• Other sound card brands?
    16 replies, posted
I was going to buy a new Creative sound card, but I looked around and noticed they haven't released new drivers since around June last year. This tells me that Creative doesn't want to bother with patching bugs or introducing new software features. Unfortunately, this is the only brand I know anything about. What's the best sound card company other than Creative?
Do you really need a sound card but if you do asus. [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010290057%2050001315&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&Order=PRICE[/url]
5.1 surround sound, so probably.
[QUOTE=TheLolrus;20732778]5.1 surround sound, so probably.[/QUOTE] 5.1 surround is typically handled by the GPU. What GPU do you have?
Uhhh... a 3850? When does the GPU deal with sound?
[QUOTE=TheLolrus;20732263]I was going to buy a new Creative sound card, [B]but I looked around and noticed they haven't released new drivers since around June last year[/B]. This tells me that Creative doesn't want to bother with patching bugs or introducing new software features. Unfortunately, this is the only brand I know anything about. What's the best sound card company other than Creative?[/QUOTE] Nope I have new drivers for my PCI Express X-Fi Titanium card from January.
[QUOTE=TheLolrus;20735269]Uhhh... a 3850? When does the GPU deal with sound?[/QUOTE] HDMI output? Unless I'm completely wrong, but that's what I understand.
[QUOTE=that1dude24;20735485]HDMI output? Unless I'm completely wrong, but that's what I understand.[/QUOTE] Thats only if there is a HDMI on the card on some of the newer ones. (I think)
HIS IceQ3 3850, no HDMI output. Also, thor, that update from January isn't a new driver, it's a hotfix for the current drivers.
[QUOTE=TheLolrus;20735887]HIS IceQ3 3850, no HDMI output. Also, thor, that update from January isn't a new driver, it's a hotfix for the current drivers.[/QUOTE] Its still a update for bug fixes.
The few GPUs that handle sound don't handle it very well. Completely forget that idea. I'm rocking the Xonar Essence STX by ASUS. If you want a badass soundcard for a relatively cheap price, this is the way to go. [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132010[/url] M-Audio, HT|Omega, and Auzentech are also known for making great sound cards. [editline]06:47AM[/editline] Oh, and one thing about that Xonar I posted. It's PCI-e x1. If you don't have any PCI-e x1 slots available on your motherboard, ASUS also offers the Xonar Essence ST, which uses regular PCI instead.
I'll just pick up one of those Asus cards. Also, who can recommend a decent set of 5.1 or 7.1 speakers? Mine isn't very good, and I'd like to get one with either wired back speakers or wireless ones that don't cut out because the audio is too quiet.
Honestly, I don't suggest a 5.1 or 7.1 set. A nice 2.0 set is vastly superior to even the best of 5.1 and 7.1 sets. If you're short on cash, go with these: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836196007[/url] Otherwise, these: [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836127004[/url] But if you must have a 5.1 set, I would go with the Logitech G51. They sound pretty good for the price, though not near as good as the M-Audio set.
[url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121006[/url]
[QUOTE=that1dude24;20735485]HDMI output? Unless I'm completely wrong, but that's what I understand.[/QUOTE] Yeah you are sound is handled by the motherboard there is a separate sound cable that runs from it to the card then it's just outputted for hdmi, so you only have to hook up one cable to your tv.
[QUOTE=Blarg190;20754541]Yeah you are sound is handled by the motherboard there is a separate sound cable that runs from it to the card then it's just outputted for hdmi, so you only have to hook up one cable to your tv.[/QUOTE] My 5750 has a built in sound card I haven't used it but it has it.
Creative makes great sound cards. I am running the Elite Pro right now. It is just a few EAX games that can sometimes have problems with it but usually that can be solved with some of Creative's programs which they [I]do[/I] update. If you really want to evade them though for whatever reason, the Auzentech Prelude is a great alternative. It even has X-Fi so you aren't missing out on those X-Fi/EAX supporting games.
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