Which is better SB Live or Game Theater ?

04-04-2001, 17:25 | posts: n/a

Which is better SB Live plat or Hercules Game Theater ?

Ice Cold · 04-04-2001, 21:04 | posts: 6,371 | Location: belgium

SB LIVE PLATINUM 5.1 ALL THE WAY 
BUT : only if you have a good soundset to go with it like Creative 5.1 Surround set <IMG SRC="smileys/approve.gif"> <IMG SRC="smileys/approve.gif"> <IMG SRC="smileys/approve.gif">

Dave · 04-05-2001, 01:04 | posts: 8,447 | Location: Lost in boxes

I have a live. I'm biased. I have no problems, no compatibility issues, and it sounds excellent.

Ice Cold · 04-09-2001, 16:11 | posts: 6,371 | Location: belgium

bugsy 
 
Soundblaster LIVE ALL THE WAY !!!

04-10-2001, 07:53 | posts: n/a

<IMG SRC="smileys/suspect.gif"> Have you guys used the GTXP, or are you just waving your own flags?

Dave · 04-10-2001, 13:42 | posts: 8,447 | Location: Lost in boxes

Jackal, go register yourself. And as for my flag. Nope its creatives, someone asked which I thought was better. But you make a good point.

04-10-2001, 23:29 | posts: n/a

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Ice Cold: 
SB LIVE PLATINUM 5.1 ALL THE WAY 
BUT : only if you have a good soundset to go with it like Creative 5.1 Surround set <IMG SRC="smileys/approve.gif"> <IMG SRC="smileys/approve.gif"> <IMG SRC="smileys/approve.gif"><HR></BLOCKQUOTE> 
 
hahahhaha Creative (it's actually cambridge) 5.1 surround!hahaha wait till klipsch comes out with a 5.1 i'd imagine soon. This is whati meant by gettin' on your case. <IMG SRC="smileys/wink.gif"> As for the gametheater sorry haven't even read about it. I'd get a phillips accoustic edge, nice.

04-28-2001, 01:39 | posts: n/a

I Sell a Hercules GameTh XP for 80 $ !!! 
 
 
 
Yes , I'm selling it for 80 $ !! Want someone ?? Contact me at: 
"biholarazvan@yahoo.com".First of all excuse my ENGLISH...and "thank you" if u read this. 
 
Why I'm selling it? Because it suckkkssss!!!!I have take one last week(for 140 $),and compared it with my SBlaster Live! Player Value Bulk( Which is 50 $). The GameTheatre XP does not deserve the difference of money! 
I have read some of the messages here and I saw that you all think that HGT XP has the converters in the blue box.(external DAC/ADC) 
BUT IT IS NOT TRUEEEEE...If you are not convinced see this (http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/gtxpreview/page4.asp.Well it's true , it has 20 bit DAC and 18 bit ADC but they are on board (on soundboard ) and the result is that it has the same S/N ration with SB Live!, maybe a little bit noisy than Live!(due to it's cable to blue box). 
I've tested BOTH SB Live! and HGT XP with my Technics A707 stereo amplifier and a pair of 80 W speakers (Technics)and the background noise is heard at high volumes. 
But not for this i'm selling it ... When you enable the 10 band hardware graphic equalizer of HGT XP it makes a really annoing noise (wich adds to original background noise and it's sensed at high volumes).This 10 band EQ does not compare with the SB Live's TONE and BASS control.The BASS control from my Live! really blow out the speakers when i'm using it .You fell the BASS, not like that mediocre EQ from XP who is something which sounds horrible. By the way... THE EQ works only on front speakers .On surround, even if u select 4 speakers and the EQ is enabled u can't hear the EQ.U hear the EQ only on front speakers, even if u have 4 connected. 
 
AND try to make this... to see a BUG on HercGT XP!!! 
After u have installed the card's drivers (on WIN 98)install WinAMP 2.72 or 2.73.Remember, make no changes at winamp (options/Prefferences/plugins/output/WaveOut plugin must be selected by default).Now start to play a song and move the volume of winamp to max , then to min (when u hear nothing).Now open the VOLUME CONTROL from Windows, and press the WAVE BALANCE slider (don't move it , just press it).If u just press it, the sound explode from speakers, even if u have the WinAMP volume to MIN ( when u must hear nothing). 
I dont know why it happens this???BUT if u go to WINAMP in options/Prefferences/plugins/output and select DirectSound plugin , instead of WaveOut plugin,you won't get the sound from speakers when u have the WinAMP volume to MIN and then press WaveBalance in Windows VolumeControl. 
This thing never happened to my SBlaster Live!.... 
So, the Hercules Game Theater XP is a soundcard only for GAMERS, (as it say it's name "Game Theater"and not for AUDIO LISTENERS.For an audiophile with medium budget I recommand the SoundBlaster Live! Value Bulk (50 $) or SoundBlaster Live! 5.1 Bulk (69 $). 
In conclusion the Herc "GAME" Theatre XP really sucks,don't deserve 140 $ and that's why i'm selling it for 80 $(Half Price). 
Thank you...and contact me at "biholarazvan@yahoo.com" or leave here a message. 
 
 
 
<IMG SRC="smileys/bounce.gif">

04-28-2001, 01:44 | posts: n/a

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by WeaZel: 
hahahhaha Creative (it's actually cambridge) 5.1 surround!hahaha wait till klipsch comes out with a 5.1 i'd imagine soon. This is whati meant by gettin' on your case. <IMG SRC="smileys/wink.gif"> As for the gametheater sorry haven't even read about it. I'd get a phillips accoustic edge, nice.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> 
 
 
I Sell a Hercules GameTh XP for 80 $ !!! 
 
 
 
Yes , I'm selling it for 80 $ !! Want someone ?? Contact me at: 
"biholarazvan@yahoo.com".First of all excuse my ENGLISH...and "thank you" if u read this. 
 
Why I'm selling it? Because it suckkkssss!!!!I have take one last week(for 140 $),and compared it with my SBlaster Live! Player Value Bulk( Which is 50 $). The GameTheatre XP does not deserve the difference of money! 
I have read some of the messages here and I saw that you all think that HGT XP has the converters in the blue box.(external DAC/ADC) 
BUT IT IS NOT TRUEEEEE...If you are not convinced see this (http://firingsquad.gamers.com/hardware/gtxpreview/page4.asp.Well it's true , it has 20 bit DAC and 18 bit ADC but they are on board (on soundboard ) and the result is that it has the same S/N ration with SB Live!, maybe a little bit noisy than Live!(due to it's cable to blue box). 
I've tested BOTH SB Live! and HGT XP with my Technics A707 stereo amplifier and a pair of 80 W speakers (Technics)and the background noise is heard at high volumes. 
But not for this i'm selling it ... When you enable the 10 band hardware graphic equalizer of HGT XP it makes a really annoing noise (wich adds to original background noise and it's sensed at high volumes).This 10 band EQ does not compare with the SB Live's TONE and BASS control.The BASS control from my Live! really blow out the speakers when i'm using it .You fell the BASS, not like that mediocre EQ from XP who is something which sounds horrible. By the way... THE EQ works only on front speakers .On surround, even if u select 4 speakers and the EQ is enabled u can't hear the EQ.U hear the EQ only on front speakers, even if u have 4 connected. 
 
AND try to make this... to see a BUG on HercGT XP!!! 
After u have installed the card's drivers (on WIN 98)install WinAMP 2.72 or 2.73.Remember, make no changes at winamp (options/Prefferences/plugins/output/WaveOut plugin must be selected by default).Now start to play a song and move the volume of winamp to max , then to min (when u hear nothing).Now open the VOLUME CONTROL from Windows, and press the WAVE BALANCE slider (don't move it , just press it).If u just press it, the sound explode from speakers, even if u have the WinAMP volume to MIN ( when u must hear nothing). 
I dont know why it happens this???BUT if u go to WINAMP in options/Prefferences/plugins/output and select DirectSound plugin , instead of WaveOut plugin,you won't get the sound from speakers when u have the WinAMP volume to MIN and then press WaveBalance in Windows VolumeControl. 
This thing never happened to my SBlaster Live!.... 
So, the Hercules Game Theater XP is a soundcard only for GAMERS, (as it say it's name "Game Theater"and not for AUDIO LISTENERS.For an audiophile with medium budget I recommand the SoundBlaster Live! Value Bulk (50 $) or SoundBlaster Live! 5.1 Bulk (69 $). 
In conclusion the Herc "GAME" Theatre XP really sucks,don't deserve 140 $ and that's why i'm selling it for 80 $(Half Price). 
Thank you...and contact me at "biholarazvan@yahoo.com".

LordMoses69 · 04-28-2001, 01:46 | posts: 697

I love my live

06-23-2001, 23:54 | posts: n/a

First off, it doesn't matter what speakers you use. If you get a Live Platinum, you can connect the 6-channel outputs into a stereo and get better sound than you'd ever imagined. 
 
Second off, there's a reason Creative retails the SB Live Plat for $199. Namely, it's the best d@mn card out there. 
 
Third, Creative is a stable company, so you're guaranteed continued support. Herc sucks.

Ice Cold · 06-24-2001, 00:12 | posts: 6,371 | Location: belgium

i live my DMX 
take the regular line out, connect them then to my 1100 watt woofers, turn them to the max, and go to sleep

06-24-2001, 10:35 | posts: n/a

SB Live! X-Gamer rules! I will buy a Platinum 5.1 when I put together and entirely new system. Herc makes good video cards, but it should stay away from audio! On second thought, it may be good because Creative will now come out with an even MORE kick-ass sound card to boot the XP back out into the gutter where it should be. And, the XP also can't keep up with an Athlon and GF2, and saps around 5 FPS from gaming. 
CREATIVE FOREVER! 
__________________________________________ 
 
 
 
Asus A7V 
Athlon 850MHz TB 200MHz FSB 
256MB PC133 SDRAM Micron 
VisionTek Geforce2 MX400 64MB - 200MHz core/166MHz mem 
Western Digital 20GB ATA-66 7200RPM 
Sound Blaster Live! X-Gamer 
Acer 40x CDROM 
Teac 1.44MB floppy 
Windows 98SE

Dave · 06-24-2001, 12:36 | posts: 8,447 | Location: Lost in boxes

Okay, now I haven't read Hilberts review of the XP since it came out, however it did say something about less cpu usage than the Live! line. Look it up. If you have an article that says otherwise post a link to it I'd love to check it out. I was thinking about the XP if my live dies, just because the break out box is way better than the live drive.

06-29-2001, 11:23 | posts: n/a

yea, i've read a few reviews and all the numbers show the xp requiring less cpu usage than the live 
 
besides, aren't all live cards just the same? just different packaging, e.g gamer has game bundle, platinum has livedrive, but in the end its just the same soundcard. (only diff being in the 5.1 and not 5.1)

Dave · 06-29-2001, 12:55 | posts: 8,447 | Location: Lost in boxes

actually if I remember correctly the value line is missing the hookup for the live drive. something stupid like that.

07-29-2001, 16:26 | posts: n/a

Sorry guys, but sb lives aren't good at all in my opinion. I got a sb live 5.1 platinum and willing to exchange it ANYTIME with a HGTXP. Can you say IRQ conflict, latency patches and miscellaneous weird thingies? Plain ugly mixer, useless software, whereas you guys go power dvd... Oh, i also had to buy a usb hub. and that live drive is the worse thing on earth. It is further than the lenght of your earphones cord, and slows down your system... Too much tasks running and stuff like that... I HATE it! Anybody interested in trading/buying, feel free to email CraHak@hotmail.com

07-29-2001, 16:28 | posts: n/a

Oh, and BTW: if you use a SPDIF or TOSLINK connection to good speakers like Kilpsch makes, you don't get noise. (Altough you've got to be right about the equalizer, because they all suck)

08-01-2001, 15:13 | posts: n/a

The SB Live is already out of the race. But i'm not sure to get the Acoustic Edge or the GTXP. They both get a lot of good reviews. 
 
GTXP good: breakoutbox, lots of connections; bad: no 5.1 for steroe sources (e.g. mp3) 
AE good: 5.1 with all sources possible; bad: no breakout box, only a few possible connections 
 
In games we have encountered one interesting peculiarity. Since the card has 3D sound positioning algorithms based on Sensaura technologies, including MultiDrive, there are only 4 working speakers in games: front and rear. The center and subwoofer unfortunately "keep silence". It is good if your speaker set allows to direct the signal to subwoofer, or (like in our case with the IHOO 5.1) the front and rear speakers are full-frequency devices. And what if not? Without a subwoofer the sound in games becomes much poorer. With the usage of the following drivers of 2.01 version: TBCDS3D.VXD v. 4.12.01.2101; AUDIO3D.DLL v. 4.12.01.2007; CRLDS3D.VXD v. 4.12.01.2101; CRLDS3D.DLL v. 4.12.01.2002 dated 17.04.2001, the situation hasn't changed. Note that 6-channel cards based on the Q3D API (the FM801) and EAX2.0 API (the Live!5.1) haven't got such problems: the sound in games is coming out of all 6 speakers. <A HREF="http://www.ixbt-labs.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/index.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.ixbt-labs.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/index.html</A> 
 
 
Which one should i choose know? 
i believe the safer thing is to go for the AE. But for only a little more cash i can get the GTXP, with break-out box. But then i risk losing the sub with mp3's, and even in games. And that is not an option. 
 
What are the possible solutions for this problem? 
(i mailed local hercules office about this, but i only got some commercial blabla, and the statement that u couldn't play stereo with 6 channels. The fact that the SB Live and the AE, do manage to do this, he ignored ) 
 
so, could hercules fix this?? in a driver upgrade maybe, or is it hardware related? 
 
or do i have to get a specific set of speakers? ("if your speaker set allows to direct the signal to subwoofer, or (like in our case with the IHOO 5.1) the front and rear speakers are full-frequency devices") 
But how can i know for sure that the speakers will still produce bass with the GTXP while playing mp3? 
 
I'm very interestd in hearing from peolpe who already have a GTXP / AE, 
especially in what kind of speakerset they use, and how they hooked it up 
 
THNX in advance 
SHABBA

08-19-2001, 02:35 | posts: n/a

One hint: don't piss off the moderators, it's bad for your health. 
BTW, I know that the Live! has a few problems on setup like IRQ conflict. But disable SB16 Emulation and they go away. <IMG SRC="smileys/smile.gif"> 
also, start msconfig.exe and you can disable the extra programs on startup, genius. And as for the ugly mixer, SO WHAT? You should really reset your priorities of this is what you complain about. 
And other HW conflicts like those w/ VIA motherboards can be resolved by flashing to a newer BIOS. 
Also, the value doesn't have the extra digital CD-in and the extra digital OUT on the back. The X-Gamer and Platinum do. 
I still say Creative kicks ass.(though their video cards do have some problems). 
So, maybe Hercules should stay out of Audio and Creative should stay out of Video? Just a thought.

David · 08-19-2001, 20:42 | posts: 3,396 | Location: Kansas

My Hercules rocks! Plus it doesn't utilizes nearly as much CPU as the Sound Blaster Live! Platinum! Plus it doesnt have those annoying issues with the VIA chipset. I also like the fact it has more input and output options and doesn't occupy one of my bays. 
 
----------------------------------------------- 
1.33 Ghz AMD TB @ 1.53 GHz (153 MHz FSB) 
MSI K7T266 Pro RAID Motherboard 
2x 256 MB OCZ Enhanced PC2100 DDR RAM 
Absolute Morpheus GeForce3 @ 255/540 <IMG SRC="smileys/evil.gif"> 
IBM Deskstar 60GXP 60 GB HD 
Hercules Game Theater XP 
Pioneer 106S Slot Loading 16x DVD 
Antec 1030B Case modded w/ 2 120 mm side blow holes 
Enermax 430 Watt PS 
Klipsch Promedia v.2-400 speakers

David · 08-19-2001, 20:45 | posts: 3,396 | Location: Kansas

By the way Shabba, I have not encountered the problem you describe either while playing games or mp3s.

10-07-2001, 00:14 | posts: n/a

just get a sb live the only diff between x gamer and platinum is software and wirless control. the software you can get online.

tonesav · 11-14-2001, 22:55 | posts: 909 | Location: Warwick, UK

The Game theater has a nasty habit of resetting external midi devices connected to it, so if your using these it's a pain. 
 
other wise the idea is good hopefully hercules will sort this with there next attempt so for now i'm selling Soundblaster Audigy 
 
Hope this is of help 
 
Cheers 
 
Tony

sparty08 · 12-02-2001, 02:58 | posts: 50

how about santa cruz?