A Sound Card Does Make A Difference

[Kamikaze_Badger]

I just went from totally horrible onboard AC97 to an old Creative PCI card.

 

And WOW, even at low levels this thing is amazing! Sounds are so much clearer, and I'm hearing things I never heard before. I don't know how I lived without it!

 

So yea... sound cards = GOOD!

[WhenKittensATK]

my frd is kinda an expert at Sound system (so he says ). He told me to get a decent surround system be4 i upgrade sound card. which im trying to do, looking for a good 7.1 channel system for less then 100$, cause im gonna waste alot for the Creative X-fi card hehe.

[LivingGhost]

I suggest you buy some cheap 5.1 speakers, semi-good, and wait until a good, more affordable 7.1 speaker system right now. I beleive there is a good, extremly expensive one, and a moderate, crappy one.

 

Anyway, I use a USB headset and edit game files to turn the sound setting up to high, as it won't let me do that unless you have a sound card.

 

Beating the system feels good, and it jsut gives you a release...

[sYstEmATiC]

i thought the same KB, it made a world of differences to me.... but as it stands now, my onboard "karjan audio module" is better than my SB Live Platinum.

 

and to krazyxazn, get a set of good speakers first because your not going to find anything even decent for 100 bucks if your looking into the 7.1 area. Now if your looking into 5.1 you can get some ok speakers for that price. I got a set of logitech Z-5300e's for 140 (i got the original 5300's back in the day for that) but i think they are around 200 now. and they arent even digital. so dont skimp out on the speakers. What good is a sweet sound card gonna do if u cant really use it to its potential?

 

Im done now LOL.

Good luck with your decision whichever route you go.

[Kamikaze_Badger]

Krazy: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16829118106 with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16836121126

 

Ultimate gamer budget surround sound system .

[ir_cow]

yeah onboard sound sucks, also the max volume is like ultra quite and than i cant even watch moives

[Kamikaze_Badger]

Aye, I could almost swear that my headphones are now outdoing my old speakers at max volume .

[ady1989]

not only does a sound card make sound cleaner, but onboard uses the cpu quite a bit. by getting rid of onboard you just made your pc 1336.9 times faster. congrads, lol

[ir_cow]

it only really effects gaming with high intense cpu usage, like doom3 has a sound program built in so your fps wont change at all, but for HL2 or BF2 it makes make the world of a differnce

[hardnrg]

my frd is kinda an expert at Sound system (so he says ). He told me to get a decent surround system be4 i upgrade sound card.

592202[/snapback]

he's an idiot not an expert... or maybe he can't hear

[dean25]

Yes i agree kb it pwns ac's codec, Krazyxazn your friend is not giving you sound advice true in a game 7.1 can give good effects but for music you wont beat a good hifi amp and quality 2.1 hifi speakers.

 

 

As most things pc reated there's a trade off

 

do you want great sounding games with nice effects? = 7.1

 

or is music/recording more your thing? = amp & 2.1

 

or for monitoring music/vocal recording clarity = amp + 2.1 monitors

 

 

I personaly use the latter 2 atm as im doing vinyl & tapes to cd for people and that would sound disgusting on some 7.1s and nothing like what they would hear on the hifi.

[ir_cow]

why not just 5.1? its cheaper and i think alot better than 7.1. thats of course if you set the speakers in the right places.