Product Description

The Sound Blaster Audigy SE is an excellent value upgrade to 7.1 surround sound on the PC. Featuring high quality audio specifications including 24-bit/96kHz recording and playback with 100dB signal to noise ratio and digital output, it's the ideal partner for surround music and movie playback. For realistic gaming, EAX ADVANCED HD 3.0 support delivers acoustic effects and detailed 7.1 3D surround sound in gaming. The included Creative MediaSource software is a comprehensive tool for creating MP3s, managing a music collection, adding effects and burning custom CD compilations.

Product Details

• Brand: Creative Labs
• Model: 70SB057000000
• Published on: 1991
• Dimensions: 6.89" h x 2.17" w x 10.43" l, .60 pounds

Features

• Sold Individually

From the manufacturer
Upgrade from Basic Motherboard Audio to Outstanding Music, Movie and Game Sound

Enjoy an audio experience that's just not possible with basic motherboard audio. Sound Blaster Audigy SE features high-quality audio that dramatically improves MP3 music listening, support for EAX ADVANCED HD 3.0 effects that make PC games come alive and multichannel 5.1 or 7.1 sound for immersive surround sound in music, movies and games. When it comes to PC Audio nothing compares to Sound Blaster!

Music

• Dramatically improve your MP3 music listening experience with crisp, clear 24-bit ADVANCED HD audio quality.
• Bring out the best in your music with Bass Boost, Smart Volume Management, Audio Clean-Up, and more!
• Listen to your favorite MP3 music in breathtaking 7.1 surround with CMSS surround technology.

Games

• Feel like you're actually in the game with realistic EAX ADVANCED HD 3.0 sound effects.
• Hear your enemies before they find you with 3D positional audio over multichannel speakers.

Movies

• Enjoy your blockbuster movies in surround sound with support for everything from headphones to multichannel 5.1 or 7.1 speakers.

Customer Reviews

Quick and Easy
There have been a few interesting reviews for this product here on Amazon. Some are evidently due to lack of experience with computers. I will just list a few things you might want to know.

1. The card was very easy to install and update. As stated in the instructions.. Install the card, then boot up. When it detects the card and wants to search for drivers.. hit cancel. Then when your desktop loads, insert the installation cd and install the software. This gets you the bonus material on the cd as well as the drivers. This includes an automated update system for driver and software updates. You can schedule it to check for (I recommend) once a month, but run it once when you first install. This automatically updates your drivers for you. Very easily done. No searching the net, no messing with anything. Just click the options you want.

2. Sound cards in general. Most computers packaged these days come with onboard (chipped directly to the motherboard) sound cards. This is a terrible idea. The onboard sound card
a. is using your system resources and will could be causing conflicts or bottlenecks that lessen gaming and other intensive cpu usage and
b. not a real sound card and therefore generally a real pain (usually impossible) to upgrade the drivers on.

I am a gamer from ancient history of computer gaming and can tell you this.. sound card drivers not being updated are the cause of just as many, if not more problems crashing other programs than anything else on your computer save the video drivers.

Finally.. as for the sound. The digital 7.1 is awesome. I really notice a difference and have enjoyed the performance of this card very much.

Great Sound Card, and Cheap too!
I just bought this sound card at Bestbuy to replace my Realtek HD onboard audio that was having problems. Playing BF2 with EAX sounds amazing, vibrant sound and amazing clarity. I was going to buy a Soundblaster X-Fi, but why pay $122 when you can get amazing sound for only $22! Overall no problems, except the volume is drastically louder than my last sound card (have to turn the volume down to 1/8 what it used to be). Your music, video, and games will sound great with this budget sound card!

It'll Do
I purchased the Creative Sound blaster Audigy about 4 weeks ago. The day I receieved it in the mail I installed it. Here are my findings;
1) I received it very quickly in the mail with no dents and in great condition.
2) I installed it (PS- I have my CompTIA A+ Hardware Installers Certification) with a great deal of ease and no issues whatsoever. Most anyone who has any knowledge of the inner workings of a PC can install this card.
3) I am pleased with Amazon's service and the product as a whole. It recreates very accurate and clean sound on my 5.1 surround system. And it does not tax the system resources in order to do what it is made to do. (Less than 2% CPU usage at best)
4) As a side note, Creative labs products usually require some sort of software upgrade after you purchase them so if you have an internet connection, go to the MFG's homepage and download the latest version of soundcard drivers. I noticed certain sounds in my gaming worked better after the latest drivers were downloaded.

My Summary
5/5 on this product. Buy it if you are in need of a simple, high quality sound card. I would recommend it for gamers and music enthusiasts alike. I would not recommend it for MIDI inputs and extremely high end audio workstations as there are most likely better soundcards designed for that purpose.