Long time, no review huh? Hopefully we should be catching up a bit this month with a few articles we have ready for posting already plus a few others we are still working on... let's start off with Hercules' flagship soundcard, the Digifire 7.1 (http://www.techspot.com/reviews/hardware/digifire71/index.shtml).

Based on the Cirrus Logic CS4624 chipset, the Digifire 7.1 offers sound output for up to 8 channels like its name describes, that can translate in support for Dolby Digital EX decoding (7.1), up to par even with latest offerings from Creative Labs and M-Audio.

http://www.techspot.com/reviews/hardware/digifire71/box.gif (http://www.techspot.com/reviews/hardware/digifire71/index.shtml)

Read the complete review here (http://www.techspot.com/reviews/hardware/digifire71/index.shtml).

This card is pretty much the same as the Hercules Fortissmo III 7.1 with the exception of this having all the neat bells and whistles like firewire. I had the Herc Fortissmo III and I liked it very much. I bought the one I had after getting fed up with the constant crashing and intrusiveness of my old Audigy 1. I would recommend this card over any of Creatives offerings up to the Audigy 2 line of cards. Supposedly a bit was fixed with the Audigy 2 ZS so I dont really have any kinf of objective opinion on that. The whole thing with Creative and it 24bit deal is kind of a load anyway and it only does it via 2 channels, not all 8 (on the ZS series that is, there arent 8 on the Audigy 1 line). I loved it and it was super cheap too. I paid like $45 for mine form NewEgg. The Digifire should be worth every peeny with all those added goodies.

Hmm, I've been looking for a different new card. Maybe I'll give this one a look. I have an Audigy, but I haven't gotten the constant crashing and intrusiveness cpharrboy had apparently...

Daddy likes. Wow. I got a Soundblaster 5.1+ when it was first out, and that was years ago. i'm in need of a new card from the looks of this baby. they already came out with an Audigy and Audigy 2, but im tired of creative. I want a better company with better support, and a great product like this.