Do Audigy SE soundcards run from hardware or software?

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DavidBeoulve

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2006
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Do Audigy SE soundcards run from hardware or software?

I am confused. I'm buying an E6700 CPU so I want it to be free to eat games, like Oblivion, not think about sound.

The Audigy SE's seem to have all the necessary components for gaming - 5.1 surround sound, EAX, and an attractive price-tag.
 
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DavidBeoulve

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2006
10
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All right. Some guy on the Elder Scrolls: Oblivion forums told me that they slow down a CPU (can't link because their forum is down right now). So I'd imagine... he'd be wrong.

X-Fi's are PRICEY! If my CPU isn't hit by an Audigy SE (or would an Audigy 2 ZE be better?) why would I spend all of that money? I'm already buying an E6700 and Crossfire.
 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
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You're taking the piss aren't you?

A 6400 is overkill for gaming, getting a soundcard will not increase your fps by any noticable amount. The 6700 won't even be slightly stretched by gaming and the quality of sound you're going to get will be worse with a soundblaster than onboard HD audio.
 
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DavidBeoulve

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2006
10
0
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"You're taking the piss aren't you?"
I have no clue what this question means.

"A 6400 is overkill for gaming, getting a soundcard will not increase your fps by any noticable amount. The 6700 won't even be slightly stretched by gaming and the quality of sound you're going to get will be worse with a soundblaster than onboard HD audio."
If you want links to how much better Oblivion plays on an E6700/E6800 than just Google it. Some of the reviews are on Anandtech.

I completely fail to believe that onboard audio is better - please link me or explain. I've just never heard or read that, ever before ;) so pardon my surprise.
 
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Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
Originally posted by: Bobthelost
the quality of sound you're going to get will be worse with a soundblaster than onboard HD audio.
Click to expand...
Originally posted by: DavidBeoulve
I completely fail to believe that onboard audio is better - please link me or explain. I've just never heard or read that, ever before ;) so pardon my surprise.
Click to expand...
If "some guy" told you something on the "Elder Scrolls: Oblivion forums", then why come to AnandTech forums?

 
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DavidBeoulve

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2006
10
0
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Hah hah because you guys know your stuff!

Bobthelost just confused me - I mean why would folks BUY soundcards if that was true? Just use onboard audio. All my experience with computers says otherwise - but hey - maybe I'm wrong. I'd just need to see it.
 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
0
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Originally posted by: DavidBeoulve
"You're taking the piss aren't you?"
I have no clue what this question means.

"A 6400 is overkill for gaming, getting a soundcard will not increase your fps by any noticable amount. The 6700 won't even be slightly stretched by gaming and the quality of sound you're going to get will be worse with a soundblaster than onboard HD audio."
If you want links to how much better Oblivion plays on an E6700/E6800 than just Google it. Some of the reviews are on Anandtech.

I completely fail to believe that onboard audio is better - please link me or explain. I've just never heard or read that, ever before ;) so pardon my surprise.
Click to expand...

Taking the piss, mocking something or somebody.

Well now you have heard it ;)
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2773&p=12
The CPU difference is next to none and that's with an XFI not a 5 year old + card.

The overall output quality of audio with the Realtek ALC-883 ranks with the ALC-882 series as the best of the on-board HD audio solutions we have heard to date, while performance continues to improve with each driver release. The vast majority of users should have no issues utilizing the ALC-882/883 as their primary audio solution considering the quality of audio and performance at this time in most applications.
Click to expand...

The other HD audio options around are still going to be better than a soundblaster.
 
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Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
Originally posted by: DavidBeoulve
Hah hah because you guys know your stuff!
Click to expand...
Ok...
Bobthelost just told you... "the quality of sound you're going to get will be worse with a soundblaster than onboard HD audio"
To which you replied... "I completely fail to believe that onboard audio is better"


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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
0
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There are good reasons for soundcards. It used to be (before C2D and AM2) that onboard sound was rather poor quality as well as taking a bit of CPU time (negligable considering how fast CPUs are getting). Also whilst the sound quality of onboard HD is good it is not as good as from an XFI or from one of it's less buggy competitors.

Or the reason i chose my Audigy Plat ZS: The external breakout box :)

If you want better audio quality then by all means get a card, (a better one than that) but if you're not an audio snob then you probably won't notice the difference. Don't get one for CPU time.

Don't mind Blain too much, he's just been grumpy due to the end of the summer ;)
 
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DavidBeoulve

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2006
10
0
0
*cackles*

Guilty as charged. But I am an artist. We're not known for our uhh... left brains.

"Obviously, if you are a serious gamer, then a dedicated sound card is still useful to ensure consistent frame rate averages across a wide variety of games, and in the case of the Sound Blaster X-Fi,"
What about Audigy SE? Does this statement still apply or is onboard - as BobTheLost keeps telling me - literally better than an Audigy SE?

The scores here:
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2773&p=12
seem to indicate that an X-Fi is beneficial to framerates. Considering that I am trying to tackle Oblivion, wouldn't this matter? pardon my confusion.
 
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DavidBeoulve

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2006
10
0
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Yes, I'm sorry to admit I'm not an audio snob because - not that I mock it at all, I have 3 friends who are complete audiophiles - because I spend my cash on FPS. That's really "my thing." I can SEE 65hz refresh rates while looking directly at the monitor, and up to 80hz while using peripheral vision. FPS is my deal, and that's why I'm worried about a soundcard - correct!
 
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Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
Audigy "anything" and Audigy2 "anything" are old school when looking at X-Fi or onboard HD sound.


If frame rate is everything, why even consider anything less than an X-Fi with 64MBs of X-RAM?
 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
0
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First of all that was with a much weaker CPU than you'll be using, second is that the difference between any sound and no sound is more noticable than the diference between onboard and an XFI.

You will not notice +/- 2 fps at 100 fps, i promise.
 
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DavidBeoulve

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2006
10
0
0
So Audigy "anything" is worse than onboard sound -- X-Fi is not?

In other words, to gain (what looks like) 1% CPU and between 5 and 20FPS (that can matter, but I don't see scores for Oblivion) I'd need to spend over $100 on an X-Fi?

I'm getting a 975XBX "Bad Axe" motherboard to handle the E6700 and Crossfired X1900 XT's. It has onboard audio but I'm not sure if it's good.
 
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DavidBeoulve

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2006
10
0
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Depending on my 21" Hitachi Perfect-Flat CRT CM823F's refresh rate, you are scientifically correct. I won't notice 2FPS when the mean score is 100. However, in Oblivion, folks struggle to keep it above 30.

So I guess I'm left wondering - this Audigy SE - will it hurt worse than Onboard? That'd be wierd but that's what the link y'all gave me shows. Still awestruck by that.
 
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orangat

Golden Member
Jun 7, 2004
1,579
0
0
Originally posted by: DavidBeoulve
*cackles*
Guilty as charged. But I am an artist. We're not known for our uhh... left brains.

"Obviously, if you are a serious gamer, then a dedicated sound card is still useful to ensure consistent frame rate averages across a wide variety of games, and in the case of the Sound Blaster X-Fi,"
What about Audigy SE? Does this statement still apply or is onboard - as BobTheLost keeps telling me - literally better than an Audigy SE?
.........
Click to expand...

David. The A2 SE is a lousy card with no hardware dsp. The A4 SE is the one with the emu10k dsp. But get the A2ZS instead if you don't want to spring for an x-fi which is overrated anyway.

From the benchmark, BF2 is 16% faster with a dedicated soundcard so there is no doubt that it helps. Games which are somewhat cpu limited will benefit more with a dedicated card.

 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
0
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Originally posted by: orangat
From the benchmark, BF2 is 16% faster with a dedicated soundcard so there is no doubt that it helps. Games which are somewhat cpu limited will benefit more with a dedicated card.
Click to expand...

I'd love to see what games those are with a 6700 ;)
 
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DavidBeoulve

Junior Member
Aug 19, 2006
10
0
0
David. The A2 SE is a lousy card with no hardware dsp. The A4 SE is the one with the emu10k dsp. But get the A2ZS instead if you don't want to spring for an x-fi which is overrated anyway.
Click to expand...

Awesome. This I understand, and thank you.
 
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