If you are into music and want the best MIDI functions then SB Live (Full
version) is superior. You can add a hardware wavetable card (Such as the
Roland) to the MX300 to inorive its MIDI quality.
If you want the best 3D sound effects then the MX300, or any other card that
uses the Vortex2 Chips and A3D 2, then the MX300 ***s the SB Live using
EAX.
With the original drivers A3D 2 on the MX300 was a CPU hog, Not anywhere
near as bad as the A3D 1 and Vortex 1 chips but still inferior to SB Live
and EAX. Wiht the latest drivers there is very little difference in the CPU
usage.
The MX300 does EAX as well as the SB Live. The SB Live will NEVER (due to
hardware restrictions) do A3D 2. Therefore in terms of compatability the
MX300 is superior as well.
The MX300 also has an excellent graphic equalizer which allows you to setup
defaults for particular games.
The MX300 also decodes AC3 Dolby and with the addition of the extender card
willl give full 5.1 speaker output.
On a feature for feature basis the MX300 ***s the SB Live. In terms of 3D
sound quality...just play Halflife, Powerslide or Motorhead on both cards
and the difference is like chalk n cheese. MX300 wins hands down.
(Now I will sit back and wait for all those who wasted their money on SB
Lives to find some excuse to flame me and question my parentage.)
> I'm going to buy a good sound card....
> BUT.. I don't know what to get.. I've heard good things about the SB
> Live.. and was about to buy one when.. a friend said that the MX300
> is better. cos it supports 2 diff formats .. instead ofthe SB Live's
> one... EAx and somthing else (???)
> I play a number of games (GP2, GPL mainly, N99 etc...) aswell as other
> games...
> I need to be able to play them all.. aswell as good quality.. I also
> use headphones.. for good quality.....
> Can someone tell of any experiences or which is the one to get....
> Plz email too.. :-)
> thanx in advance..
> James Pickard,
> Melbourne,
> AUSTRALIA
