Creative Labs SB Live! Platinum 5.1 Sound Card

For those unfamiliar with the product, this is a soundcard that moves beyond the basics of enabling your PC to produce noise, transforming it into a true multimedia device capable of semi-professional music production, 3D surround gaming and home theatre capabilities.

One of the cards most innovative features is the inclusion of the Live! Drive. This makes the installation process slightly more complex than is typical for a soundcard, but the documentation supplied is clear and the benefits, especially for those of a musical tilt, make it worth the extra effort. The Live! Drive is a separate unit that fits into a 5.25" drive bay, much like your CD drive. What it offers you is the ability to connect a variety of digital and analogue audio sources without having to search around at the back of your PC.

The soundcard itself is based around the EMU10K1 digital audio processor, which is one of the best processors you can get without moving to a much higher end professional offering.

To accompany the hardware is a software bundle that reflects the capabilities of the card. A couple of games, notably MDK2 show off the D3D sound performance. The Creative Playcenter provides adequate MP3 and WMA encoding and decoding. At the forefront of a collection of musical tools comes Cubasis VST (CE), a powerful MIDI recording studio.

For those just looking for a basic soundcard, this is undoubtedly overkill, but for those serious about their PC audio requirements, the Platinum 5.1 is an ideal choice, for all but the professional musician.

Manufacturer's Description
Sound Blaster Live! Platinum 5.1 provides the best Dolby Digital 5.1 audio entertainment on your PC for movies, music, and games. You can enjoy engulfing 5.1 surround sound by connecting digital multi-channel speakers or an analog Dolby Digital-ready home stereo system to your Sound Blaster Live! Platinum 5.1 sound card... so there's no need to purchase a Dolby Digital decoder. With the front panel connectors of the innovative Live! Drive IR, you can easily attach MIDI instruments, MiniDiscs, and other digital audio devices, headphones and much more. Also control your audio entertainment with the easy navigation and convenience of the included wireless remote. And, because the Sound Blaster Live! Platinum 5.1 is powered by the EMU10K1 audio processor, you will experience real-time audio and effects for true-to-life action in every audio application.When it comes to quality, power and fun on your PC, the Sound Blaster Live! Platinum 5.1 delivers! It's the most advanced 5.1 audio solution for enjoying incredible sound in movies, composing music, listening to crystal-clear music, creating and organizing MP3 files, and playing today's hottest games.

• Electronics & Photo > Computing > Components > Sound Cards