My soundcard failed yesterday. So I had to go down to Sim Lim in the evening today, after a long day at school to get a new one. My intention was to replace the spoilt card with one of the same make, the Sound Blaster Audigy 2, and considering that it cost me $58 a year ago, I was expecting the price to have dropped as things are with computer parts, so I was looking at a price of around $40-50.

But when I got there, to my dismay, they no longer produced the Audigy, the only choices were the $38 Sound Blaster Live 5.1 which I remember buying 4 years ago, thats 2 computers before my current, or the latest high end SoundBlaster X-Fi series, with the tag "Experience your music beyond studio quality."

I was skeptical, I didn't think there would be any noticeable difference, I mean, soundcard technology has been with us for, it has got be at least 10 years. How big of an improvement could there be? Previously, I had gone from the Audigy to the Audigy 2 and unless my ears are faulty, I could not detect any difference or improvement between the 2. 5.1 seemed like the logical choice. But then a part of me was curious, and I didn't want to pay $38 for 5 year old technology. So in the end, I shelled out 80 dollars more, for the Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio, and I am glad I did. There actually IS a difference, and its pretty obvious, especially when I am playing mp3 files! The music is clearer and richer. If like me, you play alot of music on your computer, you should really consider making the switch!