Auzentech warning

[Octopuss]

This might be slightly offtopic and slightly ranty, but I simply want to warn people.

Do not deal with Auzentech. Ever. I mean, don't even check their web. Don't be curious what kind of products they have. Stay the hell away.

I bought X-Fi Forte about 1.5 years ago when it was still fairly new, but with decent amount of extremely positive reviews, kind of guaranteeing a good purchase.

Well, that didn't turn not to be a good idea. Some people were not affected, but LOTS did experience horrible sound problems, like that cracking-popping random noise (just youtube it up) that would start randomly (I think there were a few other, less horrible issues with the card). Eventually Auzentech confirmed there was some sort of problem and people started to RMA the cards. Now here comes the reason why I am posting this:

I saw some crap support in past, but nothing, I mean NOTHING comes even remotely close to what this company does (or rather doesn't do).

Usually it takes at least a week before you get any reply to your ticket(s). Sometimes even longer. I RMAd my card in july last year. Initially it took them two weeks to answer the ticket, then for a week I tried to explain that their stupid PDF document was impossible to edit. The whole process (and it was agreed from start that I should simply receive a new card) took over a month, EXCLUDING the time spent waiting for an answer.

The card I received had the same problems (in fact I believe it was the same piece). At that point I gave up for a few months.

Recently I heard they produced a new revision (the card is allegedly physically different). I though it was worth giving it a shot. I have been waiting for a month already and despite a few reminders, I've been ignored. Well, kiss my a** Auzentech, the last thing I can do is warn anyone who is interested to listen to my little story.

TL;DR for some, whining for others, maybe - but if just one person decides not to buy products from this fail company, the mission is a success.

Lesson learned: even if you make awesome products, s***ty customer support will drag you to hell.

[CoffeeFiend]

LOTS did experience horrible sound problems, like that cracking-popping random noise (just youtube it up) that would start randomly

If anything, I'd suspect it's more of a problem with Creative's X-Fi chipset as SB Lives were pretty well known for that kind of problem back then, and there are owners of other X-Fi based cards experiencing the same problems. I just stay the f*** away from anything related in any way to Creative. From somewhat problematic hardware, to braindead designs -- especially in the interconnects department, to some of the very worst drivers I've ever had the displeasure to use and that were very late too, dropping support for popular OS'es on not so old hardware and so on. It's been all-around abysmal.

I wouldn't want of a card based on a Creative chipset even for free. Especially if the reference drivers were written by them.

[Guest]

I fully agree with CoffeeFiend on issues with X-Fi. When the X-Fi first became available in 2005 I had the same issues with a card straight from Creative—an X-Fi Fatal1ty. Their drivers have always been bloated. Even for gaming or high-end audio applications, I'd avoid products based on Creative hardware like the plague. RealTek motherboard audio solutions beat Creative in simplicity and ease of use every time.

If you really want better sound quality, invest in a good set of speakers instead of a sound card. Klipsch speakers can make just about anything sound great, if you can find them.

Edited May 23, 2011 by 5eraph

[Octopuss]

Well, this card was more or less a reply to Creative, because those cards sucked and this one didn't. At least in theory Those people who never had a problem with their X-Fi are pretty happy, loving this card with all their heart. Sadly, they seem to be a minority

Anyway, this biggest problem with Auzen's card was never observed on Creative stuff, so naturally Auzentech is to be blamed for some sort of hadrware design screwup. Mixed with horrible customer support.. ew

[CoffeeFiend]

this biggest problem with Auzen's card was never observed on Creative stuff

You mean first hand or something? Because Creative is truly notorious for that (cracking/popping). In fact, I've only ever had this problem with their stuff (I would include any card based on Creative's X-Fi chipset, and using their reference drivers on that list too). Creative's numerous, ongoing issues go back at least a decade. So many major screw ups, it's hard to remember half of it:

-XP drivers for the SB Live that weren't a full download. They wanted you to install the Win9x VxD drivers on your OS -- which made it BSOD, and then install the WDM driver "patch" they made you download on top of that. Or they were glad to sell you a CD. Yep, you essentially had to buy the drivers for your brand new card separately! Compatibility patches for their other apps were just that too: just patches (there's no way you could download the full thing in case you lost your CD, even if they only worked with their own hardware like their old "remote center" for their own, proprietary remote control)

-It took them forever to have SMP-aware drivers (that wouldn't crash on a dual CPU machine)

-SPDIF passthrough was broken in most their SB Live drivers for years

-The voltage on the SPDIF output level being out of spec on the SB Live series cards (could damage your amp)

-not adhering to the PCI 2.1 spec in older cards

-proprietary connectors galore, like the proprietary 3 pole 1/8" minijacks (looks like an earphones jack, but with an extra "ring" on it) and 9 pin minidins used for spdif links on the SB Live 5.1 or on the X-Fi Elite Pro, or those breakout cables with more oddball connectors such as the 26 pin D-Sub AD_LINK on the X-Fi Elite Pro. Should you need an extension or your cat chew it, you're generally SOL. Nevermind the braindead designs like using the mic in jack for the SPDIF out too, so if you used digital speakers or a home theater amp with some cards then you couldn't use a mic at all...

-discontinuing support for the very popular SB Live series on Vista, while you could still by the card brand new in lots of stores, or could have bought it like the year before Vista came out, and the overall driver fiasco where another guy (daniel_k) started releasing drivers for their cards instead... and in general being late with drivers for any new OS, and often not delivering what was promised (like ASIO support on the SB Live 5.1)

...

Nevermind their business practices e.g. suing competitors like Aureal into oblivion (because they could) and then buying the scraps.

But I'm not saying this particular Auzentech card isn't to blame for some of the issues, nor that their support is any better than Creative's. But overall, I've never seen another sound cad company have so many issues with their products. They were quite nice back then (the ISA AWE32, the SB16 and so on -- although the GUS was nice too) but since then I've learned to stay away from them at all costs.

[Octopuss]

I am not defending Creative at all Their drivers are rubbish indeed and I only have firsthand experience with like two of their their producs.

Oh I found an example of the sound

[puntoMX]

...

Don't forget the nice problems on VIA chipsets; SB Live! (5.1)...

[Octopuss]

A funny update: they STILL have no replied to my ticket despite pressing it. What fail company.

Edited June 11, 2011 by TheWalrus

[Octopuss]

Auzentech pulled their fingers out of their asses and produced new revision of the card, which seems to be working. I just received replacement card today. It only took over FIVE MONTHS worth of waiting to get a reply on my ticket.

Maybe, MAYBE, maybe I will finally be able to use the card I bought over two years ago. Fingers crossed.

The sound is awesome though. I am no audiophile (in fact I consider myself deaf in this regard), but compared to Realtek HD wannabeaudio even I do hear differences. Yay.

[CoffeeFiend]

compared to Realtek HD wannabeaudio even I do hear differences

I'd love to see you prove that "live" with double-blind tests

Then again, I use the spdif and toslink outs of the realtek (and not the cheapest realtek chip either), and I see absolutely no difference from a fancy sound card (I wouldn't call myself deaf either -- I have very good hearing) The specs are also quite good on the realtek chips. The difference is so minimal that I don't see myself buying another soundcard ever.

Anyway. Good news for sure. I thought they had given up.

[Octopuss]

Well, I was still so p***ed at Auzentech I didn't even expect the card to work, nor to be any better. So I was testing with rather negative attitude, and yet - some of the music I listened to DID sound better. Like if there was more stuff I could hear.

It was even more noticeable in a game. Suddenly I heard LOTS of new things, the music was richer...

The only downside is the microphone. No matter what I do, it doesn't capture any sound, unless I yell at it from like 1cm away. When I enable mic boost, it only captures the airflow around and the speakers start the usual noisy coupling