Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 Platinum eX

Soundcards and Speakers 106 Page 7 of 9 Published by

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Benchmarks

Benchmarks

 

For testing the audio output of the eX, we used the RMAA 5.0 program and Audio WinBench99.  I would love to include some game-related benchmarks, like UT2K3, but they just aren't very repeatable.

 

Eyestrain Inducing WinBench99

 

Yikes.  I hope ya'll can read that!  The eX is second from left.  It does very well, hovering around 4-5% CPU usage, with no spikes of utilization.  The regular Audigy2 is around 1-4% with spikes up to 11% CPU utilization and the DMX 6-fire is averaging 3-6% with spikes as high 13% CPU utilization.

 

For audio performance measurements we used the outstanding RightMark Audio Analyzer 5.0, the bane of sound card marketing departments everywhere.  Suffice it to say the eX measures exceptionally well, being excellent in almost all tests, save for intermodulation distortion which was merely 'very good'.  The eX measurements are in white, DMX 6-fire in green.

 

SB Audigy2 eX Audio [9000]DMX 6fire Wave

RightMark Audio Analyzer test

 

Testing chain: External loopback (line-out - line-in)Sampling mode: 24-bit, 96 kHz

Summary

Test SB Audigy2 eX Audio [9000] DMX 6fire Wave
Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB: +0.00, -0.01 +0.01, -0.05
Noise level, dB (A): -99.2 -97.8
Dynamic range, dB (A): 98.9 97.7
THD, %: 0.0022 0.0010
IMD, %: 0.027 0.0082
Stereo crosstalk, dB: -98.4 -88.3

 

Frequency response

 24 bit/96kHz Frequency Response

As you can see both the eX and the DMX 6-fire are nearly identical in frequency response, with the eX dropping off sharply at 20kHz.  The DMX 6-fire goes well up into the 40kHz range (-1.0dB at ~42kHz).

Noise level

 24 bit/96kHz Noise

Both are silent as the grave, and at -99.5dB, the eX has the lowest noise we've ever measured.

Dynamic range

 24 bit/96kHz Dynamic Range

Dynamic range is the difference between a 1kHz signal and noise.  The eX provided another record at 98.9dB.  The eX did not sound like it had superior numbers, so that is why we include subjective listening tests.

THD + Noise (at -3 dB FS)

24 bit/96kHz THD+Noise 

THD + Noise is a very telling graph.  You can see lots of spikes (the overtones of the 1kHz signal) with the eX, which can affect the overall sound.

Intermodulation distortion

24 bit/96kHz IMD 

IMD is probably the most brutal of all RMAA's tests.  Reproducing a 19+20kHz test tone (music is made up of lots and lots of additive tones) is quite punishing, and it is the only weakness of the eX.

Stereo crosstalk

 24 bit/96kHz Stereo Crosstalk

Crosstalk on the eX is magnificently low, at -98.4dB, and is another record for us.  The eX has a very stable and lucid 3D sound, and this is the main reason.

On to the 16 bit/44.1 tests!

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