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Integrated VS PCI Sound


Neural_Overload

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I was thinking about buying this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...X-Fi%2bPlatinum

Is it good?

 

It will be the first PCI sound card I have ever bought so I want to be sure it's good and there isn't something better for the price on the market. I expect to be using this for gaming.

 

What are the benefits of having a PCI card rather than onboard sound?

Is the quality better? If there is, is it a big enough difference to be worth it?

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I myself have the Gamer, and compared to what you are planning to get, it would be like mine but on steroids. I buillt my own home theater system using seperates, meaning a surround processor and 6 power amps, put a pre-amp in the mix. I have not fully utilized the capabilities of my sound card because because I dont have the time to do it. But I think you will be happy with the one you are planning to get. Compared to the onboard sound, it will rock.

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Creative soundcards are crap.

 

They're gaming cards. if you're a gamer, the EAX will be great compared to other brands, but for regular listening, they suck. A lot of them resample to 48K for no reason, which is total bull crap. They use cheap op amps and skimp on D/A converters.

 

M-Audio and Chaintech offer better and cheaper.

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As Thasp says get Creative for gaming purely for the EAX support. The XRAM is pointless so avoid the high end XFi cards unless you absolutely need the break out box and the other stuff they throw in.

 

I'm very happy with my XFi but that's due to going from onboard sound to using EAX.

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The Audigy 2 ZS i bought about 5 years ago will probably be the last sound card I ever buy.

 

It has survived multiple builds (and a little dripping water recently)

 

But man, I can remember the joy I felt when I bought my first SB 16. OMG, there was SOUND and MUSIC with GAMES!

 

But now I turn their music off and the sounds annoy me. ;)

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