Sound Cards (1 Viewer)

[jase_]

Just wanted some advice on the difference between sound cards. I currently have a sound blaster live 5.1 sound card with Logitech 5.1 speakers (I think it's the 5300, which are mid range speakers, but seem to have been discontinued).

Anyways, I was wondering, would a better sound card make a significant different to sound quality and anything else that I can do with it as well. The more expensive sound cards cost a fair bit more, so I wanted to get some advice from people who have experience to see if it would make much of a difference.

My current setup is alright, but if I can get better, then it would be cool.

 

[seremify007]

Nah don't waste your money. The speakers are usually what limits the quality. You buy a better soudn card and what tends to happen are you get features like EQs, 3d surround upmixing (ie. make a 2 channel thing sound like 5 channel), and other various sound modifiers... The newer SB Live stuff comes with better software such as the sound effects can be applied to all music (rather than just what is played in playcenter) but unless you have something wrong with what you have now, i don't think there's much point to upgrading the card.

My cousin bought a SB 7.1 Extigy and we noticed no difference with his Creative Labs 5.1 speakers (compared to his previous 5.1 Live), and then we put in 7.1... and it didn't seem that much better either surprisingly.

 

[AsyLum]

Thats because Creative speakers are pathetic.

If you want to get serious, then i suggest you take a look at proper sound cards, not the Creatives. If you're looking at merely mid-low quality sound, then go for it, but if you want to actually hear the better portions of a 7.1 system, try the Chaintech AV710 or similarly something with ASIO support.

 

[seremify007]

Haha how much do things like that cost?

I'm happy with my Altec Lansing 5.1s and for my Mum we got her a cheap $100 set of Logitech 5.1s

 

[jase_]

Thanks for your input guys. I'm pretty happy with what I have at the moment. I thought maybe I could spend a little bit and get a better result, but I don't want to spend a fortune, so its OK .

 

[AsyLum]

The AV710 go for < $100 last time i checked

 

[seremify007]

Serious? That's pretty good... can you provide any info on it (ie. what it's like, photos perhaps, where to buy, etc..)? I also shall conduct some research on it- AV710... hmm... never heard of it to be honest.

EDIT: Just realised that it's a soudn card not speakers... didn't think you could get good speakers for under $100.

 

[AsyLum]

Haha, yeah sorry if that wasnt clear

 

[jase_]

Link me Mike.

 

[AsyLum]

http://www.protac.com.au/listProduct.asp?cat=MULTIMEDIA&type=Sound Card

Seems to be the only place left to get em

 

[seremify007]

Can I ask what speakers you guys are using?

 

[AsyLum]

Im more of a headphone person, and currently using (although its broken and looking to be replaced) a Pioneer SE-M280.

Gives nice crisp highs and good low end, and when turned up makes my vision shake

 

[bscienceboi]

Pfffft.

I've never bought a soundcard ever. Just use onboard sound (not the old BEEP! BEEP! only ones)...

 

[Collin]

Hey, I'm on the same boat! Logitech Z-5300THX speakers with a Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 PCI card. Has worked well for me in DVDs, gaming and music so far.

 

[vizman]

generally todays powerful motherboards have pretty awesome internal sound card equivalent, so i guess its unnessacry unless your extremely hardcore gamer, or musician - audio editor

 

[seremify007]

Headphones are great but I still prefer speakers when I'm at home on the PC because... i often get up or spin around in my chair... >__>

As for the motherboards thing... I'm not really sure why I like SB Live.. it just feels better.

Btw can anyone with onboard audio tell me what happens if you play an mp3 in say.. iTunes with 5.1 speakers hooked up? I know on our PC's, the sound comes out of all the speakers and then there are special effects we can apply, etc..

 

[AsyLum]

Headphones are great but I still prefer speakers when I'm at home on the PC because... i often get up or spin around in my chair... >__>

As for the motherboards thing... I'm not really sure why I like SB Live.. it just feels better.

Btw can anyone with onboard audio tell me what happens if you play an mp3 in say.. iTunes with 5.1 speakers hooked up? I know on our PC's, the sound comes out of all the speakers and then there are special effects we can apply, etc..

Not much, you'll get a stereo sound with perhaps some simulated.

You would need something which is capable of surround sound, as far as im aware, the normal mp3 isnt capable of this, although there is a way to get it which is only recent.

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=15&t=4639

Give that a read.

 

[AsyLum]

generally todays powerful motherboards have pretty awesome internal sound card equivalent, so i guess its unnessacry unless your extremely hardcore gamer, or musician - audio editor

Yeap exactly, even if you are a hardcore gamer, the Gametheater and creative products will keep you satisfied.

Its only if you need the hardware support of such things as ASIO, MIDI/SPDIF/Controller inputs (aka music production/mastering/mixing/recording/encoding) that you should consider 'high' end inputs.

 

[Collin]

Hey Asy, I'm getting a laptop delivered on Monday with the standard Centrino Sonoma chipset. I was wondering if you knew how decent the onboard sound is on that? I don't plan to hook up any 5.1 speakers to it, I'm leaving all of that for this gaming rig I'm using right now. In terms of quality sound, all I really need it for is for watching DVDs and listening to mp3s. I will be using a decent pair of Sennheiser headphones. I'm trying to weigh up the options of either keeping onboard for these purposes or spending a shitload of cash buying an Audigy 2 ZS PCMCIA. For watching DVDs and listening to music in 2.1, how does onboard sound from your usual Centrino chipset compare to say my current Sound Blaster Live! 5.1?
I'm also a huge player of EQ settings in iTunes, if that's relevant.

 

[seremify007]

*is also interested* I was considering buying the Audigy 2 ZS PCMCIA so I could hook up 5.1, but then on my notebook I figure, it's a notebook! I don't leave it in the one spot all day...

Anyhow I'm not sure what my MB is called but I know it uses the Sigmatel chip (I'm using a Dell Inspiron 8600 with Centrino processor) and the sound quality is good enough- it's very capable of reaching high volumes; When using my G74s (Sony), I have to set it to the first volume notch on Logitech's software (ie. the one notch above mute) and even then, it's still very loud unless I turn down the volume in iTunes!