Amplified speakers NECESSARY for SB Live!?

[KenG]

I have an ABIT SE6 and SB Live! soundcard and get barely audible sound from wav's, CD music, etc. through plain vanilla speakers.

Installed the latest drivers, volume control maxed out. Still I feel there must be something I'm missing.

Anybody?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ulysses]

I believe any speakers to be used with a sound card must have a built in amp or be connected to a stereo system to work. That's why PC speakers have to be plugged into an electrical outlet - that's the power for the amp inside the speakers.

 

[Jeff H]

AFAIK the SBLive series of sound cards are the first from Creative Labs that require amplified speakers. Cards previous to the SBLive series could use either amplified or non-amplified speakers, as the sound cards had a small built in amplifier.

 

[pyr]

and its the best thing they ever could have done getting rid of that on card amp. it ruins the sound. now the output is very clear

 

[Eug]

"AFAIK the SBLive series of sound cards are the first from Creative Labs that require amplified speakers."

Nope.... had a SB AWE 64 Gold which had no amplifier. In fact, that's one reason I bought it. No more crappy $2 amplifier to destroy the sound quality.

 

[Nutzo]

Actually the first one they made that didn't have the amplifier was the SB AWE 32 Gold . I bought one because it had the best S/N ratio & freq. response at the time.

 

[SupAcHinK]

To get the full sound of SB live you need amplified speakers. Klipsch Pro Media!!!! if you can afford it