Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS

The sound-card filled all my...

Strengths: 24bit/96khz, Creative Media software good organizer and MP3 ripper, Firewire port, Tomb Raider, Rainbow6 software included

Weakness: None

The sound-card filled all my needs, providing 24bit/96khz recording ability which I'm using with Cakewalk. I also use the Firewire port to get my Sony Digital8 camcorder movies into the computer. The software that comes with it is very well thought out, particularly when it comes to ripping MP3's from CDs you own: Gives you good control over quality and file naming. Tomb Raider and Rainbow6 are...
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The sound-card filled all my needs, providing 24bit/96khz recording ability which I'm using with Cakewalk. I also use the Firewire port to get my Sony Digital8 camcorder movies into the computer. The software that comes with it is very well thought out, particularly when it comes to ripping MP3's from CDs you own: Gives you good control over quality and file naming. Tomb Raider and Rainbow6 are just great bonuses. All this for $86 after shipping? Wow.

By tycooper - Jan 19, 2004

a+ quality, wow im impressed...

Strengths: THX certified... eax 7.1 audio what else could you ask for? 108db

Weakness: nothing yet =)

a+ quality, wow im impressed upgraded from an audigy oem feels great with my t7700's 7.1 speakers which i also recommend. packed with rainbow six and tomb raider which demonstrates the true power of this sound card, go buy this sound card now you wont be disapointed

By jianwa - Oct 29, 2003

I bought this Sound Card about a...

Strengths: Crystal Clear Sound, Great SNR.

Weakness: No good drivers.

I bought this Sound Card about a month ago and this card rocks. Even though the drivers of this card are not very good the live updates do some good. I upgraded from a Creative Live 5.1 sound card, and I fell a big difference in sound. The games work great with this card like Call Of Duty makes my room a battlefield with sounds coming from the back and front and everywhere you can imagine of. I...
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I bought this Sound Card about a month ago and this card rocks. Even though the drivers of this card are not very good the live updates do some good. I upgraded from a Creative Live 5.1 sound card, and I fell a big difference in sound. The games work great with this card like Call Of Duty makes my room a battlefield with sounds coming from the back and front and everywhere you can imagine of. I have combined this card with a Creative Inspire 7700 7.1 speaker system so my sound experience is to the max it can get.

Talking about the drivers, the drivers which come bundled with the card is not so good, the Creative Advanced HD does not WORK!, so the games do not detect my sound card as a Advanced HD compatible card, even the Live update did not work out for me, so I went to the game manufacturer's web site and downloaded the patch, this is not the situation for all the games but it happens for Enter The Matrix.

WHILE COMPARING THIS CARD TO OTHERS THIS CARD WORKS FINE THAN OTHERS.

By Sanjay856 - Jul 24, 2004

If you are an enthusiaist gamer...

Strengths: Features included compared to prcice

Weakness: You have to know how to deal with the software installed to get the maximum results+ I didn't like the games included

If you are an enthusiaist gamer and/or listener and would not expect less than perfect, with a reasonable amount of money I would say this is the card that you are looking for, because this is the same card in the Pro & platnium versions with the excpetions that the later ones include more i/o options..plus the pro & platinum are much more expensive. My previous soud card was a mother board built...
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If you are an enthusiaist gamer and/or listener and would not expect less than perfect, with a reasonable amount of money I would say this is the card that you are looking for, because this is the same card in the Pro & platnium versions with the excpetions that the later ones include more i/o options..plus the pro & platinum are much more expensive.
My previous soud card was a mother board built in Realtek 5.1, so after I have installed the Audigy2 ZS, I found really a big differnce, A Crystal clear sound, frame rates improvements in some games especially the new games ( games paly became faster),I heard sounds I couldn't hear it before ( ambient sounds), alot of features and options wich will serve you well if you have the patience and expeirnce, I think a card with so many features must have alot of software to get all the benifits, other wise you will miss many many features provieded by that card.
Finally to full enjoy what the Audigy 2 Zs can provide try to have a high quality-multi speaker system beucause this a high end card and it will be a great loss if you use an ordinary speakers and you will lose the joyement of 3d positional soud which is this card is all about.

By sayaf_28 - Sep 21, 2004

Well it may just be me, but I...

Strengths: Sound quality is flawless, 5.1 support, EAX, morphing!

Weakness: None come to mind

Well it may just be me, but I actually did notice that my music and games sound just slightly clearer with the Audigy 2 ZS over my old Live x-gamer. I like all the new configuration applications, they've clearly put a lot of effort into making easy to use, good looking programs to tune every part of your sound card to your liking. They're much more polished than the old live apps. The EAX...
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Well it may just be me, but I actually did notice that my music and games sound just slightly clearer with the Audigy 2 ZS over my old Live x-gamer. I like all the new configuration applications, they've clearly put a lot of effort into making easy to use, good looking programs to tune every part of your sound card to your liking. They're much more polished than the old live apps.

The EAX morphing is the main reason I upgraded and I do love it. The discrete EAX effects sound boundaries are gone. Everything sounds much more realistic with the blended effects in place. If you have a live card now with EAX you no doubt hear those nasty changes in effects I'm referring to.

All in all a great purchase at

By Sanctusx2 - Oct 15, 2003