Canon Puts Efficiency On Press
Entered CNET Catalog: 01/20/2004
SKU: 0054651064348
Manufacturer: Creative Labs
Manufacturer description
The THX certified Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Gamer delivers 24-bit ADVANCED HD audio, 108dB SNR clarity across 8 channels, and is the only available PC platform to deliver Advanced Resolution 24-bit DVD-Audio playback in 24-bit/192kHz stereo and 24-bit/96kHz 5.1 surround. EAX ADVANCED HD effects produces ultra-realistic sound in supported games and multi-channel playback in 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1 with over 400 existing 3D games. EAX ADVANCED HD acoustic enhancements dramatically improve all your music with features including Bass Boost, Graphic Equalizer, Audio Clean-Up, and more!Product summary
The good: DTS ES and Dolby Digital EX 6.1 decoding; 7.1-channel output; 24-bit/96KHz output; supports DVD-Audio; includes a large gaming software bundle.
The bad: Nonintuitive software suite; expensive.
The bottom line: The Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Gamer LE is a great way to outfit your PC to jump into gaming with guns blazing.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 03/17/2004
Aside from price, the main differences among the cards in Creative's Audigy 2 ZS line are their bundled software and components and how those components affect installation. The actual sound card itself is identical. (For a full review of the audio technology behind the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Gamer LE and the other Audigy 2 ZS cards, please see our review of the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro.)
The Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Gamer LE is the simplest card to install out of the Audigy 2 ZS line because its hardware consists of only a PCI card and an optional joystick port-expansion panel that connects to the sound card via a small ribbon cable and resides in a card expansion opening. Hardware installation should take only a few minutes.
Once the hardware is ready to go, you're faced with a potentially daunting decision: which of the five bundled games to play first. The action-heavy bundle is an excellent assortment of shooters. You'll find Halo: Combat Evolved, Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, and Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. Of these, Halo is considered one of the greatest first-person shooters to grace any platform, and Splinter Cell presents a polished, challenging third-person espionage experience. Also of note, Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is one of the few games on the market with support (via a downloadable game patch) for Creative's new EAX 4.0 Advanced HD software and its advanced environmental-processing effects.
One of the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Gamer LE's few downsides is that although the card itself features the same 7.1-channel output, 24-bit/96KHz audio resolution, and gold-plated contacts as the other Audigy 2 ZS cards, its input and output options are comparatively limited. Inputs for 7.1 speakers, a coaxial digital out, a line in, and a microphone in are the only options. With no additional port component, those with larger audio ambitions will find this particular package lacking.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9out of 9 user reviews
Buy at your own risk
Pros: Great sound, good software suite
Cons: Poor reliability
out of 9 user reviews
Avoid this one
Pros: Great sound
Cons: Software Installation fails
out of 9 user reviews
good when it works
Pros: Great software included. Sounds good when it works.
Cons: Crashes games A LOT.
out of 9 user reviews
The Sound Card From Down Under........
Pros: The EAX controls on this card are the highlight. Realtime special effects that my old on board could have never managed. There are a lot of controls to calibrate the sound card with.
Cons: It takes a serious talent to get the drivers up functioning. Everything has to be installed perfectly otherwise there will be "A LOT" of problems.
I unfortunately don't have a real speaker system to try this cards true potential. I will be upgrading to the Gigaworks 5.1 system very soon. I haven't noticed much of an overall improvement in sound quality compared to my on board sound card. The only improvements I've noticed so far is that when I turn my PC speakers up to full volume (without anything playing) a hissing comes into effect suddenly just a little before it maxes out. So it goes from complete silence to a hissing sound at the last 10%. With my on board sound card, the hissing was noticeable from a minimum volume and gradually became louder as I turned it up. Perhaps I will notice more as soon as I get my 5.1 system compared to my current 2.1 setup.
The only thing I really like about this card are those funky EAX controls. The first things you need is a Mic if you get this card. Go to the "Special FX" part and try out the different options. They are really just a gimmick, but I would have to say that they are a very entertaining gimmick for the first couple of days. What can be better then sounding like the Lord of Darkness (from Legend) in real time? I really don't know. Besides that, this card isn't worth the $60USD I paid for it. Maybe 35 or 40, but I'm pretty cheap, so maybe that was a good price.
Creative is about to launch their new X-Fi series of sound cards. I think I'll give this one away when those come out.
So if your willing to spend a couple days or more trying to get this card working, then this is the card for you. If your smart (unlike me), you'll wait untill creative realeases their new sound cards. And THIS time, they better release drivers that don't suck.
out of 9 user reviews
Think Twice About Buying This Card
Pros: Sounds great, and comes with a great package!! The games it came with were great as well.
Cons: This card I have only lasted for 4 months. It's already blown out. The last card I had from Creative only lasted for a year. You need to think twice befire you plan pn purchasing the sound card. If there is a better option, go for it.
out of 9 user reviews
Good sound, if u can get it
Pros: EAX is great, and so is the sound quality. Calibration makes everything sound perfect.
Cons: No product support at all. Also, on my first card, after about a week, the left front channel stopped working, so i renturned it and got a new one. After a couple days, the center AND left rear channels stopped working. I doubt that i'm keepin this car
out of 9 user reviews
Great Card, Poor Support
Pros: I bought this card for $130 complete with 5 entire games. Good ones too, like Splinter Cell and Jedi Academy. That made an already good deal even better. EAX is amazing; sound appears to come from everywhere except your speakers and it's all clear as a
Cons: Driver installation seemed buggy and initially didn't work at all. Creative support ignored my questions and simply replied with canned responses like "update your drivers." I did that already, twit. I got it working thanks to various gamer forums.
out of 9 user reviews
It's from CREATIVE..need I say more!
Pros: you've got the software to make what ever your doing..ie games, music...sound just like you want.....GREAT!
Cons: missed getting it while it was on sale at compusa....but still well worth the extra green.
out of 9 user reviews
Great Sound Card
Pros: It was only 80 bucks at Comp USA that is the gamer editon. Umm it plays music very well, it sounds GREAT in games.
Cons: Had some problems with CoD, fixed them though.
