pianodancer
New member
Let's just say that if you want a sound card to play surround-sound games, watch surround-sound DVD, AND do audio production, then Audigy should be the product.
If your focus is purely on audio production and no use for other frills, then EMU should be the product.
I have evolved from SB Live! to Audigy range and now EMU1820m. I have no use for games and watching DVD, so I moved on to EMU1820m which boasts professional-grade DA/AD convertor.
I believe Audigy is positioned towards audio playback experience, whereas EMU is optimised for professional audio recording. The audio routing system is limited and simplistic compared to EMU's patchbay.
Also, due to Audigy's simplistic GUI of manipulating audio through hardware effects via the Creative Audio Control Panel, you may unknowingly monitor audio that has been either processed with effects or EQ-ed, resulting in an inaccurate audio mixing. For instance, by selecting 'Headphones', '2-speaker' or '4-speaker' setting in Audigy, the audio output is different.
For EMU, however, the effects routing is clearly managed within the virtual patchbay, which may be harder to use for the layman but ensures unprocessed audio monitoring. With patchbay, you can monitor one input while recording another input, or playback an output that has been applied with effects, but the effect does not get recorded. This example is good for vocal recording such that the singer can hear the reverb effects but the vocal is recorded clean without effects.
In summary, Audigy is great for gaming and movies but requires extra care to toggle between gaming and professional audio production. EMU is made for professional audio production but lacks the gaming and movies features.
If your focus is purely on audio production and no use for other frills, then EMU should be the product.
I have evolved from SB Live! to Audigy range and now EMU1820m. I have no use for games and watching DVD, so I moved on to EMU1820m which boasts professional-grade DA/AD convertor.
I believe Audigy is positioned towards audio playback experience, whereas EMU is optimised for professional audio recording. The audio routing system is limited and simplistic compared to EMU's patchbay.
Also, due to Audigy's simplistic GUI of manipulating audio through hardware effects via the Creative Audio Control Panel, you may unknowingly monitor audio that has been either processed with effects or EQ-ed, resulting in an inaccurate audio mixing. For instance, by selecting 'Headphones', '2-speaker' or '4-speaker' setting in Audigy, the audio output is different.
For EMU, however, the effects routing is clearly managed within the virtual patchbay, which may be harder to use for the layman but ensures unprocessed audio monitoring. With patchbay, you can monitor one input while recording another input, or playback an output that has been applied with effects, but the effect does not get recorded. This example is good for vocal recording such that the singer can hear the reverb effects but the vocal is recorded clean without effects.
In summary, Audigy is great for gaming and movies but requires extra care to toggle between gaming and professional audio production. EMU is made for professional audio production but lacks the gaming and movies features.
