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A Sound Card Does Make A Difference


Kamikaze_Badger

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The reason even old sound card will dominate onboard is cause of all the static always moving through it, it interferes with the sound. Im was so excited about my DFI SLI-DR's onboard sound module, but it looks like Ill have to get a sound card after all, I didn't buy my Z-5500s to end up with a crappy sound card (onboard).

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IMHO, unless your lacking cpu power, there's no point for a gamer to get a sound card. Most gamers use headphones, not some uber 7 speaker setup. Personally, I love my 7.1 Realtek 850 (i think that's what it is) onboard sound. And wtf are you talking about volume?!! since when does onboard sound limit your volume???? I can crank mine up and hear it thru the whole house. Hell, when people aren't home, I've cranked it up while in the shower and can hear it even over the ceiling fan and water (and we're talking about the shittiest two-speaker setup ever....from the compaq i had 8 years ago). When my 3500+ no longer cuts it, THEN and only then would I ever consider throwing money at a sound card.

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erm im using my old compaq speakers from 95 and they arnt even that loud with max. plus im not your avg. gamer :blink: i also play movies on my computer when where having parties and you can barly hear the sound so i really do need to upgrade for more then just gaming.

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I'm going to avoid all the technicalities and say it plain and simple: The Via Envy HT-S chip is NOT meant for gaming, and will be bad for games. Also, the Catalina is practically the same thing as the Chaintech AV-710 - board layout and the HT-s chip but the Catalina has the TOSLINK input, and the Chaintech has the Wolfson DAC on the "hi-sample rate" channel that the Catalina doesn't (and the Catalina is 25 bucks more). If you want a hi-fi 2.1 set up, go with the chaintech counterpart, simply because the DAC on the 7/8 channel is the superior DAC. If you're choosing a card for card only 7.1 or 5.1, keep in mind that the rest of the DAC's on both cards (except the chaintech's wolfson) "basic" channels are horrible - get an audigy ZS if you want games and decent multichannel sound.

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The reason even old sound card will dominate onboard is cause of all the static always moving through it, it interferes with the sound. Im was so excited about my DFI SLI-DR's onboard sound module, but it looks like Ill have to get a sound card after all, I didn't buy my Z-5500s to end up with a crappy sound card (onboard).

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lol? Some onboard sound actually is very good quality. Others, ie, AC97, are not so good quality.

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lol?  Some onboard sound actually is very good quality.  Others, ie, AC97, are not so good quality.

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Indeed the creative 7.1 24bit that came on my k8 diamond is very nice

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IMHO, unless your lacking cpu power, there's no point for a gamer to get a sound card.  Most gamers use headphones, not some uber 7 speaker setup.  Personally, I love my 7.1 Realtek 850 (i think that's what it is) onboard sound.  And wtf are you talking about volume?!!  since when does onboard sound limit your volume????  I can crank mine up and hear it thru the whole house.  Hell, when people aren't home, I've cranked it up while in the shower and can hear it even over the ceiling fan and water (and we're talking about the shittiest two-speaker setup ever....from the compaq i had 8 years ago).  When my 3500+ no longer cuts it, THEN and only then would I ever consider throwing money at a sound card.

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Older onboard sound isn't as nice as newer onboard sound solutions :) I imagine the sound he was getting from whatever it is he has on board isn't like your Realtek 850 onboard solution!

 

I'm going to avoid all the technicalities and say it plain and simple: The Via Envy HT-S chip is NOT meant for gaming, and will be bad for games. Also, the Catalina is practically the same thing as the Chaintech AV-710 - board layout and the HT-s chip but the Catalina has the TOSLINK input, and the Chaintech has the Wolfson DAC on the "hi-sample rate" channel that the Catalina doesn't (and the Catalina is 25 bucks more). If you want a hi-fi 2.1 set up, go with the chaintech counterpart, simply because the DAC on the 7/8 channel is the superior DAC. If you're choosing a card for card only 7.1 or 5.1, keep in mind that the rest of the DAC's on both cards (except the chaintech's wolfson) "basic" channels are horrible - get an audigy ZS if you want games and decent multichannel sound.

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The Via Envy chip and Wolfson codecs are a good mix. I like the sound I get from my card which also has those...

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