VOGONS


First post, by Stojke

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Which is the best sound blaster live setup?
I have a few components and some knowledge of existing versions of Live! cards.

What I have is: CT4760 Sound Card , CT4860 and SB0010C expansions , CT4660 Digital I/O bracket and Digital Creative DIN Bracket.
I know CT4760 is one of the original models, that has that rare S/PDIF dongle, and that the CT4620 is the true original Sound Blaster Live!.

What I want to do is get the best combination out of the parts I already have and obtain those missing parts that would make the most complete combination of all.

From what I saw, CT4760 + CT4660 + CT4860 + Digital DIN and Dongle = Best Live! configuration. Is this correct?
But due to originality I would rather combine something with CT4620, can any one with knowledge suggest what and why?

Note | LLSID | "Big boobs are important!"

Reply 1 of 6, by chinny22

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Do you have the Original Live Drive or Live Drive II
The 2nd has more features (Most you will probably never use) but maybe you want to keep everything original version?
I'm no expert so don't know of any other options. If you were really keen though you could try and find matching creative speakers from that era?

P.S. I like what your doing, It's a nice feeling having ALL the optimal extras, even if you don't really need them πŸ˜‰

Reply 2 of 6, by Stojke

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Live Drive II, with SPDIF, RCA I/O and MIDI.
What I want is the maximum out of an Sound Blaster Live!. CT4620 and CT4670 should be identical with what they can do, but which is more original is what I'm looking for. I already have an complete setup for Live! CT4760, minus the digital I/O 3.5mm.

I record from older hardware now and than, but I use RME DIGI 8/96 PST for that.

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Reply 3 of 6, by Stojke

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Any one?

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Reply 4 of 6, by Cloudschatze

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The "best" configuration usually depends on specific requirements. You've mentioned wanting the "maximum out of a Sound Blaster Live!." Is this in an academic sense, or something truly usable? Are third-party accessories being considered?

There are a number of limitations that come into play when cascading Creative's SB Live! expansion accessories. Generally, any inputs (analog or digital) are only going to be active on the first expansion device, although the Live! Drive gives you some undocumented flexibility in this regard. In addition (and you probably won't see this mentioned elsewhere), I'd also suggest the use of ferrite ribbon-cable cores between expansions.

If you want a setup that checks nearly all of the boxes, while still providing both front and rear I/O, it looks like you already have the equipment to do so:
[CT4620]◄───►[CT4860 or SB0010]◄───►[CT4660]

Personally, I like the Live! Drive for its dedicated headphone out, but if that's neither needed nor desired, here is a simpler configuration that has appeal as well:
[CT4620]◄───►[CT4770 w/CT4800]

Things don't really become interesting until a person either needs or wants S/PDIF or optical rear-channel digital output though, at which point you might end-up with something like this:
[CT4620]◄───►[CT4710]◄───►[CT4660]

Or this...
[CT4620]◄───►[CT4710]◄───►[CT4770 w/CT4800]

Or this...
[CT4620]◄───►[CT4710]◄───►[CT4710]◄───►[CT4660]

Or, throwing a Live! Drive back into the mix, perhaps something as complicated as:
[CT4620]◄───►[CT4860/CT4861/SB0010]◄───►[CT4710]◄───►[CT4710]◄───►[CT4660]

Academically, and with only compounding EMI/RFI and signal degradation to spoil the fun, you can also cascade multiple Live! Drive variants as well, for the most ridiculous configuration the world has ever seen:
[CT4620]◄───►[CT4860]◄───►[CT4861]◄───►[SB0010]◄───►[CT4710]◄───►[CT4710]◄───►[CT4770 w/CT4800]

Reply 5 of 6, by Stojke

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Thanks for the awesome reply, sorry I couldn't reply earlier but work prevented me from taking a picture of this:

7LleZpsm.jpg

A while ago I bought an bag of 30+ floppy cables for cheap, and one floppy cable cam packed up like that. I really liked the idea so I tried it my self, cut the strap into 4x10 wires and taped it together with cloth tape. It is now possible to add an ferrite bead to it.

I have decided to follow your idea, btw awesome GX1 setup 😁 , and just add an CT4760 and CT4660 to the mix. If one day I find an optical CT4710 I would love to add that as well.
Sound Blaster Live! was a pretty good sound card.

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Reply 6 of 6, by NJRoadfan

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For years I ran an original 1998 SB Live! with Cambridge Soundworks DTT2500 speakers using the Digital-DIN connector, which gave true 4 channel digital surround. Creative later added a 3rd digital channel to the DIN socket (for center and sub) and changed the color from red to a teal color for use with the later 5.1 revision Live! cards.