Which SB Live to get?

erim · Jul 6, 2006, 12:25 PM

Hi!

I'm buying a cheap SB Live. Currently I found these 3 models: SB0060, SB0100 and SB0220, but I might find some others, too.

Which one of these works better with the KX drivers?
I'm aware of the issues of the 60 and 100, but the ASIO mapping is not a serious issue to me, since I won't do much recording.

I'd just like to play my midi keyboard via the gameport and have the lowest latency possible.
Don't need surround, just stereo.

Are there any differences in latencies or sound quality?

Another thing: on my computer case I have a headphone and a mic input on the front. Currently they are connected to the MB and they work with the onboard soundcard.
Will I be able to use those inputs with any SB Live card?

Thanks a lot!

Doug W · Jul 6, 2006, 12:48 PM

erim,

Quote:

Another thing: on my computer case I have a headphone and a mic input on the front. Currently they are connected to the MB and they work with the onboard soundcard.
Will I be able to use those inputs with any SB Live card?

1 You can just leave the onboard sound as is and use it for specific applications not related to a kX compatible card.

2. If the onboard sound has an SPDIF out connector, you can connect that to the kX compatible card with an SPDIF cable.

3. You could disable the onboard card in the BIOS and just use the the Headphone / Mic input to add a stereo analog input to your setup so you would end up with the possibility of 4 Mono analog inputs. You say you are only doing MIDI keyboard / Synth stuff now, but maybe you'll hook up with a couple of other musicians, (singers/guitar players/drummers/tuba players?), and you will find you need as many analog inputs as possible.
http://www.maxminn.net/emily40/auxsc00.html

Quote:

SB0060, SB0100 or SB0220

Guess I would choose one that has no mapping issues (SB0220), even though you aren't planning to use the ASIO inputs now.

erim · Jul 6, 2006, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug W

Guess I would choose one that has no mapping issues (SB0220), even though you aren't planning to use the ASIO inputs now.

Actually, this one had the most issues about the rear output not working... although they might be all fixed with 3538j, but I'm not sure.

For the headphone&mic: I was about to use that for skype and such... but I could connect phones&mic directly to the SB Live as well, right?

Doug W · Jul 6, 2006, 02:06 PM

For skype you can use either your onboard or your Live / Audigy. I made a DSP for Skype for the CT4830 on this computer.
http://www.maxminn.net/emily40/images/skype-ct4830.jpg

Couple of non-issue cards that I have:
SB0090 (Audigy 1), SB0350 (Audigy 2 ZS) Both of these cards require a separate MIDI connector.

erim · Jul 8, 2006, 09:39 AM

Is the CT4830 a good card?

I would also like to know if there are some issues with games or movies, since I will play those, too.

Doug W · Jul 8, 2006, 11:26 AM

The CT4830 works fine. However, There is more than one version of the CT4830. I had a CT4830 that had no external digital out port. The one on this computer has one. Either one will work fine, just make sure that the one you are looking at has the stuff you need.

For gaming, kX does not support EAX. If that is important to you, consider the Creative drivers for the CT4830. I don't play computer games so I can't really comment on the performance of kX in games. The games that I see my kids using seem to work fine but they are not playing games where muscle bound heroes are whacking heads off of their opponents or blowing up civilizations. If EAX is a must for those sorts of activities then you wouldn't want to use kX.

I have seen threads here where people say they use kX for gaming and don't miss EAX and others won't install kX because of the lack of EAX.