other reviews in this series:
* Pentium III 550Mhz Processor: http://www.epinions.com/cmd-review-18C5-106E9878-3991819C-prod1.
* Abit BE6-II Motherboard: http://www.epinions.com/cmd-review-7D25-27867C18-39901FD4-prod5.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 47.90
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Epinions.com ID:
vemartin
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Member: Vincent
Location: Aurora, IL
Reviews written: 1357
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