Audio Card for new system

[GoStumpy]

Higher quality in what way?

The 5.1 audio on my $35 Foxconn socket 775 motherboard has no noticeable hiss or distortion, and plays every game I throw at it without any problems.

Onboard audio hardware and drivers are much better now than 5-10 years ago, just like a $30 DVD player now plays CDs better than the $1,000 CD players of 10-15 years ago.

IMHO, onboard is like an mp3. It sounds just fine for almost everyone... Some can tell the difference, though... Those people are candidates for a sound card

You don't know what you're missing until you hear it...

 

[mnewsham]

IMHO, onboard is like an mp3. It sounds just fine for almost everyone... Some can tell the difference, though... Those people are candidates for a sound card

You don't know what you're missing until you hear it...

Yeah, but the difference between onboard sound and a 25-50 dollar sound card is usually negligible.

 

[Crow550]

If all you want is deep bass you aren't really looking for high quality sound anyway :biggrin:

Accurate reproduction of highs, mids, AND lows will require not only high end cans ($300+) but also an AMP/DAC, such as this one. If all you are worried about is adjusting bass to get a nice healthy BOOM then pick up any old sound card (even some internal cards will allow bass manipulation)

Well it's not just bass. It is however something I noticed a lack of when I was using the on board card. In a nutshell my old PC had the X-Fi card in. I built a new system and used on board audio and noticed a lack of impact with my headphones. When gaming I do like that extra punch when playing. I also like using the Crystallizer effect too which some hate. I think it helps with compressed audio.

The audio does seem richer with the card. I can assume by the reviews I read on the sound card and Headphones I own that I should be getting pretty good lows and mids as well as high. I'm not a mega audiophile though.

 

[BrightCandle]

Having tried X-fi's, Xonars and Realtek on high end headphones and THX 2.1 speakers I don't think there is a lot of difference in actual audio quality. I am not convinced that I could pass a double blind trial on music being played out of my speakers. It is a small difference without the whizzy stuff turned on. The crystilizer and dolby virtual surround effects do add to music a decent amount and are quite noticeable and distinct and you would easily spot the difference with everything turned on (which is how you would use it anyway).

Where I notice the more expensive cards is with virtual surround sound on the headphones. Both the x-fi and the xonar are noticeably better than the realtek in his scenario. Between those two I just about prefer the xonar, I think its clearer with differences to the rear (although neither is great for sounds behind you).

If you have high end headphones or speakers than a better sound card can make a difference, but if your still running £50 headphones (or worse a £50 headset) its really not going to show up all that much. Sound cards are becoming progressively more niche, but in the process they are also lasting considerably longer. My xfi went multiple PC's and I suspect my PCI-E xonar will last me many years as well as the rate of innovation in sound cards has dropped dramatically.

 

[mfenn]

Well it's not just bass. It is however something I noticed a lack of when I was using the on board card. In a nutshell my old PC had the X-Fi card in. I built a new system and used on board audio and noticed a lack of impact with my headphones. When gaming I do like that extra punch when playing. I also like using the Crystallizer effect too which some hate. I think it helps with compressed audio.

The audio does seem richer with the card. I can assume by the reviews I read on the sound card and Headphones I own that I should be getting pretty good lows and mids as well as high. I'm not a mega audiophile though.

I guess it depends on what you are looking for. Creative cards are famous for exaggerating the bass and treble at the expensive of preserving the quality of the midrange. If you grew up listening to Creative cards, you probably associate that alteration with "good" sound. That's fine, but it doesn't mean that what you're listening to is accurate or faithful to the original recording.

 

[imported_Cota]

Which one of the Xonar models would you guys suggest for gaming on a 4.1 speaker system. Never use headphones.

In addition, would any of these models work for gaming and amateur recording of live music/instruments?

-Cota

 

[Crow550]

If you are looking at Creatives new line of audio cards the Recon3D line. Check this out first:

http://forums.creative.com/showthread.php?t=697046

Daniel_K explains the truth behind the card:

Thanks to the user BF, I was able to see what the Recon3D is all about, just by analyzing the software and driver included in the Installation Disc.

About the card itself:

- Recon3D does have a DSP with pre-programmed functions for the THX TruStudio and CrystalVoice.


About the Sound Core3D quad-core processor:

- Not quad-core at all: even the original SB Live! could process as many sound effects at the same time.
- Design is based around the CA0110 PCI Express HD Audio controller with an embedded DSP and integrated DAC.
- EAX is software based, as it is supported through Host OpenAL.
- Pre-programmed DSP with as many sound effects you could find on any car stereo or home theater.


Pros

- Less compatibility issues, as it basically uses simple codec drivers and all EAX gaming effects are processed in software by the system's CPU.
- Dedicated Headphone amplifier.
- THX TruStudio surround sound effects are better than Creative's CMSS3D.
- Hardware accelerated THX TruStudio/CrystalVoice effects.
- Microphone enhancements by CrystalVoice.


Cons

- Really overpriced, not justifiable for such cheap design.
- Average sound quality, even worse than some motherboard integrated HD Audio codecs.
- Limited to 5.1 speakers and 96kHz, questionable for a cutting edge sound card, even if a gaming only card.
- Sound Core3D is just a simple pre-programmed DSP.
- No HDMI connector.
- No hardware EAX acceleration.
- No THX speaker calibration.
- No hardware MIDI synthesizer.
- No ASIO.
- Control panel written in Microsoft .NET, loads slowly and wastes 50MB of RAM when minimized to tray.
- No WHQL drivers.
- Questionable dedicated headphone amp, as the integrated DAC is of poor quality.


The included drivers are not WHQL signed and worse, are from a debug version (just open the .sys driver and you'll see it).

Did Creative improve the software/drivers?

No, if it has less compatibility issues or does not have any at all, is because the drivers MUST be simple, as it is just an HD Audio driver, like I've said before. Then we have the Control Panel which uses a DLL to access the registers in the embedded DSP to enable and adjust the sound enhancements.


Is this a revolutionary sound card?

Not a all.

THX TruStudio Surround is the only REALLY improved feature.

CrystalVoice enhancements have been around for years, being the hardware implementation the only improvement.



As Creative have just released X-Fi MB2 as a retail product, you should better buy this if you DO NOT have a Creative soundcard and want THX TruStudio and EAX5.

Curiously, X-Fi MB2 does not work with Creative cards.

X-Fi MB2 works with ANY soundcard or HD Audio codec, although it needs some tweking for the ASUS Xonar series.



X-Fi Titanium Features you'll be missing:

- Hardware accelerated EAX.
- Fully programmable DSP in Audio Creation mode.
- Hardware MIDI Synthesizer with SoundFont support.
- Very good sound quality for Creative designs, premium/audiophile sound quality for Auzentech/Onkyo designs.
- THX speaker calibration.
- DTS Connect (DTS Interactive encoder/DTS Neo: PC)
- HDMI connector for some models.