Editorial Review

Diamond's Sonic Impact S100 Explosive 3D PCI Audio Acceleration featuresenhanced support of DirectSound 3D and near-field proximity effects, so thatsounds, such as a whisper in the ear or an ultraclose flyby, are more realistic.Sonic Impact is able to produce more realistic sound because its digital streamsare processed independently, so sound effects come from multiple positions atonce. The result is high-fidelity audio with complete 360-degree horizontal andvertical positioning.Read more

Features

• 3-D positional audio
• Accelerates DirectSound 3D, Environmental Audio Extensions (EAX), and A3D
• Accelerate up to 16 DirectSound 3D hardware streams simultaneously
• Includes software to create your own music, and to play MP3 and WMA audio files
• 3-year warranty

Subjects:  1. Sound Card, Cards, Soundcard, Soundcards    2. S, 3, Three, SIII, 100, 3-D, Three   

Editorial Review

The multichannel stereo mixer and the included graphical interface of this soundcard give you a computerized digital stereo recording studio in your home. Advanced recording, mixing, and sound-editing software is also included. Full-duplex support for Internet communications allows you to play and record simultaneously, a requirement for Internet phones. Advanced built-in, software- upgradable sounds support the 22-voice, 52-operation OPFM synthesizer and include instrumental sounds such as piano, bass, and drums with enhanced bass. ... Read more

Features

• Supports 2 joystick or game ports
• Built-in CD-ROM, TV-tuner, and modem/TAD 110 audio connectors
• Software-upgradable sounds
• Easy to install--just Plug and Play
• For IBM and compatible computers

Subjects:  1. Soundcards (Sound Cards)   

Reviews (4)

Only works with 95 and 98
This steaming turd doesn't work with anything above windows 98, a 5 year old operating system. I just wasted an evening finding this out. Why are they still selling this ?

It might work for you...
I have several computers at home and this card worked beautifully on my old Windows 98 machine. (Works with Linux too I hear) Along with FM, It's pulls AM stations and has support for RBDS/RDS (Radio Broadcasting Data System). Two features that are rare in the PC radio card underworld. Basically RBDS/RDS means that the card can interpret additional data that radio stations transmit along with their radio signals. So you are presented with the title and artist of a song that is currently playing. The card also allows you to sync your computer's clock to the time that the radio station has. This comes in handy as the card software will allow you to schedule up to 25 events for recording. So you can capture radio programs to your hard drive for later review. It's strictly a PC radio receiver card which is nice also since it doesn't need an IRQ. Doesn't Work with XP
Drivers don't appear to exist for Windows XP. Card doesn't work. ... Read more

Features

• Aureal Vortex-2 PCI audio accelerator
• 3D audio - A3D 2.0 & DirectSound3D
• 320-voice DLS wavetable synthesizer
• DVD with Dolby Digital (AC-3) support
• Features MP3 tools

Reviews (6)

Good sound, but outdated drivers= problems with DirectX 8
I've had this card for a while, and the sound used to be great, but Aureal being out of business meant no further support for drivers (and Diamond's drivers are based on the manufacturer's), and each time I install DirectX 8, the 3D games start crashing after a few minutes of gameplay. The card is very stable in windows 98 and easy to install. I know it is not the video card, I've replaced it a few times. MrTea
When I orderedmy computer from the HP website in February 2000, they installed the Monstersound MX300 sound card.Well, I thought what's the big deal.All sound cards were alike, right? Wrong, Man I was blown away while playing my favorte video games. The sound came at me from all directions. Not just left or right but, front, back, up, down and around. And with just two speakers too. Man this card will have you looking behind you to see who's coming. It's hard to discribe it. All I can say is if you can find one, even used GET IT. The conpany Aureal semiconductor,who invented the technology for NASA has been bought by Creative Labs.And their new stuff does't even comes close to this card. Hey Creative Labs want some advise, put the Aureal Technology on your cards and stop drowning them in reverb. Gamers will love you for it.I purchased this card as a spare just in case.I'd hate to have to go back to using sound basters again.Man that would be torture.

Excellent sound card for games and music
I did not think a 3D sound card could make such a difference when playing games.Unreal tournament and Quake 3 has never felt so intense.This card gives depth to the sounds.You can "feel" how far away the soundis.Buy this card.Easy installation.Make sure you have the latestdrivers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Soundcards (Sound Cards)    2. 90010041   

Subjects:  1. Graphics Cards (Card)    2. Video   

Features

• USB 2.0
• Ideal for portable computers - Harmony Express' small form factor makes it ideal for notebook users who wish to enjoy their 5.1 sound system
• No software drivers required - Harmony Express is directly supported by compatible operating systems. No need to install any additional drivers!
• Virtual 5.1 output - Harmony Express supports virtual 5.1 output, helping you to maximize the potential of your 5.1 system
• Dimensions - 2.75 x 0.9 x 0.5

Reviews (1)

5 star sound for next to nothing
Wow!!!!! I simply plugged this in my notebook USB port and voila instant outstanding sound. Amazing clarity - because it's the only way (I know of) to get your games or any audio out of your notebook into your home surround sound setup. Also has a mic in for recording. Wow again! I have three of their products and will buy more!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

If you're after the ultimate gaming rush, get Sound Blaster Live! X-Gamer to take your PC games to the edge. Powered by the superior EMU10K1 audio processor, the Sound Blaster Live X-Gamer allows you to process high quality audio and effects in real time so there is never a slowdown during gameplay--even the most intense deathmatch.Read more

Features

• Audio hardware quality and acceleration
• Supports analog and digital connection for 2 or 4 speaker configurations
• Digital surround sound; industry-standard Environmental Audio
• 32-bit, 48-KHz digital signal processing and patented 8-point interpolation
• Produces precise audio fidelity and 32 3-D hardware-accelerated channels, 64 hardware-accelerated channels, or 1,024 voices

Reviews (16)

The dirty little secret about sound cards
Granted, Creative makes the de facto standard of sound cards.Anyone remotely familiar with computers knows that.What you may not know is it's almost impossible to tell the difference between this card and a $10 no-name sound card unless you use very expensive speakers (i.e. Klipsch ProMedia) or run a line to a high quality home theater system.Anyone who says otherwise is wrong and I challenge them to prove otherwise.If you don't have or plan to buy at least a 4 or 5 speaker system, there's no reason you should buy this card over a Soundblaster 16.Even the included games are selling at bargain prices now.Save your money. x-gamer is the best!
O MY GOD! this card is the best card i have used in a long, long time!You plug it in and it works. Its that simple. The software installs fine, and it is Live!Ware compatible, which means you can add new features to your card later. The software itself is worth the price. I bought this card elseware, which means that I paid $100, and I thought it was a great deal then. This card has 2 disks of software for the card itself, and 5 for the games! There are so many features to this card I haven't even found them all and I spent an entire weekend playing with it. And it has support for 5.1 surround sound, so you can FEEL the games when you play them. BUY THIS CARD NOW! IT IS THAT SIMPLE! You wont regret it.

Wow A great sound card!
I just purchased the Sound Blaster Live X-gamer and I must say I was impressed. The card had every thing I wanted and more! This card comes with more that enough software, a microphone, and with 3 full games! I put the SB X-gamer in and could here a giant leap in overall sound quality. I even noticed that my games were running faster than before and the sound experience was great. The enviromental audio makes the games come alive. You can hear that guard walking around the corner. You can hear the diffrence between walking in a stone halway and a carpeted floor in the game Thief: The Dark Project (One of the games that comes with the SB X-Gamer). Not only can you listen to great sounding music you can have you music sound like it's being played in a Concert Hall, Your Living Room, and even a Bathroom just to name a fuw of the over 100 enviromental setting to choose from. This sound card is the best for a great price. Now if you are more into watching DVD movies or a hardcore gamer I would suggest the speaker system made for the SB X-Gamer called the Creative Labs FPS200. This is a 4 speaker 1 subwoffer stero sourround sound experience that is hard to beat. I have a FPS2000 system and I must say it makes the sound ten times better. You can actualy hear when monster's sneek up behind you in Thief it is Awsome! I would recomend this sound card to anyone who wants a truly great audio experience! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Soundcards (Sound Cards)    2. soundblaster    3. SB4760X   

Editorial Review

The multichannel stereo mixer and the included graphical interface of this soundcard provide you with a computerized digital stereo recording studio in your home. Advanced recording, mixing, and sound-editing software is also included. Full-duplex support for Internet communications allows you to play and record simultaneously, a requirement for Internet phone use. The 22-voice, 52-operation OPFM Synthesizer produces advanced sounds and those of many musical instruments such as piano, bass, and drums with enhanced bass. ... Read more

Features

• Supports 2 joystick or game ports
• Built-in CD-ROM audio jack
• Includes Yamaha 128-voice WaveTable software
• Easy to install--just Plug and Play
• For IBM and 100 percent compatible computers

Reviews (1)

Installation Problems
I tried for 2 evenings to install this device in my son's Win95 system without success.The instruction sheet made it look fairly straightforward until I actually tried to install the unit.The discovery process seemedto flow normally, but the device never worked.The control panel showedthat indeed the sounds were enabled and even looked as though they wereworking but no sound came out.I tried the installation procedure manytimes with no success.There was NO manual included with this device andno instructions on how to configure the jumpers on the board.The Win98instruction said to avoid the discovery as a "Crystal" device,but that is exactly how 95 discovered it.I could never seem to get thesystem to use any other driver other than the "Crystal" one.Ialso looked for an 800 number for support and found none (perhaps I justmissed it somewhere in the fine print).After 2 days of frustration Idecided to try and install a Sound Blaster 16 card from another system.Iwas able to install the Sound Blaster in about 10 minutes with no problems. Based on my experience with trying to install this device, the poordocumentation, the lack of support and the absence of a setup utility, Iwould not recommend the purchase of this product. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Soundcards (Sound Cards)   

Features

• External 20-bit converters
• DIN in/out/through connector for maximum flexibility of the MIDI sessions
• 4 selectable hardware synchronization clocks
• 2 MIDI ports
• Sampling memory expandable to 36 MB

Reviews (5)

Good quality sound, but unreliable
I agree with the other reviews about the sound quality (although I find the Logic software rather unfriendly compared to other packages ('The Environment', for instance). And with BeOS Too!!
Guillemot Maxi Studio ISIS is total cool .... would you believe that the BeOS community is developing an application which runs on BeOS.Since BeOS is the operating system of choice for many of us in the recording industry this is truly a Godsend.

Real value
The ISIS card is a godsend to those who want an inexpensive multi-channel audio interface for their PCs.It will allow hard-disk recording of up to 8 mono or 4 stereo tracks at a time only at 16-bits 32/44.1/48khz (even though the A/D converters are 20-bit). Sure there are better converters out there, but not at this price.Read more

Subjects:  1. Nvidia Riva TNT2 Tnt 2 Ultra   

Features

• Sound Blaster 16 audio card with wavelength
• Creative 48x CD-ROM drive
• Sound Blaster SBS10 speakers
• Multilingual "Getting Started" manual
• Warranty: One year

Subjects:  1. Speakers - Computer    2. soundblaster    3. 5047001009   

Editorial Review

Originally developed for the NASA Virtual Environment Workstation for use in their astronaut training programs, Aureal's A3D is the de facto standard for 3D audio on over 3 million PCs. A3D puts the listener in the 3D environment, making sounds appear to come from any direction--left and right, front and back, top and bottom--giving gamers a decided advantage over their opponents. The Vortex2 PCI accelerates Aureal's new A3D 2.0, the most advanced 3D positional audio available. A3D 2.0 features Aureal Wavetracing technology, which includes Doppler, acoustic reflection, reverb, and occlusion to render lifelike audio based upon the actual acoustics of a 3D environment. ... Read more

Features

• A3D 2.0, DirectSound3D, and DirectSound hardware acceleration
• 320-voice wavetable synthesizer with DLS 1.0 and DirectMusic support
• High-performance PCI 2.1 interface
• Superior audio quality (exceeds PC98/99 specifications)
• Accelerated DirectInput game port

Reviews (1)

An excellent product for the money you pay!
I wanted to buy the x-gamer really bad, but i look at my wallet and there were $ NO MORE! , so i decided to buy the aureal vortex 2 that i�d seen in magazines, look, what is important is the chip, i�ve never heard from digital research but now i know they r fine, the sound is extremely cleanand the games, in particular system shock 2 sounds GREAT, the sound appearsto come from everywhere in the room, u have to have a nice speeker team tosqueeze everything from this lady-. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Soundcards (Sound Cards)   

Features

• High Fidelity Sound
• Quality Noise Cancellation Headphones
• USB Powered and Portable
• Easy Connection to Notebook or PC
• Premium Stereo System on the Road or at Home

Reviews (1)

Excellent Sound Card and Headphones ...
I just bought it for recording my parents old LP's on my laptop and burning'em on CD's. To my surprise, it is an excellent sound card. The noise cancelling Headphones are a great added bonus.
Read more

Features

• 24bit/96kHz D/A Converter and A/D Converter
• Simultaneous Full-Duplex Recording and Playback
• S/PDIF Coaxial and Optical Digital Outputs
• Direct Monitoring for Input Signals (Zero Latency, by Hardware)
• Built-in Internal 4 Channel Digital Mixer