Ultima PC: Issue 1 (Page 11/14) Posted: July 29, 2000
Written by: Tuan "Solace" Nguyen The Sound Card [ Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! Platinum w/ Live Drive II: $ 155.00 ] (cont.) Effects Engine
- E-mu Systems EMU10K1 patented effects processor
- Supports real-time digital effects like reverb, chorus, flange, pitch shifter or distortion across any audio source
- Capable of processing, mixing and positioning audio streams using up to 131 available hardware channels
- Customizable effects architecture allows audio effects and channel control
- Full digital mixer maintains all sound mixing in the digital domain, eliminating noise from the signal
- Full bass, treble, and effects controls available for all audio sources


Environmental Audio & 3D Audio Technology
- User-selectable settings are optimized for headphones and two or four speakers
- Upgradeable 3D audio architecture allows for improvements over time
- Accelerates Microsoft’s DirectSound and DirectSound3D
- Accelerates Environmental Audio (EAX) property set extensions
- Creative Multi Speaker Surround technology places any mono or stereo sound source in a 360° audio space
- Creative Environmental Audio - user-selectable DSP modes that simulate acoustic environments


32-Bit Digital Audio Engine
- Processes bit resolutions from 8- to 16-bit
- Processes sample rates from 5kHz to 48kHz
- All sound sources are handled with 32-bit precision for highest quality output
- Analog and Digital I/O modes supported
- Hardware full-duplex support enables simultaneous record and playback at 8 standard sample rates
- Utilizes AC97 audio Codec

As you can see the Live! Certainly holds its own and is among the most powerful sound cards on the market. Too bad it doesn’t support Aureal’s A3D 2.0 API. A3D 2.0 with occlusions and reflections and Aureal’s excellent WaveTracing technology. Another factor for choosing the Live! is its Windows 2000 support. Aureal has relatively poor driver support for Windows 2000. They do have working drivers but its nothing close the to Win9x drivers. Perhaps when Guillemot fixes up Aureal, we’ll once again vouch for an Aureal based card. Aureal, we miss ya.

Now that we’ve got a sound card, we’re going to need speakers to go with it. The Speakers [ Klipsch ProMedias v.2 400w THX: $ 249.00 ]

- Total system frequency response: 29-20,000 Hz
- Maximum acoustic output: 110dB SPL at listening position
- Amplifier headroom: 4 x 60 watts, Satellites
- 1 x 160 watts, Subwoofer
- Satellite impedance: 4 ohms minimum

Sealed elliptical enclosure two-way system with 0.75" polymer dome tweeter mated to MicroTractrix Horn. Midbass driver is 3" long throw design with advanced fiber-composite cone and urethane surround for high output. The subwoofer is a bass-reflex MDF enclosure with front port and dual side-firing active 6.5" drivers (long throw design). Flared tuned port for enhanced bass coupling and deepest system tuning. Sixth-order design allows for high output, low distortion bass while minimizing excursion.

400 watts (RMS) of pure power, these are the only babies that have what it takes to dish out high fidelity sound from our computer. They are THX certified and nothing beats them. Perhaps the Sirocco Cross Fires sound mighty good. But they definitely do not match the pure power and clarity that is Klipsch.

The hefty 160 watt subwoofer is just aching to put holes in your room. Don’t disturb your neighbors. These babies just have one flaw, they show all the artifacts and bad recordings in MP3’s.

Alternative Solutions: A high fidelity home Dolby Digital receiver system

In my opinion, an extreme home theatre setup is the only setup that can really beat the Klipsch speakers.

Well, we’ve pretty much covered the meat of the computer. But there’s one key removable storage ingredient that’s left out… Next Page