X-bit labs

Creative Sound Blaster Audigy4 Pro Sound Card: Nothing New?

Category: Multimedia

by Sergey Samarin

[ 05/06/2005 | 01:41 PM ]

Creative Labs released their Sound Blaster Audigy4 Pro sound card and we couldn’t miss the opportunity to take a closer look at it. Do you think you need to upgrade your Audigy2 now that the new card is out? Read our article before you make the decision. It may save you some money ;)

Table of contents:

• Technical Characteristics
  
• Functionality
  
• Software Bundle
  
• Performance Analysis
  
• Performance in SpectraLAB
  
• Conclusion
  

What do you think? What version follows the second one? The third? I also thought so. However, Creative Labs didn’t think too long about the succession rules and announced Sound Blaster Audigy4 Pro after Audigy2 ZS sound card. This was a quiet event, without too much hullabaloo around it in the mass media, and some hardware information sources just mentioned the release of the new top model in a couple of paragraphs. For a number of objective reasons I will also not spend so much time reviewing Audigy4 Pro, as I did with all other previous solutions.

In fact, I think I could end up this article right here and right now by saying that the new Audigy4 Pro does not differ from the Audigy2 ZS.

However, if you are a true fan of Creative labs products, then it would definitely make sense to take a closer look at the new solution: maybe we will manage to find something interesting and new about it.

Creative Sound Blaster Audigy4 Pro in retail box.

Technical Characteristics

I have already provided a big detailed table with the technical specifications of this product in the article called Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS Platinum Pro Sound Card: New Top Model Arrived! It doesn’t make much sense to post it here again, as you can always check out this page of the previous review and get all the details. The changes touched only upon one single item: Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) now is set to 116dB. For details you can as well check the official company site here.

What did we find inside when we opened the box?

• Sound Blaster Audisy4 Pro sound card;
• External switchover unit with the infra-red receiver;
• RM-1500 infra-red remote control unit;
• 1.8m cable for the switchover unit;
• Power cable connected to the PSU and the graphics card;
• Digital audio-cable for the CD-drive;
• Power splitting cable;
• 6.3/3.5mm adapter (jack/mini-jack);
• A CD disk with user’s manual;
• Quick Start guide;
• CD set with Creative Software pack.