• Onboard sound VS sound card.
    25 replies, posted
So I have one of these lying around [url]http://us.store.creative.com/Sound-Blaster-XFi-XtremeMusic-BStock/M/B000AY7A1I.htm[/url] but I have this MoBo:[url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128431&cm_re=gigabyte_motherboard_usb3-_-13-128-431-_-Product[/url] Witch sound should I use?
why not just plug the sound card in and compare the sound?
Use a sound card if you have middle-high to high end speakers. Cheap speakers wont be able to use the ability of a sound card.
Should be like night and day depending on what you're listening with.
Sound card
[QUOTE=Ragy;25588663]Use a sound card if you have middle-high to high end speakers. Cheap speakers wont be able to use the ability of a sound card.[/QUOTE] I use a Nicer headset
Definitely stick it in.
Why wouldn't you?
[QUOTE=PunchedInFac;25589524]Definitely stick it in.[/QUOTE] thats what she said
A sound card will always outrun an on-board audio processor, especially since most of them are AC97s
My school has a bunch of sound cards lying around, I have no idea what models they are or whatever, but I think they're from around the turn of the millennium. Think they'd do better than my onboard sound? I'm using a fairly-alright headset. I think Monday I'll take a few and look up their model numbers and try to figure out what they are.
my school has SB audigy SE's
[QUOTE='[EG] Pepper;25622777']my school has SB audigy SE's[/QUOTE] My school keeps components tossed into filing cabinets. One of the drawers is labeled sound cards, and sometimes people don't care about the labels and shit gets flung everywhere. Most of it seems to be shit though.
if you don't like it send me it gogogo i'll pay for the shipping
[QUOTE=chewgo;25622678]My school has a bunch of sound cards lying around, I have no idea what models they are or whatever, but I think they're from around the turn of the millennium. Think they'd do better than my onboard sound? I'm using a fairly-alright headset. I think Monday I'll take a few and look up their model numbers and try to figure out what they are.[/QUOTE] Probably only capable of 16-bit 44100hz. Could still sound better than onboard sound though
Throw it in, check the sound quality and how much CPU resources it uses, compare and pick.
Some high end motherboards have very good integrated sound.
Most dont, I can hear interference when I have nothing playing on mine
What do you have, I have a asus rampage III extreme and I get no interference.
780gx Gigabyte board I assume the difference in quality is quite large in the area of audio chipset.
Also using a sound card CAN help lowering your CPU usage, though it shouldn't matter that much today. But beware, if the sound card hasn't any extra pins to connect your front audio to, you can't use it(if your case even has a front usb/audio panel).
Depends on your listening rig. Try both. Test them next to each other. General rule of thumb is to go with soundcard because a mobo is very "dirty sounding" due to huge amounts of electrical noise. That is the same in my case. I bought a Xonar STX a while ago and it works perfectly for me.
[QUOTE=Axiom :D;25628733]What do you have, I have a asus rampage III extreme and I get no interference.[/QUOTE] heard that the rampage III gene has X-Fi 2 onboard.
[QUOTE=Torekk;25629044]Also using a sound card CAN help lowering your CPU usage, though it shouldn't matter that much today. But beware, if the sound card hasn't any extra pins to connect your front audio to, you can't use it(if your case even has a front usb/audio panel).[/QUOTE] With Vista and Windows, having a sound card actually uses MORE cycles since M$ did away with most the of the sound API stuff built into XP and earlier. If you're using XP a sound card will definitely offload work, the newer OSs, not so much. With a modern processor though, the hit is negligible, as you stated.
[QUOTE=Torekk;25629044]Also using a sound card CAN help lowering your CPU usage, though it shouldn't matter that much today. But beware, if the sound card hasn't any extra pins to connect your front audio to, you can't use it(if your case even has a front usb/audio panel).[/QUOTE] The sound chip uses like 0.000000672% of the CPU time, it really doesn't matter much. Creative sound cards are rubbish, and even worse are their drivers. They've been known to intentionally disable features in their drivers for absurd reasons (people have hacked the functionality back in and the disabled features worked fine.) Most integrated sound chips actually perform better than a $150 slotted sound card. I used to have a set of Creative 5.1 surround sound speakers and a SB Audigy, and the center channel never worked or was garbled. I got fed up with the garbage card and tried the onboard Realtek HD, and to my surprise the sound fidelity was fathoms better and it was able to properly use the center channel speaker. Many integrated sound solutions haven't had a great track record (buzzing, ground hums, popping, etc.), but I haven't had a single issue with any of the Realtek HD integrated audio chips on the motherboards I have them on.
[QUOTE=Torekk;25629044]Also using a sound card CAN help lowering your CPU usage, though it shouldn't matter that much today. But beware, if the sound card hasn't any extra pins to connect your front audio to, you can't use it(if your case even has a front usb/audio panel).[/QUOTE] Most of the Xonar cards use significantly more CPU than onboard (poorly written drivers), but it's still negligible and well worth it in quality.
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