Making Music
  Computer Music Software and Hardware

The ASIO 2.0 drivers for the card offer very low latency, possibly as low as 2ms, although how low you can go will depend on your system. The card supports digital audio up to 24-bit 96kHz with a claimed SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) of 108dB. Subjectively, the output is excellent although it's worth bearing in mind that while the card has many features of especial interest to the musician, it was not designed specifically for musicians but for four purposes - music creation, music listening, games and movies.

If you bear that in mind, you'll be able to appreciate some of the card's other features such as EAX 4.0 for games (the main new feature here is the Multi-Environment which layers multiple environment audio effects in real-time), its THX certification for cinematic audio, and the CMSS (Creative Multi Speaker Surround) 3D audio technology that allows stereo recordings to be played back in surround sound.

It's also interesting to note that the card can play DVD Audio (24-bit 192kHz stereo and 24-bit 96kHz 5.1 surround sound) right out the box. The bundled DVD Audio Player, however, isn't as flexible as some players, not supporting interactive menus and video (which, oddly, some DVD Audio discs include) but DVD Audio is still very much in its infancy and this is hardly a big deal.

In many ways, the Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro is an evolution rather than a revolution and if you already have an Audigy 2 card, you may not see too many benefits by upgrading to this one. However, we understand that the new drivers work with the Audigy 2 - but we can't be held responsible if they don't! - so they may be worth seeking out.

If your main requirement is for an audio card specifically for music making, the Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro may have too many bells and whistles for you, and if you prefer single-minded simplicity, you may be better off with a dedicated card aimed squarely at the pro audio market. However, if you also use your PC for serious music listening, playing DVDs, watching movies, and for playing games then you'll struggle to find a better all round card.