Sound cards with 7.1 channels are finally available. Unfortunately, none of them have made a big enough splash to be noticed. That is, until audio giant Creative sidled in. With the new Sound Blaster 7.1-channel Audigy 2 ZS and Inspire T7700 speakers, it sounds like 7.1 audio is finally ready to be heard.
As with the wildly popular Audigy 2, the new ZS comes in several versions. We tested the Audigy 2 ZS Platinum, which comes with a drive bay insert Creative calls the Audigy 2 Drive. The drive has RCA and optical S/PDIF inputs and outputs, auxiliary inputs, headphones and line-in/mic jacks, standard mini-DIN type MIDI inputs and outputs, and a FireWire port.
The drive is crowded, and so is the Audigy card. It has a digital S/PDIF output, three mini-plug outputs, a line-in connector, and a microphone connector. Like the drive, the card also features a FireWire port.
The Audigy 2 ZS delivers 7.1-channel output and 24-bit, 198-KHz playback. It ups the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to an almost unbelievable 108 decibels from the original Audigy 2’s impressive 98 decibels. You’ll notice the difference the second you play Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, one of two games included with the card. Creative includes a THX Setup Console to maximize the effectiveness of THX-certified speakers, EAX 4.0 Enhanced HD environmental effects, and DTS-ES and Dolby Digital EX decoding.
As for sound, the Inspire T7700 speakers are the epitome of surround sound. Creative rates this 7.1 set at 125 watts, though the RMS rating is a still impressive 92 watts. The three front speakers (left, right, and center channels) are two-way systems, with both a midrange driver and tweeter. The center channel speaker is rated at 20 watts RMS, and the left and right front speakers are each rated at eight watts RMS. Each of the rear and side satellite speakers is also rated at eight watts, though these speakers have only a single driver. An audio control pod lets you adjust volume and balance. For owners of Creative MuVo portable players, the pod features the M-port, a proprietary port that allows you to plug in and listen to tunes from your MuVo.
Combined with the Audigy 2 ZS, music and DVD audio quality is clean and sharp. There’s no roll-off in the midrange, and while the volume isn’t thundering, it easily fills a large room. By eliminating the rear center channel speaker in favor of two side speakers, the surround sound seems more enveloping.
As much as we love the all-encompassing sound, this system isn’t for everyone. If you have an Audigy 2 sound card, the step up to 7.1-channel sound from 6.1 won’t be noticeable unless you have the hearing of a bat. The same holds true if you have a set of high-quality 6.1 speakers. Changing over to the Inspire T7700s won’t provide enough of an audible difference to make it worth the $149 cost.
However, if your current audio setup is a few years old and you’re ready for a sound upgrade, the combination of the 7.1-channel Audigy 2 ZS card and the Inspire T7700 speakers produce excellent home theater-quality audio—enough to justify charging your friends when showing movies on your PC.
-- Ted Needleman
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum/Inspire T7700
Price: $199 (card), $149 (speakers)
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