Cheap soundcard suggestions for games

[cockeyed]

I'm trying to help my nephew; he plays the popular games on his (P4-2.4, ATI 9700, 1gb memory) rig and they play well. However, he is having a slowdown problem when playing Battlefield 1942. Google searches seem to point to the on-board AC97 sound (Abit BH7) loading the CPU. Suggestions I've seen, suggest using a PCI soundcard to solve the problem. I've seen some inexpensive A-open cards for <$20 at newegg that have good reviews. Any suggestions for a cheap soundcard to run popular games, conflict free, would be appreciated.

 

[AIWGuru]

First, AC'97 is the audio standard that all current soundcard conform to. It's not a particular card or codec.
Buying a cheap "Aopen" soundcard which *probably* uses a C-media chip (which your mobo may have) won't help.
I really don't think that the soundcard is your problem here.

 

[Bovinicus]

I would go with something a little better like the Hercules Fortissimo or SB Live! 5.1. However, I somehow doubt that your problem is related to the soundcard. It is possible, but unlikely...

 

[billywiggins]

Ive heard of onboard sound causing *some* slowdown in gaming, albeit not much -a very small usually unnoticable amount, but i would have to agree that i dont think it would be the sound. although i would check the sale forum for a SB5.1 card or something similiar, which can usually be found for around $15-25 from a good seller. it would be worth a try and you wouldnt lose alot of money, but your nephew seems to have pretty good system specs. is this slowdown during normal one person play or during online play? he might have something running in the background causing the slowdown, maybe some spyware? i would check to see what all is running and check for spyware/adware before making a purchase, just a thought.

 

[WobbleWobble]

Originally posted by: Bovinicus
I would go with something a little better like the Hercules Fortissimo or SB Live! 5.1. However, I somehow doubt that your problem is related to the soundcard. It is possible, but unlikely...

I agree with everything he said ^^^

 

[cockeyed]

The game slowdown in BF1942 is when running in sinle player mode. He hasn't mentioned if this happens when he plays on-line (DSL); I'll ask him. If I do get a new sound card, I'll go for the Hercules Fortissimo or SB Live! 5.1 as suggested. I seem to recall that the ATI Catalyst drivers were finicky with BF1942, so I might try an older set. He recently updated to the new 4.2's, so maybe this is the problem. I have an old SB128 laying around, so I might give that a try to see if there is any difference. Also' Rage3D has some info re: the Cat driver and BF1942, but their site was down yesterday; I'll try again later today. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions!

 

[AIWGuru]

3.7 Trust me

 

[screw3d]

As everyone said, I also figured that it's highly unlikely for sound to slow down BF1942.

 

[cockeyed]

Originally posted by: AIWGuru
3.7 Trust me

Thanks, I installed the Cat 3.7's for him today, replacing the 4.2's. I don't know how to play the game very well but it seemed ok to me. I asked him to test it with these drivers after school. Also, I lowered the sound quality in DX9b to see if that helps.

 

[BenSkywalker]

I'll go for the Hercules Fortissimo

Don't go with a Fortissimo- it is based on a seriously outdated core and its CPU utilization is likely comparable to that of your onboard sound. You can pick up a SBLive! 5.1 from NewEgg new for just over $30- no need to go with anything less then that. The Audigy can be had for a bit more, but if you keep going that route you'll be in the $100 range pretty quick

 

[cockeyed]

Checked with my nephew last night and it seems that BF1942 is working ok again. It appears that either changing back to the Catalyst 3.7 driver and/or lowering the sound quality in the game from 44mhz to11mhz solved the lag problem. It would only happen when there is a lot of action on the battlefield with many sounds, troops and tanks. So far so good.

If I should get a soundcard, I was leaning toward the SB Live! 5.1 but I saw the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz at newegg for $43 shipped. From what I read in the reviews, it seems that this might also be a good choice. How quick I went from a $15 Aopen card to a $43 Turtle Beach!

 

[Megatomic]

Even today the TBSC is still a decent soundcard. For $43 it is a good value. Go for it.

(I used a TBSC for nearly 2 years and wouldn't hesitate to use one again if I needed an add-in sound card)

 

[CraigRT]

for general purpose, i'd get a SB128 or SB16... they work fine, i have a SB16 at work... and on the $20 speakers, for what it all is, the games sound perfectly fine... it's good enough for SURE... just not surround capable or anythin fancy.

 

[muppet]

I used the Santa Cruz and it is a good card
cant say whether better than the SB5.1 but I am using the cheapest Audigy Player card you can get and it is excellant
sounds much better than the Santa Cruz
if you can find a cheap Audigy player definitely go for that