difference between soundcard vs integrated audio?

[kusanagiz]

difference between soundcard vs integrated audio?

Hi,

I noticed several threads regarding using integrated motherboard audio but I couldn't find any reference to how it compares to the sound quality of a dedicated sound card. I have a motherboard that uses a Creative CT5880 PCI sound controller and I have an Audigy soundcard. Can someone either tell me or direct me to a site that can do comparisons w/ regards to the sound quality? Thanks

 

[Actaeon]

I was never a really huge follower of the latest sound and music gizmos, espically in PCs... so, take my opinion with a grain of salt.

I used to have a SB Live, but sine I upgraded, now I have intergrated audio from my Epox 8K5A2, both sound the same to me.

Both played my music just fine. As a matter of fact, i like my intergrated Audio better, the software/drivers has some features I really like to mess around with, sounds good, and leaves me a open PCI slot.

As far as webpages go, I never really investigated onboard sound comparisons and all, so sorry for no link.

 

[kusanagiz]

 

[Mem]

I have a motherboard that uses a Creative CT5880 PCI sound controller and I have an Audigy soundcard

The Audigy is Creative`s flagship sound card so will sound superior to the older onboard Creative CT5880 which doesn`t support 5.1 sound,if you have an Audigy you might as well use it,plus you will also have newer features like advanced EAX with the Audigy.

 

[Whitedog]

If you're like the majority of people and use only 2-channel sound, Built in sound on the mobo is all you could desire. Having a soundcard, you might as well use it.

I couldn't see sinking $$ into a sound card unless I was going to hook up one of those 4 or 6 channel speaker setups (though I think that would be killer, just not practical)

.02

I have my pair of Infinity SM82's (8" woofer and dome tweeter), driven by 125w/ch Yamaha Reciever... 10" base tube subwoofer in the floor powered by 140 watt car amplifier (yep, I've got a 12 volt power supply hooked up to it). My 2-channel sound is Totally (((((((((((((((((L33T)))))))))))))))))).

You can see the Sub woofer laying on the floor under the monitor. My ugly rig

 

[kusanagiz]

hrm....so some people say it sounds the same some say it's superior. i guess my reason for this contemplation is because i'm curious if my Audigy soundcard is causing my games to crash so I wanted to try w/ just the onboard Audio. Thanks for the input guys!

 

[Whitedog]

Well, you never mentioned your Pooter was crashing.

Could be sound card drivers? Long shot, but could be.

Let me guess, you've not removed the card to see if that's the problem? If you think that might be causing it to, than try it?

 

[Kingofcomputer]

mainly 3 different types of audio:
1. a real sound card - one single chip has the processor and codec, or one chip for processor plus one chip for codec.
2. motherboard with onboard sound chip - the chip is same as the one from real sound card, just the chip is soldered onto the motherboard.
3. motherboard chipset embedded sound (integrated audio) - sound processor embedded in the motherboard chipset plus codec chip.

All today's sound card or codec are AC97 compliant.

 

[Regs]

Is there anything special you must to update your system to a single pci sound card so there is no conflicts with the intergrated one?

 

[Kingofcomputer]

go to BIOS setup, disable the intergrated audio first.