Creative Audigy Rant..

[RudeDog]

Is it just me, or are Creative Audigy XGamer sound cards really difficult to get working correctly? I have installed two of them over the last couple months and each time was an ordeal that I don't want to go thru again. In addition, one died last week and the other one I installed this weekend and at first could get only real low volume sound and then it started to have 'static bursts' on top of the low volume. We even had problems figuring out which outlet to plug the speakers into. The diagram that came in the box showed one outlet for speakers, and the cd documentation showed a different one - and for the first two hours neither one would give us any sound!
Unfortunately, I started reading this forum only after they were purchased and have discovered Turtle Beach sound cards. I got mine this weekend and it installed so easy and it worked great right away. I sure hate to have thrown away $200, but I bought the creative cards from CompUSA - and I don't think I'll have a chance of getting my money back from either them or Creative.

Anyone have similiar experiences???

[glc]

I've heard of all kinds of issues with Creative, but I've yet to have problems in any of my builds with them. Then again, I only build Intel on Intel, I think most of the issues involve Via chipsets. I also don't install any of the crap software with the card - just the drivers.

To be fair, I did do an upgrade for a customer's kid a couple years ago with a Via KT133A chipset board - and reused his old ISA bus AWE64 - well, the kid tossed it out and put a SB Live Value in last summer - and it runs just fine with 98SE with ALL the extra software. Go figure - that was one of the chipsets that had known issues.

[morriswindgate]

The main problem with Creative sound cards is all the junk software they try to install.
WHen you start up your computer certain things have to load in a certain order for it and all the start programs to work correctly. This is the problem with creative cards, they try to jump infront of other programs and start first. From the creative logo to the actual garbage programs. This is why when using a creative card you only wnat to load the drivers and none of the players or anything else on the disk. Then even with VIA you will not have problems.
Another thing I learned a long time back was that creative cards can be very picky creating IRQ conflicts so try the card in different slots if it does not work with just the drivers installed.

[glc]

I think the majority of the IRQ conflicts stem from the DOS emulation - either disable it (by not installing DOS support in the first place) or set it to allow LPT IRQ sharing, the parallel port doesn't care unless you are trying to print something while playing a DOS game (and who the heck would do that?).

[Alienware_Dude]

I have a Audigy Gamer, and I've had no problems whatsoever since I installed it.

[ILLPHIL]

i have audigy 2 platinum, the only problem that i have had with it, that i know of at this time, is that where to plug things in can be very tricky. The people at Creative Labs mad the guide to only include speakers made by creative. I just guessed a plug in the back to use and lucky for me it worked. Does anyone know for sure what best plug/plugs to use are for a separate surround sound system. These wires go to a reciever which relays the music onto the speakers. The reciever has a left and a right plug, i just use a splitter at the back of my computer.
if this is confusing, but you think you may be able to help with a better explanation please pm me

[RudeDog]

Thank you for your feedback guys. I don't feel too bad now. I have been trying to install them in systems with an Asus board, AMD cpu, and of course the VIA chipset. In addition, I used the "install" option with their CD instead of just loading drivers. I'm also still running Win98SE. But atleast I was well aware of the IRQ conflict issue and had the foresight to use slot 3 for the sound card and designate IRQ 5 for that slot - so that should not have had any detrimental effect. I really do think that I also had two bad products. The first one I finally had running for a couple months before it turned to just intermittent sound, and then nothing at all. The second card had real low vloume sound, and after about two hours started having "static bursts" (as my wife put it - it was for her new machine).

I am replacing them both with the Santa Cruz from Turtle Beach. Mine is already installed, and my wife's card shipped today. I am now going to try to harass CompUSA and Creative to see if I can get any kind of refund... or at the very least, a small amount of satisfaction from harassing them.

BTW, I really do appreciate the supportive remarks - thanks again for letting me blow off a little steam here.

[morriswindgate]

RudeDog - Skip the Santa Cruz and get the Abit card at the link below. It has excellent sound and many features at a really low price. It also installs with zero problems and comes with a remote. Since I first tried this card I have used three of them in builds and have two more setting in my parts cabinet. Just don't let the price fool you.

http://www.excaliberpc.com/product_i...roducts_id=707

[Furius92]

I had the exact same problem with the static as you. All you need to do is go into the Creative Mixer software and lower the master software volume. To compensate, turn up the volume on the speakers. Lower it to around 30-50%. Keep in mind, the volume controls in a program like Kazaa or Kazaa Lite do control the master software volume that the Creative Mixer does.