Sometime later this week I plan on picking up the Logitech Z-2300s after wanting them for a long time. But, I'm still using my Sound Blaster Live! 5.1, which is quite outdated. I'm considering pairing the speakers with a worthy sound card. I might get a Razer Barracuda sound card off woot.com in the future, but after I saw the review on here with a not so good score of 6/10, I'm thinking otherwise. Maybe one of the cheap X-fi cards instead? So what do you guys think and what are the prices available (T2?) Or maybe one of you have one I could take off your hands?

Thanks

The score I gave the Barracuda was based on shoddy drivers at launch and a ridiculous price. The Barracuda is not a bad card now that the drivers are a bit more mature. But no better and more expensive than half a dozen other cards that use the same C-Media Oxygen chip. Auzentech X-Meridian probably being the best of the bunch. The Asus Xonar would be a close second and runs on a PCI express bus. The Bluegears b-Enspirer and Sondigo Inferno are half the price of the Auzentech and Asus cards. The components used by Auzentech and Asus are better, but you would have a hard time hearing that on computer speakers.

The old Live is still not a bad card, Creative's new PCIexpress X-Fi card for example is actually a soundblaster live chip and not an X-Fi. If you go Creative, I'd go for the Xtreme Gamer on a budget.

I'm running a Auzentech X-Fi Prelude. It's expensive, and the best card I've ever tested by a fairly healthy margin.

You're going to like the Z-2300's ...enjoy.

I'm running the Barracuda and I've had a few small quality quirks with music playback. That said, I was running an X-Fi music and haven't felt a reason to switch back yet. I'd listen to AntiM's recommendations

:a mazed::ama zed::amaze d:
Woah! AtiM you were more than right, Im soo in love with these speakers! I picked them up just a while ago, and I am amazed by the quality so far. I just need a new sound card to go along with it, and it looks like I will be picking up the Xtreme Gamer in the near future. Thanks so much for your help