audigy 2 value on ncix at 45 worth

i wonder if i should buy for son. just got 560 and he got onboard ac97 sound

My board has that too and I think it sucks pretty badly. It has alot of static even after updating the drive and mute line in. Was thinking about getting rid of the old SB live I had from my previous setup but end up putting it back in.

Yeah, I made a big difference when I upgrade my onboard sound to an Audigy2. For $45, it's a bargain.

is this best card i can get for money? how about the chaintech. thanks

this is not the same card as the regular Audigy 2 (retail) or the new Audigy 2 ZS (retail).

it uses a different DSP chip and probably different DAC as well. it requires different drivers. the alternative "kX" drivers do not work on this.

my suggestion; try to get the Audigy 2 ZS retail box from FS for $70 AR. better way to cover your ass. Creative loves to pull stunts on their OEM products, like... never providing any driver updates past the first one.