Sblive!Value! vs. AV-710

**Athens** · 11-09-2004, 09:11 PM

I've had an Sblive!Value! for about 3 years now, and am curious how much better the AV-710 is, seeing how nice it's price is. Is it really that noticable that someone "sorta" content with an Sblive! would be happy with? What are the advantages/ disatvanges of the AV-710? I've heard it's great for music, that's it, no details. Can someone please enlighten me?

**thrawn86** · 11-10-2004, 12:08 AM

depending on your speakers and what kind of media you're playing, its likely going to be a significantly big upgrade.

People say that the av-710 is compraple to the audigy2 for music, thats supposedly a bad thing. for 25 bucks though, I don't see how.

**flutie98** · 11-10-2004, 12:14 AM

for 25 bux im sure its worth trying out, xp1800 can give you more impressions as he has one right now

**Motoman** · 11-10-2004, 12:31 AM

I'm pretty impressed with the Av-710 - used a few of them now. High quality stuff for not much coin. Two Brazillian thumbs up!

**XP1800** · 11-10-2004, 12:32 AM

I'd say the AV710 is about a notch below the A2 for music. However, it'll be many notches above the SB Live, so for $25, why not?

If this thread would have started about 5 months ago when I just got my Chaintech, and I didn't have all this nice audio gear, I'd be raving like a fanboy. Now she's just the weakest link in my setup, so it's obvious that I can't wait to get rid of it. But for your use, I think it will be an awesome budget card.

Disadvantages? Anything other than music, forget about it. I've played some UT2K4 and the positioning is horrible, just horrible. DVD audio is so-so, but I'm not too tough an audience in that category.

**masteraleph** · 11-10-2004, 12:58 AM

Keep in mind, incidentally, that when XP says the Chaintech is the "weakest link in the system", he's running a $400 amp, $150 pair of headphones, plus special cables. Ergo, "weakest link" should be taken with a grain of salt

**XP1800** · 11-10-2004, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by masteraleph
Keep in mind, incidentally, that when XP says the Chaintech is the "weakest link in the system", he's running a $400 amp, $150 pair of headphones, plus special cables. Ergo, "weakest link" should be taken with a grain of salt

Yeah I should have mentioned that...thanks masteraleph

The AV710 is the card right now for music. I don't think someone on a budget looking for a good music card can do better, unless they find an EMU-1212 that fell off a truck or something

**Athens** · 11-11-2004, 12:34 PM

Thanks for the reinforcement guys, I'm gonna get the Chaintech once I find some cash lying around (ordering an A500 today, sorta drains my wallet).

**Hypo_Luxa** · 11-13-2004, 11:55 PM

XP1800 is right. For 2/2.1 ch music, the chaintech is a great card. I have one and love it. It pretty much blows for anything else though. Luckily it plays nice with other cards, so you can keep your gaming card and just use the chaintech for music listening.

**davnport** · 11-16-2004, 10:47 PM

I know I am a little late here, but I don't think the chaintech sucks for gameplay and dvd. In game play positioning is weaker than the A2, but not too bad. While watching DVDs it is fine as well. I watch a lot of dvds on my computer, and the chaintech does a fine job. Not the best I have heard, but better than onboard or sb live 5.1 (which I have also used... its sitting in the closet). Music though is a noticable difference. Hope you enjoy it!

**Motoman** · 11-17-2004, 02:43 AM

I have to concur...people slam the Via Envy chipset for gaming, but I honestly don't know why. I really can't tell the difference between it and my Fortissimo III on my 5.1 surround speakers when gaming... I think it's bollocks, especially for the coin you lay down.

11-09-2004, 09:11 PM	#1
Athens Goldfish Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: US Posts: 64	Sblive!Value! vs. AV-710 I've had an Sblive!Value! for about 3 years now, and am curious how much better the AV-710 is, seeing how nice it's price is. Is it really that noticable that someone "sorta" content with an Sblive! would be happy with? What are the advantages/ disatvanges of the AV-710? I've heard it's great for music, that's it, no details. Can someone please enlighten me?

11-10-2004, 12:08 AM	#2
thrawn86 Great White Shark Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Auburn Univ. Posts: 5,023	depending on your speakers and what kind of media you're playing, its likely going to be a significantly big upgrade. People say that the av-710 is compraple to the audigy2 for music, thats supposedly a bad thing. for 25 bucks though, I don't see how. __________________ AM2 Windsor 2.4ghz -> Asus M2N-E/ 2048mb G.Skill ddr2800 -> Sapphire x1800xt A2 Plat eX -->Canare Cables/Pimeta --> AudioTechnica ATH-A500 & Ety ER-6 Infinity Primus 150 w/ Datyon 10" sub _____________________________ Join the Sharky Folding@Home Team! Sharky's Extreme 3dmark Team

11-10-2004, 12:14 AM	#3
flutie98 Engineer credit to *****! Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: CNSE UAlbany Posts: 3,908	for 25 bux im sure its worth trying out, xp1800 can give you more impressions as he has one right now __________________ \|Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3.6GHz\|DFI DK P35-T2RS\|8.0GB G.skill PI PC2-6400\|MSI GTX 260\| \|OCZ Vertex SSD\|HP LP2465 24" LCD\|Antec P182\|OCZ 600w PSU\|H2O Cooling\|Windows 7 x64\| \|Core 2 Duo E6420\|Asus P5K-VM\|4.0GB DDR2\|AMD Radeon 3450\|Antec Fusion V2\|Westinghouse 42" 1080P LCD\| \|ThinkPad T410\|Core i5 520M\|3.0GB DDR3\|OCZ Agility SSD\| Audio: EMU 0404->Onkyo TX-SR500 ->Polk LSi7's + Velodyne VX10

11-10-2004, 12:31 AM	#4
Motoman Mako Shark Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Wit yo momma. Posts: 4,327	I'm pretty impressed with the Av-710 - used a few of them now. High quality stuff for not much coin. Two Brazillian thumbs up! __________________ REMEMBER THE WORLD TRADE CENTER!!! My WTC Memorial Website (and other stuff) - I used to be a SETI top 0.2% user! - Modded Computers Main gaming rig: Athlon 64 3000+, ECS 755-A2, GeForce 6800 128Mb, Philips Acoustic Edge, 2Gb Corsair XMS PC3200, 120Gb Hard Drive, etc. Creative Labs = poop

11-10-2004, 12:32 AM	#5
XP1800 Resident Audiophile Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 8,612	I'd say the AV710 is about a notch below the A2 for music. However, it'll be many notches above the SB Live, so for $25, why not? If this thread would have started about 5 months ago when I just got my Chaintech, and I didn't have all this nice audio gear, I'd be raving like a fanboy. Now she's just the weakest link in my setup, so it's obvious that I can't wait to get rid of it. But for your use, I think it will be an awesome budget card. Disadvantages? Anything other than music, forget about it. I've played some UT2K4 and the positioning is horrible, just horrible. DVD audio is so-so, but I'm not too tough an audience in that category. __________________ My Heatware

11-10-2004, 12:58 AM	#6
masteraleph Hammerhead Shark Join Date: May 2001 Location: Portsmouth VA/UPenn Posts: 2,731	Keep in mind, incidentally, that when XP says the Chaintech is the "weakest link in the system", he's running a $400 amp, $150 pair of headphones, plus special cables. Ergo, "weakest link" should be taken with a grain of salt __________________ My current rig Dell Dimension 8200: Dell 2000FP P4 2.53 Ghz, 1G PC800, 120 GB WDSE, XFX 6600GT (dual DVI!) Terratec DMX6Fire LT/Zemo-dded EMU 0404, Altec Lansing ADA 995s/Pimeta+HD580s/A900s Win XP Pro/Office Pro MX1000/MS Wireless Optical Desktop Pro keyboard Belkin Universal UPS 1200VA

11-11-2004, 12:34 PM	#8
Athens Goldfish Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: US Posts: 64	Thanks for the reinforcement guys, I'm gonna get the Chaintech once I find some cash lying around (ordering an A500 today, sorta drains my wallet). Last edited by Athens; 11-11-2004 at 12:35 PM.

11-13-2004, 11:55 PM	#9
Hypo_Luxa Tiger Shark Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Indiana Posts: 691	XP1800 is right. For 2/2.1 ch music, the chaintech is a great card. I have one and love it. It pretty much blows for anything else though. Luckily it plays nice with other cards, so you can keep your gaming card and just use the chaintech for music listening. __________________ Primary Rig under construction.... SEMPER FIDELIS 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit SOC

11-16-2004, 10:47 PM	#10
davnport Hammerhead Shark Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 1,401	I know I am a little late here, but I don't think the chaintech sucks for gameplay and dvd. In game play positioning is weaker than the A2, but not too bad. While watching DVDs it is fine as well. I watch a lot of dvds on my computer, and the chaintech does a fine job. Not the best I have heard, but better than onboard or sb live 5.1 (which I have also used... its sitting in the closet). Music though is a noticable difference. Hope you enjoy it! __________________ Main Rig Abit NF7-s v2 \| AMD Barton 2500+ \| 2x 512 Corsair XMS PC3200LL \| ATI 9700pro \| WD SE 120Gb & Maxtor 250Gb \| NEC 2500A 8x \| Antec SuperLanboy \| Thermalright SP-97 & enermax 90mm \| Logitech MX Duo \| APC Back-UPS XS 800 Home Theatre: 50" Proscan projection TV-> Harmon Kardon AVR-230-> JBL SCS160si Computer Audio: E-MU 0404-> Switchbox-> ZA Pimeta-> TBA/AL ATP3s Portable: iRiver H-120-> Shure E3 MEMBER OF THE SHARKY FORUMS FOLDING TEAM Interested in learning more about FOLDING? Check out this flash!

11-17-2004, 02:43 AM	#11
Motoman Mako Shark Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Wit yo momma. Posts: 4,327	I have to concur...people slam the Via Envy chipset for gaming, but I honestly don't know why. I really can't tell the difference between it and my Fortissimo III on my 5.1 surround speakers when gaming... I think it's bollocks, especially for the coin you lay down. __________________ REMEMBER THE WORLD TRADE CENTER!!! My WTC Memorial Website (and other stuff) - I used to be a SETI top 0.2% user! - Modded Computers Main gaming rig: Athlon 64 3000+, ECS 755-A2, GeForce 6800 128Mb, Philips Acoustic Edge, 2Gb Corsair XMS PC3200, 120Gb Hard Drive, etc. Creative Labs = poop

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