Turtle Beach Riviera or Catalina?

PeterT · 11-27-2005, 03:13 PM

I need a sound card for my daughter's PC (TUSL2C). She is currently using the built-in monitor speakers, but those may soon be replaced by a 2.1. The most important factor is trouble-free install and use. Should I get the Riviera (21.99USD) or Catalina (49.99USD)? I would get a Santa Cruz, but they don't seem to be available anymore.

PeterT · 11-27-2005, 09:14 PM

No opinions? Doesn't anyone use TB cards anymore, or does Creative have 100% market share?

TQ · 11-27-2005, 09:25 PM

Why are you set on a TB card? Find an inexpensive SB 24-Bit or Audigy and be done. Either one will handily crush any TB ever produced and have a painless install to boot.
Believe me, I have personally owned dozens of different sound cards in my time (including a Santa Cruz) and the CL cards cream the TB products.
Creative doesn't have 100% market share, by the way. They certainly lead in the consumer/pro-sumer field but there are a lot of options out there.
For your needs, though, the cards stated above are the right answer.

(...note what I use in my signature...)

Cogar · 11-27-2005, 10:14 PM

I have heard a number of good reports on the Catalina and the more expensive Montego. As a guess, I would say that any Turtle Beach card, including the Riviera, would be fine, as they would all use a similarly intuitive (and non-intrusive) software suite. I am not fond of the extensive registry entries made by the Creative products I have owned, so I tend to stay away from them, although I know they are very popular and good-performing cards.

If it were me and I had the money, I would probably go for the Catalina, as it has the option for 7.1 sound and SPDIF Digital In (Optical), which are not options for the Riviera, and this makes the card a little more future-proof.

PeterT · 11-27-2005, 10:17 PM

Thanks for the input TQ. Not dead set on a TB, just had good experience with my Santa Cruz and thought I'd go with the same brand. I had a SB Live! years ago and issues with drivers left a bad taste in my mouth.

PeterT · 11-27-2005, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cogar

I have heard a number of good reports on the Catalina and the more expensive Montego. As a guess, I would say that any Turtle Beach card, including the Riviera, would be fine, as they would all use a similarly intuitive (and non-intrusive) software suite. I am not fond of the extensive registry entries made by the Creative products I have owned, so I tend to stay away from them, although I know they are very popular and good-performing cards.

If it were me and I had the money, I would probably go for the Catalina, as it has the option for 7.1 sound and SPDIF Digital In (Optical), which are not options for the Riviera, and this makes the card a little more future-proof.

Thanks for the input Cogar. I am leaning toward the Catalina for the reasons you mentioned and the fact that it is still cheaper than the low-end Audigy cards.

h20-ski · 11-27-2005, 10:28 PM

I have used a Catalina, until I burned it out. I loved that card.

Now I have the new Montego DDL and love it just as much if not more. The sound is pure with the Montego. The only problem I have with the Catalina is that it was using the somewhat outdated Via Envy 24 chip, but other than that it was awesome.

PeterT · 11-27-2005, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h20-ski

I have used a Catalina, until I burned it out. I loved that card.

Now I have the new Montego DDL and love it just as much if not more. The sound is pure with the Montego. The only problem I have with the Catalina is that it was using the somewhat outdated Via Envy 24 chip, but other than that it was awesome.

Thanks for the first-hand report.

h20-ski · 11-27-2005, 10:46 PM

No problem, and good luck on finding the right card.

11-27-2005, 03:13 PM	#1
PeterT C/TUSL2C/P4P800D/P5B-D Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Sunny Florida, USA Posts: 2,023	Turtle Beach Riviera or Catalina? I need a sound card for my daughter's PC (TUSL2C). She is currently using the built-in monitor speakers, but those may soon be replaced by a 2.1. The most important factor is trouble-free install and use. Should I get the Riviera (21.99USD) or Catalina (49.99USD)? I would get a Santa Cruz, but they don't seem to be available anymore. __________________ Proud Member: Team-CUSL2 - 'The Old School Crew' Current: P5B-D, E6600 @ 3.0, 4x1GB Crucial Ballistix PC8500, EVGA 8800GTS 512MB Old: P4P800-D, P4 2.4C @ 3.0, 4x512MB Mushkin PC3200, ATI AIW X800XT 256MB Older: TUSL2C, P3-S 1.4, 2x256MB Corsair XMS150, ATI 9800PRO 128MB, TB Santa Cruz Oldest: CUSL2, P3 1.0, 1x256MB & 2x128MB Corsair PC133, Asus V7700D 32MB, SB Live! *Note: Any advertisements that may appear in this post were not placed there by me. Please join the site to browse without advertisements.*
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11-27-2005, 09:14 PM	#2
PeterT C/TUSL2C/P4P800D/P5B-D Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Sunny Florida, USA Posts: 2,023	No opinions? Doesn't anyone use TB cards anymore, or does Creative have 100% market share? __________________ Proud Member: Team-CUSL2 - 'The Old School Crew' Current: P5B-D, E6600 @ 3.0, 4x1GB Crucial Ballistix PC8500, EVGA 8800GTS 512MB Old: P4P800-D, P4 2.4C @ 3.0, 4x512MB Mushkin PC3200, ATI AIW X800XT 256MB Older: TUSL2C, P3-S 1.4, 2x256MB Corsair XMS150, ATI 9800PRO 128MB, TB Santa Cruz Oldest: CUSL2, P3 1.0, 1x256MB & 2x128MB Corsair PC133, Asus V7700D 32MB, SB Live! *Note: Any advertisements that may appear in this post were not placed there by me. Please join the site to browse without advertisements.*
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11-27-2005, 09:25 PM	#3
TQ You gonna throw that? Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 8,442	Why are you set on a TB card? Find an inexpensive SB 24-Bit or Audigy and be done. Either one will handily crush any TB ever produced and have a painless install to boot. Believe me, I have personally owned dozens of different sound cards in my time (including a Santa Cruz) and the CL cards cream the TB products. Creative doesn't have 100% market share, by the way. They certainly lead in the consumer/pro-sumer field but there are a lot of options out there. For your needs, though, the cards stated above are the right answer. (...note what I use in my signature...) __________________ Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me - Psalm 51:10 My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dogs already think I am... Daywalker Studio: Software: Adobe Audition 3.0/Pro Tools LE 7.4/Acid Pro 6.0/Multiple VST, DirectX and RTAS plugins/Kontakt 3 Sampler/Windows XP Professional PC Hardware: D975XBX2-504/E6600/4x2GB Mushkin XP2-6400/eVGA 800GTX/HP f1905 19" flat panel/Echo Audio Gina24 Sound Card/2 Maxtor 6B300SO's/1 Maxtor STM500AS/1 Western Digital WD2500JD/PleXwriter Premium/Plextor 716A/Samsung LightScribe DVD burner/Logitech Revolution MX/Antec P-180b/PPC&C Silencer 610/Zalman CNPS9500 HSF Recording Hardware: Mbox 2 Factory Pro/Mackie SR24.4VLZ Pro Console/M-Audio Axiom 25 MIDI Controller/Audio-Technica 4033a microphone/Symetrix 528E/PreSonus Eureka/Mackie MR8 active monitors Game Machine: Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6/E8400/4x2GB Mushkin XP2-8500/BFG GTX280/HP f2105 21" flat panel/Creative Labs X-Fi Elite Pro/Maxtor 6H500F0/Maxtor STM3320/Western Digital WD4000KD/Plextor 760A/Toshiba DVD-ROM/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec P-180/PPC&C Silencer 610/Ideazon Merc Stealth keyboard/Vista Business64 SP1
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11-27-2005, 10:14 PM	#4
Cogar Level 15, lawful good Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: It varies, but usually within 100 yards of a keyboard. Posts: 7,217	I have heard a number of good reports on the Catalina and the more expensive Montego. As a guess, I would say that any Turtle Beach card, including the Riviera, would be fine, as they would all use a similarly intuitive (and non-intrusive) software suite. I am not fond of the extensive registry entries made by the Creative products I have owned, so I tend to stay away from them, although I know they are very popular and good-performing cards. If it were me and I had the money, I would probably go for the Catalina, as it has the option for 7.1 sound and SPDIF Digital In (Optical), which are not options for the Riviera, and this makes the card a little more future-proof.
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11-27-2005, 10:17 PM	#5
PeterT C/TUSL2C/P4P800D/P5B-D Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Sunny Florida, USA Posts: 2,023	Thanks for the input TQ. Not dead set on a TB, just had good experience with my Santa Cruz and thought I'd go with the same brand. I had a SB Live! years ago and issues with drivers left a bad taste in my mouth. __________________ Proud Member: Team-CUSL2 - 'The Old School Crew' Current: P5B-D, E6600 @ 3.0, 4x1GB Crucial Ballistix PC8500, EVGA 8800GTS 512MB Old: P4P800-D, P4 2.4C @ 3.0, 4x512MB Mushkin PC3200, ATI AIW X800XT 256MB Older: TUSL2C, P3-S 1.4, 2x256MB Corsair XMS150, ATI 9800PRO 128MB, TB Santa Cruz Oldest: CUSL2, P3 1.0, 1x256MB & 2x128MB Corsair PC133, Asus V7700D 32MB, SB Live! *Note: Any advertisements that may appear in this post were not placed there by me. Please join the site to browse without advertisements.*
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11-27-2005, 10:28 PM	#7
h20-ski Forget Wakeboarding Join Date: May 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 2,460	I have used a Catalina, until I burned it out. I loved that card. Now I have the new Montego DDL and love it just as much if not more. The sound is pure with the Montego. The only problem I have with the Catalina is that it was using the somewhat outdated Via Envy 24 chip, but other than that it was awesome. __________________
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11-27-2005, 10:46 PM	#9
h20-ski Forget Wakeboarding Join Date: May 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 2,460	No problem, and good luck on finding the right card. __________________
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