Sound Blaster Live!

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Sound Blaster Live! is a PCI sound card from Creative Technology. It is an add-on board for PCs.

1 Overview
2 Models
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Overview

Sound Blaster Live! Value

Sound Blaster Live! (August 1998) saw the introduction of the EMU10K1 processor, a 2.44 million transistor DSP capable of 1000 MIPS for audio processing. The EMU10K1 featured DirectSound acceleration, EAX 1.0 and 2.0 (environmental audio extensions, which competed with A3D before the demise of the latter), a high-quality 64-voice sample-based synthesizer (a.k.a. wavetable), and integrated the FX8010 DSP chip for real-time digital audio effects processing.

Sound Blaster Live! Dell OEM

A major design change from its predecessor (the EMU8000) was that the EMU10K1 used system memory, accessed over the PCI bus, for the wavetable samples, rather than using expensive on-board memory. This was possible at this point because systems were being equipped with far more RAM than previously, and PCI offered far faster and more efficient data transfer than the old ISA bus.

The now-integrated FX8010 was a 32-bit programmable processor (with 1 KB of instruction memory). Effect algorithms were created by a development system that integrated into Microsoft Developer Studio. The effects were written in a language similar to C, and compiled into native FX8010 object code by its compiler, fxasm. This DSP processed audio, potentially from any input, and could affect the audio with special effects (such as reverb, flanging, or chorus). Previously such functionality was limited to MIDI output, but EMU10K1's DSP could work with any source. Creative used this new ability to leverage their environmental enhancement of game audio, and gave it the name EAX.

The Sound Blaster Live! featured higher audio quality than previous Sound Blasters, as it processed the sound digitally at every stage, and because of its greater chip integration that reduced the analog signal losses of older, larger cards. Unfortunately, digital processing brought some limitations. The DSP had an internal fixed sample rate of 48 kHz, meaning that any recording done at lower sample rates (such as 44.1 kHz or 32 kHz) was first upsampled to 48 kHz and then downsampled again on output. In a production environment with a Sound Blaster Live!, it was generally recommended to use 48 kHz sampling to maintain sound integrity. This resampling created IM distortion within the audio, which can be heard if carefully listened for. Most problematic was that most audio is sampled at 44.1 kHz ("CD quality"), a frequency which is especially difficult to convert to 48 kHz.

Sound Blaster Live! supported multi-speaker output, initially up to a 4-speaker setup. The software referred to this as a "4.1" setup, meaning 4 satellites and a subwoofer. While this is the case, the subwoofer is not on a separate output as it is with 5.1 and higher audio. Instead, a low-pass filter (crossover) within the speaker system removes high and midrange frequencies from the sound card's output for the subwoofer. Games see a "4.1" speaker system as quadraphonic because DirectSound itself offers no subwoofer output in this configuration. [1] This is not limited to Creative sound cards; Aureal, Ensoniq, Philips, and other manufacturers have made cards that use 4 speaker output in the same fashion. Later versions of the Live!, usually called Live! 5.1, offered 5.1-channel support which adds a center-channel speaker and LFE subwoofer output, most useful for movie watching where Dolby Digital 5.1 is decoded.

The Live! implemented DOS legacy support via Ensoniq's AudioPCI DOS TSR program. Creative acquired Ensoniq in 1998 and, as part of the deal, utilized this highly-compatible ISA sound card emulator with their newer cards. In fact, the Live! uses ".ecw" (Ensoniq Concert Wavetable) files for the wavetable emulation in DOS. The program enables support for many standards, such as Sound Blaster 16, General MIDI, AdLib, among others.

The original Sound Blaster Live! had a proprietary 9-pin mini-DIN connector for digital output that Creative referred to as the "Mini Din." This connector allowed the use of a microphone and digital speakers at the same time. This can not be done with the value and base models of all subsequent Creative sound cards, as they share a single port for S/PDIF digital in/output and microphone connectivity. The Mini-DIN connection was not included in any subsequent Sound Blaster product, however owners of speaker systems that use this as the only digital input may buy an adapter from Creative.

[edit] Models

[edit] Sound Blaster Live! and Live! Value

These are the original releases of the Live! family. The Live! value is identical to the full Live! with the exception that it does not include the extended digital I/O card.

[edit] Sound Blaster Live! Platinum

Includes Live! Drive II

[edit] Sound Blaster Live! 5.1

Live! with added outputs for a center channel speaker and LFE subwoofer channel.

[edit] Sound Blaster Live! Dell OEM

This card, marketed as a Sound Blaster Live!, did not have the full capabilities of the retail versions of Live! It used a different audio chip, not EMU10K1 but EMU10K1X, that is noticeably smaller with fewer pins. The chip does not accelerate DirectSound in hardware, nor EAX. The sale of this board by Dell created some controversy because it was not obviously marketed as an inferior or cheaper product. The card can be identified by its part number (SB0200/0203). [2]

[edit] Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit

The Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit was not actually a member of the Sound Blaster Live! family, because it lacked the EMU10k1/10k2 processor. It was a stripped down version of the Audigy 2 Value, with an SNR of 100 dB, software based EAX, no advanced resolution DVD-Audio Playback, and no Dolby Digital 5.1 or Dolby Digital EX 6.1 playback.