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In the Forums... |
Posted: December 6, 2001 Written by: Adam Honek
Introduction
How important can we define sound? Those of you with 2.1 speakers probably wonder how the same music/movie or game sounds through 5.1 speakers. Those of you already with 5.1 speakers contemplate how on earth you put up with 2.1 speakers in the first place. Over the years we have grown used to mono, stereo and finally surround sound. Throughout this endeavour our ears have become more demanding and progressed to require more depth, richness and fidelity. So how does Tweak3D go about finding sound which make one's ears pop and gets the wife (if married) screaming to turn the damn thing off? We bring Creative to the rescue, best known for its Sound Blaster range of sound cards over the years; surely they must have a solution! It was a Wednesday when I came back home and noticed a big box at my house -- the kind a 17" monitor could be packed into. Upon opening the box, it was obvious that Creative sent me something. But what? It was their solution to true 5.1 surround sound for the PC in the form of an Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum and Inspire 5.1 5300 speakers. These two products are two of the newest devices Creative has released, and we have been granted permission to flex their muscles. Let me take you on a journey of sound production with a setup that should leave few moans and perhaps a handful of headaches amongst you, our readers.
Sound Blaster, the mother of audio cards
Creative is no new baby in the industry -- in fact its roots date back to 1989. When we think sound card we think Sound Blaster. Over time Creative has established itself as the audio experts in such a way that others base their sound card designs and features on consumer approved products taken from the Sound Blaster range. It is still the only add-in company to design and manufacture the DSP (Digital Signalling Processor) and PCB in its sound card products. Many manufacturers claim Sound Blaster compatibility to reassure users that its products might be just as system friendly as those of Creative. This is the same trend that followed 3Dfx with its Voodoo1 cards, which in many ways brought 3D gaming to the PC. Although 3Dfx died a slow painful death, Creative continues to strive to perfection, now not only offering sound cards in its product line-up, but also opening up the window with various multimedia devices. So how did the sound card evolve to become the Audigy? Below is a breakdown on the steps it took Creative to bring PC sound to the level it is today.
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