Live Drive II Update?

The machines we love to hate

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Kenny Davis
Posts: 1501
Joined: 10 Apr 1999 12:01 am
Location: Great State of Oklahoma

Live Drive II Update?

Post by Kenny Davis »

Creative Labs offers an update to owners of Live Drive (Soundblaster Patinum) that sounds pretty good - Net price is $49.99 plus S & H, etc., after you ship them your old drive.

Live Drive II has optical in/outs as well as midi & spdif's.

My question is, is the fiber optic capability that important? Currently, I don't own a cd or DVD with optical hook-ups. I plan on upgrading my cd player soon, should I get one with that included? Does any DAT equipment have optical I/O's?
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Dave Boothroyd
Posts: 902
Joined: 30 Oct 1999 12:01 am
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands

Post by Dave Boothroyd »

Most of our digital equipment uses fibre optic links
That includes DAT recorders, CDRs, some of the effects units- the Drawmer Finaliser for example, and the O3R desk.
Advantages:- far less wire, you can get 8 channel signals along one fibre link
No problems with recording levels
Disadvantages:- the optic cable does not stow neatly
Some people say they can hear a difference.


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