Audigy 2 ZS vs Audigy 2

[CCMCornell]

I was thinking about upgrading from the onboard audio on an MSI Neo2 when I stumbled across the new Audigy 2 ZS. What's the difference between the Audigy 2 and Audigy 2 ZS?

 

[WingDing]

The Audigy 2 ZS supports Dolby 7.1 and is THX certified. Otherwise they're almost identical. They're both around the same price, so you may as well go for the ZS version.

Barton 2500+, 512MB Corsair Platinum XMS 3200 CL2, Radeon 9700, WD Raptor 10,000 rpm S-ATA HDD, Asus A7V600, Enermax 460W SilentPlus PSU.

 

[r2k]

Audigy2 = 6.1 / Audigy2 ZS = 7.1
Audigy2 ZS has better DAC/ADC (at least it looks like it if you believe Creative's claims about better Signal to Noise Ratio)
Audigy2 ZS can decode (in hardware) DTS/DTS-ES and Dolby Digital 5.1/Dolby Digital EX (6.1/7.1) material. Audigy2 can 'only' do Dolby Digital EX up to 6.1.
Audigy2 ZS can do ASIO 2.0 recording at 24-bit/96KHz. Audigy2 (eX version aside) can do it at 16-bit/48KHz.

One of the things I'm waiting for Creative or other consumer sound card manufacturers to do is native 44.1KHz sampling rate processing (instead of upsampling to 48KHz). It hasn't happened yet unfortunately.

 

[JoeHead]

How about hooking it up to my receiver? I still want it hooked to my primary 5.1 PC set-up but I would also like it hooked to my system in the living room around the TV. I have all the connections one could desire: optical, digital coax and plain ole RCA. I'd prefer digital. Can this thing spit out the sound in 2 places? And without proprietary connections? If it wasn't for it's gaming performance and sound placement in games I'd go elsewhere.

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[vcv1122]

Don't understand what you mean by "spit out sound in 2 places". I don't think there is much sound quality difference on this card between analog and digital. In fact, the dvd audio on this card is analog, and is great for clarity and seperation of sound.

 

[pzmt]

> Audigy2 = 6.1 / Audigy2 ZS = 7.1
From pictures from creative looks like Audigy 2 uses same DAC as Audigy2 ZS - 8 channel CS (may be it has all connected, but not used by software drivers)

> DTS/DTS ES and Dolby Digital in hardware - I don't belive it is decoded in hardware - I think it is in software.

I thing Audigy 2 and Audigy 2 ZS are same card with diffrent drivers (and ZS has some better sound parameters) DSP is same (same as in Audigy 1).
Creative started selling drivers (not hardware)
Audigy 1, Audigy 2 are capable doing EAX 4.0 (DSP is same) - but newer will do it (needs drivers).

Audigy (1,2,2ZS) is very good for games, very good in midi synth, not best for musicians.

 

[JoeHead]

I want to have my Klipsch 5.1's hooked up to my PC and also hook it up to my stereo/surround system in the living room. I know they have the new wireless deal but I would prefer to skip that. I have ATI's wireless RF remote already and that is good enough for me. My PC and home system are only a wall apart. I'm just one hole in the wall away from integration. The output on my Audidy Ex (w/ the external box) doesn't pass the audio through.

btw: is there a way to apply effects only to the mic or wave/mp3 file?

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[TTZX]

Get the Logitech Z680s instead and you can skip your sound card and hookup your DVD player and other audio source straight to the optical in of the Z680.

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