Two questions concering Audigy 2 and X-fi

[eagleknight]

First I am wandering if there is a feature on the Augidy 2 ZS series like the cmss-3d on the X-fi to upmix to 5.1. Or would I have to use KX drivers?

Next I am wanting to decode AC3 optical spdif input. I was looking at refurbed Audigy 2 ZS platinum pro because I can pick one of those up for a good price. I could pick up a X-Fi card and an I/O module, but I have heard the I/O module only supports 2.1 decoding. If this is incorrect and it can decode AC3 optical spdif input I would go this route so I would also have the cmss-3d as well.

 

[dravalier]

The Audigy 2 ZS will upmix things to 5.1, as will any recent Creative soundcard.

Any soundcard that says it decodes AC3 will be able to decode it to 5.1. That includes the X-fi.

You might be confusing AC3 encoding and AC3 decoding. AC3 encoding is if you wanted to send the digital output from your soundcard to a receiver as an AC3 signal. No creative soundcard supports this. AC3 decoding is receiving an AC3 signal from something like a DVD and turning it into sound that comes out your speakers. Any recent Creative soundcard will do that, and there are numerous software programs that will do the same.

The major CMSS feature the Audigy 2 ZS is missing deals with headphones, not 5.1 upmixing.

 

[eagleknight]

I went ahead and ordered an Audigy 4 Pro. I was able to pick it up for the same price and after reading reviews it had some improvements over the Audigy 2. Thanks for clearing my questions up dravalier, much appreciated.