1987
Sound Blaster 1.0
1.Sound Blaster 1.0
2.Sound Blaster 2.0(Supports 44 kHz playback)
3.Sound Blaster MCV
1991=16 bits was introduced
Sound Blaster 16
Sound Blaster AWE32
1.Sound Blaster AWE32
2.Sound Blaster 32
3.Sound Blaster AWE64(Improved SNR and a SPDIF output)
1998=Multi-channel
Ensoniq AudioPCI-based cards
Sound Blaster Live!
It introduced a EMU10K1 processor...The chip supported a 2.44 million transistor DSP capable of 1000 MIPS for processing Audio....and supported EAX(environmental audio extensions)...The Live! was absolutely stunning compared to the older generation....It also supported multi channel surround sound with SPDIF out and could decode Dolby 5.1.....
Models
1.Sound Blaster Live! MP3+ 5.1
2.Live! Platinum 5.1
3.Sound Blaster Live! Digital(Dell)
4.Live! Digital entertainment 5.1(SE)
5.Live! Platinum
6.Sound Blaster Live!
7.Sound Blaster Live! Value
8.Later Live! 24bit(2003)
2001
Audigy
It had a improved version of the EMU10K1 processor and it was called EMU10K2....The main advantage was Advanced HD also called EAX 3...which could process 4 environments at one time.....The 2001 Audigy was advertised as a 24bit sound card but had a problem in the DMA engine....The audio was re sampled back to 16 bits...how ever it was better than normal 16 bits cause first the audio was converted to 24bits n then to 16 bits.....However the output was 16bit audio......The Audigy also had a improved SNR over the Live!(Live=96,Audigy=100)
2002
Audigy 2
The main advantage on the Audigy 2 processor was that it could play true 24bit/96Khz DVD audio......the chip was called EMU10K2.5.....It also features built in Dolby Digital EX 6.1 decoding...Supported Advanced HD 4.0 with driver update...SNR was improved 100 to 106...
2003
Audigy 2 ZS
Same as Audigy 2 .....a bit improved....it was a 7.1 channel card and could decode DTS/DTS ES as well,and supported Advanced HD 4.0......SNR was also improved 106 to 108.....
Also in 2003 Audigy Value/SE was introdeced....It was a stripped down audigy with no hardware capabilities....all the processing was loaded on to the CPU..They also introduced the Live!24bit....Basically same as Audigy SE but different branding....
These cards used the CA0106 processor which creative made for budget cards......Basically this processor/DSP depends on the CPU and Ram to process the audio and the effects...Due to this, these cards wont have the actual quality of a real EMU10K1 or EMU20K1 Processor.....
2004
Audigy 4 Pro actually used the same Audigy 2 ZS chip but with better DACs(4x CS4398)...The SNR was boosted to 113 over the 108 of the Audigy2ZS.....and of course some software upgrades......The external breakout box also came with the Audigy 4 Pro.....
Models
1.Sound Blaster Audigy
2.Audigy ES
3.Audigy 2 Platinum EX
4.Audigy Platinum
5.Audigy Platinum EX
6.Audigy LS(SE)
7.Sound Blaster Audigy LS
8.Audigy Value
9.Audigy 2 NX(External Device)
10.Audigy 2
11.Sound Blaster Audigy 2 SE
12.Audigy 2 ZS
13.Audigy 2 ZS Platinum
14.Audigy 2 Platinum
15.Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro
16.Audigy 2 ZS Video Editor (External USB device which acts as a video editor and hardware accalarated video+7.1 sound as well)
17.Audigy 2 ZS Notebook(PCMCA)
18.Audigy 4(Pro,SE,Value)
19.Sound Blaster Audigy mp3+
Platinum=Card+Front bay
Platinum Pro/EX=External Breakout box
2005=X-Fi A new world of sound
Sound Blaster X-Fi(Extreme Fidelity)....It had a new chip a 130 nm EMU20K1 audio chip operates at 400 MHz and has 51 million transistors.Audigy operated at 200Mhz and had 4 million transistors.....The power of the processor was estimated as 10000 MIPS(million instructions per second) 24 times its previous processor Audigy.......The Audigy cards DSP was locked to 16bits/48kHz but the X-Fi offers 24bit DSP......
One of the major features was Advanced HD 5.0 which supports up to 128 3D-positioned voices with up to four effects applied to each.....
And the famous 24bit Crystallizer..... Crystallizer is something like the noise sharpening DSP in Foobar........with the help of the Crystallizer low bit rate mp3s can sound like decent bit rate mp3s......
Models
1.X-Fi Xtreme Audio(Advance version of the Audigy SE/Value with no hardware capabilities(Loads the processing on the CPU),lack of Advance HD 5.0,Dont have a actual X-Fi chip/Low profile)
2.X-Fi Xtreme Music(The best bang for the buck so far..Has every X-Fi feature except for 64mb Xram)
3.X-Fi PCI Express Xtreme Audio(Same Xtreme Audio on PCE Express bus)
4.X-Fi Platinum(Basically Xtreme Music with a front bay)
5.X-Fi Xtreme Gamer(Same as Xtreme Music with 2mb or more ram/Low Profile card)
6.X-Fi Fatal1ty(With 64mb Xram)
7.X-Fi Fatal1ty Platinum(With 64mb Xram+Front bay)
8.X-Fi Elite Pro(Uses better DACs and better OPAMPs+External Breakout Box+64 Xram)
9.X-Fi Xtreme Audio Notebook(PCMCA)
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Sound Blaster 1.0
Models of Sound Blaster
1.Sound Blaster 1.0
2.Sound Blaster 2.0(Supports 44 kHz playback)
3.Sound Blaster MCV
1991=16 bits was introduced
Sound Blaster 16
1994
Sound Blaster AWE32
Models
1.Sound Blaster AWE32
2.Sound Blaster 32
3.Sound Blaster AWE64(Improved SNR and a SPDIF output)
1998=Multi-channel
Ensoniq AudioPCI-based cards
Q3 1998=Major Breakthrough
Sound Blaster Live!
It introduced a EMU10K1 processor...The chip supported a 2.44 million transistor DSP capable of 1000 MIPS for processing Audio....and supported EAX(environmental audio extensions)...The Live! was absolutely stunning compared to the older generation....It also supported multi channel surround sound with SPDIF out and could decode Dolby 5.1.....
Models
1.Sound Blaster Live! MP3+ 5.1
2.Live! Platinum 5.1
3.Sound Blaster Live! Digital(Dell)
4.Live! Digital entertainment 5.1(SE)
5.Live! Platinum
6.Sound Blaster Live!
7.Sound Blaster Live! Value
8.Later Live! 24bit(2003)
2001
Audigy
It had a improved version of the EMU10K1 processor and it was called EMU10K2....The main advantage was Advanced HD also called EAX 3...which could process 4 environments at one time.....The 2001 Audigy was advertised as a 24bit sound card but had a problem in the DMA engine....The audio was re sampled back to 16 bits...how ever it was better than normal 16 bits cause first the audio was converted to 24bits n then to 16 bits.....However the output was 16bit audio......The Audigy also had a improved SNR over the Live!(Live=96,Audigy=100)
2002
Audigy 2
The main advantage on the Audigy 2 processor was that it could play true 24bit/96Khz DVD audio......the chip was called EMU10K2.5.....It also features built in Dolby Digital EX 6.1 decoding...Supported Advanced HD 4.0 with driver update...SNR was improved 100 to 106...
2003
Audigy 2 ZS
Same as Audigy 2 .....a bit improved....it was a 7.1 channel card and could decode DTS/DTS ES as well,and supported Advanced HD 4.0......SNR was also improved 106 to 108.....
Also in 2003 Audigy Value/SE was introdeced....It was a stripped down audigy with no hardware capabilities....all the processing was loaded on to the CPU..They also introduced the Live!24bit....Basically same as Audigy SE but different branding....
These cards used the CA0106 processor which creative made for budget cards......Basically this processor/DSP depends on the CPU and Ram to process the audio and the effects...Due to this, these cards wont have the actual quality of a real EMU10K1 or EMU20K1 Processor.....
2004
Audigy 4 Pro actually used the same Audigy 2 ZS chip but with better DACs(4x CS4398)...The SNR was boosted to 113 over the 108 of the Audigy2ZS.....and of course some software upgrades......The external breakout box also came with the Audigy 4 Pro.....
Models
1.Sound Blaster Audigy
2.Audigy ES
3.Audigy 2 Platinum EX
4.Audigy Platinum
5.Audigy Platinum EX
6.Audigy LS(SE)
7.Sound Blaster Audigy LS
8.Audigy Value
9.Audigy 2 NX(External Device)
10.Audigy 2
11.Sound Blaster Audigy 2 SE
12.Audigy 2 ZS
13.Audigy 2 ZS Platinum
14.Audigy 2 Platinum
15.Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro
16.Audigy 2 ZS Video Editor (External USB device which acts as a video editor and hardware accalarated video+7.1 sound as well)
17.Audigy 2 ZS Notebook(PCMCA)
18.Audigy 4(Pro,SE,Value)
19.Sound Blaster Audigy mp3+
Platinum=Card+Front bay
Platinum Pro/EX=External Breakout box
2005=X-Fi A new world of sound
Sound Blaster X-Fi(Extreme Fidelity)....It had a new chip a 130 nm EMU20K1 audio chip operates at 400 MHz and has 51 million transistors.Audigy operated at 200Mhz and had 4 million transistors.....The power of the processor was estimated as 10000 MIPS(million instructions per second) 24 times its previous processor Audigy.......The Audigy cards DSP was locked to 16bits/48kHz but the X-Fi offers 24bit DSP......
One of the major features was Advanced HD 5.0 which supports up to 128 3D-positioned voices with up to four effects applied to each.....
And the famous 24bit Crystallizer..... Crystallizer is something like the noise sharpening DSP in Foobar........with the help of the Crystallizer low bit rate mp3s can sound like decent bit rate mp3s......
Models
1.X-Fi Xtreme Audio(Advance version of the Audigy SE/Value with no hardware capabilities(Loads the processing on the CPU),lack of Advance HD 5.0,Dont have a actual X-Fi chip/Low profile)
2.X-Fi Xtreme Music(The best bang for the buck so far..Has every X-Fi feature except for 64mb Xram)
3.X-Fi PCI Express Xtreme Audio(Same Xtreme Audio on PCE Express bus)
4.X-Fi Platinum(Basically Xtreme Music with a front bay)
5.X-Fi Xtreme Gamer(Same as Xtreme Music with 2mb or more ram/Low Profile card)
6.X-Fi Fatal1ty(With 64mb Xram)
7.X-Fi Fatal1ty Platinum(With 64mb Xram+Front bay)
8.X-Fi Elite Pro(Uses better DACs and better OPAMPs+External Breakout Box+64 Xram)
9.X-Fi Xtreme Audio Notebook(PCMCA)
Source1
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Source3
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