Top 5.1 Sound Card thats fits 1 PCI Slot

[royce]

I'm looking for the best sound card that supports 5.1 and only needs 1 PCI Slot. I have a Klipsch 5.1 GMX system on my Shuttle SB61G2 and I have a GeForce FX 5950 in the AGP slot, theres hardly any room but I think a card would fit, can anyone reccomend me any cards?

[3Dfx]

I was unaware of a sound card needing TWO PCI slots... god Im behind on technology if theres one using 2 slots.

Anywayz, Audigy 5.1 (NOT Audigy 2 or Audigy 2 ZS cos there 6.1 and 7.1 respectively).

[Rod911]

Take a look at M-Audio Revolution 7.1. Obviously it can be configured for 5.1 operation, but it gives you expandability of 7.1 if you require it later. Google for reviews. Seems to outdo Creative's offerings.

[Spud1]

Audiogy cards are gud uns for us relativly small and sound great

[royce]

Ahh I just finished reading a review for the Revolution. Looks nice. Thing is, money is not an issue and I just like to hear whats the top out :-p. Anyone else?

[XTR]

Originally posted by Rod911
Take a look at M-Audio Revolution 7.1. Obviously it can be configured for 5.1 operation, but it gives you expandability of 7.1 if you require it later. Google for reviews. Seems to outdo Creative's offerings.

that gets my vote too... Revolution is an awesome card

[spazman]

if the revolution is the best card out, why spend more on something thats worse

[directhex]

because te drones will always follow creative labs no matter how much worse they get (hard as that is for them to do)

[Rabs]

Creative Audigy 2 ZS 7.1

Pros:

THX/DTS Certified
EAX 2/3 (without problems like other cards)
Excellent quality

Cons:

If you have a 'D plugged' gamepad the extra header supplied would be unusable due to lack of space (although you could mount it where the parallel port would go).
A tad pricey but IMHO worth it

No I dont have one, but its on my shuttle goodies purchase list.

[directhex]

THX is a speaker quality/volume cert O_o

[Zak33]

Revo 71.

Truly great...BUTit uses CPU cycles. Notmany.....if you have over P4 2gig or XP 2000 no worries.

Great card...truly tops

[fondie]

Originally posted by directhex
THX is a speaker quality/volume cert O_o

well, thx certify a number of things, home cinema speakers and amplifiers are what they are best known for, they have a strict criteria that must be met to become certified, and while it might be a nice thing to have i certainly wouldn't buy anything just because it was thx certified, it's easy to tailor make components to pass their tests while sounding awful, quantitive tests don't really hold up to well in hi-fi. thx have never dabbled in sound cards before that i know of, but somehow creative have pulled something with thx labs to get their card 'thx certified', however no one knows what this actually means, what tests are involved (if any ) etc, and it's therefore as worthless as the box they print it on.

[knock_knock]

Originally posted by fondie
yes, but somehow creative have pulled something with thx labs to get their card 'thx certified', however no one knows what this actually means, and it's therefore as worthless as the box they print it on.

It means creative have deep pockets

[fondie]

Originally posted by knock_knock
It means creative have deep pockets

exactly, and it doesn't serve to give thx certification any credability either.

[knock_knock]

Means the Skywalker ranch is never short of a lick of paint

AFAIK it started off as a Cinema sound standard where they looked at it all from the placement to the amps, speakers etc but then diversified into "testing" domestic stuff for the right price, awarding certification and bumping the prices up for the consumer.

[Howard]

NFS Underground is THX certified. It certainly sounds it if you turn up the volume a bit

However all these soundcards and PC speakers and stuff will NEVER match up to anything like the quality of true THX-Certified home theater gear costing thousands. They have paid for the logo :|