My friend bought a really cheap Aztech PCI soundcard that uses a Trident audio chipset. My question is, if you don't care about 3D audio, but just use the sound to play CDs, mp3s, hear Windows sounds and play games with normal audio, won't cheap soundcards do? The audio quality of cheap soundcards don't lag that much compared to better consumer cards do that? I'm talking about the S/N ratio, THD, etc...
Do cheap soundcards really suck?
- Thread starter Goi
- Start date
well, i have a sound blaster live! mp3+ and i love the sound quality that comes out of it. When i listen to a friend's generic card, it sounds gibberished and a lot less quality. Also, the good cards have a bass boost capability, bass controls, treble controls, and also many many environmental settings to make it sound cool, such as arena and ballroom. Also, the good card are also higher in prices becase of all the softwar it comes with and also the games it come with. Take out the software and games, and the price will be much, much lower.
for your everyday non-gamer who just wants SOUND, and to listen to music and such, any cheap-ass 16-bit sound card would be the best buy. They are fine.
Ricky
DesignDawg
Ricky
DesignDawg
The S/N ratio of cheap cards is often poor in comparison with a good card. The S/N ratio of cheap cards are often in the range of <60dB whereas say a SBlive or MX300 are more like >90db, which is a huge and clearly audible difference. THD is often worse, too, but no human can tell the difference between 0.01% THD and 0.1% THD. A cheaper card is also more likely to have a ragged frequency response along with poor quality A/D and D/A converters.
But all that aside, just for normal Windows noises and non-critical listening of music a cheap sound card can be just fine. Especially if you have lousy speakers.
But all that aside, just for normal Windows noises and non-critical listening of music a cheap sound card can be just fine. Especially if you have lousy speakers.
i say the sound blaster live! value card is the best out for someone looking for something cheap and better than the pieces of junk that are 20 bucks. The live value card is only 50 bucks. Some have said that the live value card is just an mp3+ card or x-gamer card without the software, but i disagree. Although, you can believe whatever you want.
when listening to MP3's, WAV files or CD's, I cannot tell the difference between my SB-Live X-gamer, and my old ISA SB-16.
OK...thanks for all the posts. I guess the cheap ass card is for my friend then. He got it for less than 15USD, and bottom-line is...it works. 
If you ever crank your volume don't go cheap. The Klipsch ProMedia can bring out the distortion even in the SB Live! Platinum when cranked (I realize the Platinum has the same S/N and THD as the other SB Live!, but...)
Edit: Though, if you have really crappy $20 speakers, buying a $50 sound card over a $15 sound card might not make a large difference. A friend of mine noticed no difference with his Yamaha speakers when switching from a crappy sound card (I don't remember what it was) to a SB Live! Value. We plugged in my Altec Lansing ADA70s to the value and you could here a big difference. However, that difference was mainly between the quality in the speakers.
My point though is, if you have crappy speakers having an expensive sound card is a waste of money.
Edit: Though, if you have really crappy $20 speakers, buying a $50 sound card over a $15 sound card might not make a large difference. A friend of mine noticed no difference with his Yamaha speakers when switching from a crappy sound card (I don't remember what it was) to a SB Live! Value. We plugged in my Altec Lansing ADA70s to the value and you could here a big difference. However, that difference was mainly between the quality in the speakers.
My point though is, if you have crappy speakers having an expensive sound card is a waste of money.
<< The live value card is only 50 bucks. >>
Syborg,
You and I know the difference is there, and to us it is worth it, but you have to keep in mind that to the VAST majority of computer users out there, even "only" 50 bucks is WAAAAY too much money to spend on a sound card. Gamers want good cards for 3D sound, and music freaks want them for music to go with their nice speakers.... But your average Joe Compaq-buyer out there doesn't care. For these people, who probably make up over 90% of all computer users, a cheapo card is just fine.
Ricky
DesignDawg
Syborg1211:
For what I know, a Live! Value card is actually the same thing as a mp3+ or x-gamer card when it comes to sound quality. The mp3+ and x-gamers cards just add some toys to that.
For what I know, a Live! Value card is actually the same thing as a mp3+ or x-gamer card when it comes to sound quality. The mp3+ and x-gamers cards just add some toys to that.
Digital-out.
My brother was looking for card with optical-out, so he could record to his MD, so that's how I know.
My brother was looking for card with optical-out, so he could record to his MD, so that's how I know.
Yucky: Also isnt there a daughter card available that will add optical out? Or is that my imagination.
with some cheapo sond cards, only one sound channel can be used at once. so that means, if you're playing music, you won't be able to hear windows error beeps, naviagation sounds, other playing music or anything else.
that's the problem i got. I got a ensonique sound card for 15 bucks 18 months ago, not to diss on the quality of sound(it's great with A3D), but I can only play one stream at a time. I can't play unreal with sound while listening to my music at the same time, kinda sucks.
I would suggest you go for the sq2500. It really compares with the Soundblaster Live Value, and it's about half the price on EB@Y atleast.
I would suggest you go for the sq2500. It really compares with the Soundblaster Live Value, and it's about half the price on EB@Y atleast.
i guess i forgot to configure the quality of the speakers. I have some really sweeet altec lansings which i payed 80 buck for i believe, and i guess that means a lot. And also i have another pair of altec lansings i have set up for surround.
Yes, i was looking from the gamers perspective on 3d gaming and surround sound. I guess if you dont really want to get totally into and surrounded by the game/ movie (since i have a dvd rom drive)/mp3 or whatever else you can get the cheapo card.
I would rather pay 20 bucks more for a name brand sound card with good reviews and such. At least you know it won't crap out on you or burn out because of cheap construction.
Yes, i was looking from the gamers perspective on 3d gaming and surround sound. I guess if you dont really want to get totally into and surrounded by the game/ movie (since i have a dvd rom drive)/mp3 or whatever else you can get the cheapo card.
I would rather pay 20 bucks more for a name brand sound card with good reviews and such. At least you know it won't crap out on you or burn out because of cheap construction.
Yeah if you ever get the urge to crank up your speakers you are going to puke if you have a cheap soundcard Go for the SB live you will not be sorry.
AUsm
Go for the SB live you will not be sorry.AUsm
dont lesson to those guys sometimes they post stuff like 550mhz are very slow for games and 128 ram wont do it
lesson get ur self a 16bit sound card for 5 $ u wont need a SB unless u have 5 speakers and a dvd if u wanna play games and stuff get ur self a 16 bit sound blaster u dont need the sh!ty EAX man it sucks 100% u wont regret it trust me
lesson get ur self a 16bit sound card for 5 $ u wont need a SB unless u have 5 speakers and a dvd if u wanna play games and stuff get ur self a 16 bit sound blaster u dont need the sh!ty EAX man it sucks 100% u wont regret it trust me
Well, there has been some good advice here and some bad advice. Now get ready for the truth as told by Auric
The Live! can be had for $40 new. Maybe you can find one for less. Now, compared to a $10 sound card it is muy expensive isn't it? But then again it could be the best $30 you spend on your machine. As others said, the Live! has a very good S/N. It mixes digitally. There is no hiss. But again, if you have typical computer speakers you might not notice. You will notice not being able to play more than one sound at a time. You might not miss having EAX if you never heard it but once you did you wouldn't want to do without it. Plus, all those I/O options and reliable drivers and $30 is well spent even if it is four times as costly as a cheapo card.
The Live! can be had for $40 new. Maybe you can find one for less. Now, compared to a $10 sound card it is muy expensive isn't it? But then again it could be the best $30 you spend on your machine. As others said, the Live! has a very good S/N. It mixes digitally. There is no hiss. But again, if you have typical computer speakers you might not notice. You will notice not being able to play more than one sound at a time. You might not miss having EAX if you never heard it but once you did you wouldn't want to do without it. Plus, all those I/O options and reliable drivers and $30 is well spent even if it is four times as costly as a cheapo card.
I have had seeral people I know buy cheap sound cards. Most have had driver problems. When they get tired of hasselling with them I tell them, for the 1000 time to get a SB live. When they get it they wonder why it took them so long to see the light.
Well my friend's connecting the soundcard to his AIWA boombox to save on the speakers...it sounds fairly decent...
Goi: That "boombox"'s sound quality is probably lower than the soundcard's. That's the case with my Kenwood mini-component system and my cheap-ass soundcard/
EvilDonnyboy: Not true. The feature you mention, called "multiple wave-outs", is strictly a driver feature. Think: all sound cards can play several sounds simultaneously during a game (say, motor and gunshots), so why wouldn't they do it for normal sound?
Well, games uses sound through the DirectSound API (or some extension thereof), which by definition allows for multiple sound streams. But standard programs use standard wave-out, for which the driver may or may not allow multiple streams. BTW, all WDM (Windows Driver Model, available in Win98 and Win2K) drivers support it.
To further prove my point, I've accumulated information regarding this feature on several sound cards:
Creative Sound Blaster 16 ISA
Win95 - no, Win98 - no, Win2K - yes (WDM)
ESS 1868 ISA (cheap SB16-compatible from 5 years ago)
Win95 - no, Win98 - YES (WDM), Win2K - yes (WDM)
Creative Sound Blaster 64 PCI (ES1370/1371)
Win95 - no, Win98 - no, Win2k - yes (WDM)
Creative Sound Blaster live
Win95 - yes, Win98 - yes, Win2K - yes
CMI 8738 (cheap PCI card I have now)
Win95 - no, Win98 - no, Win2k - yes (WDM)
-PJ
EvilDonnyboy: Not true. The feature you mention, called "multiple wave-outs", is strictly a driver feature. Think: all sound cards can play several sounds simultaneously during a game (say, motor and gunshots), so why wouldn't they do it for normal sound?
Well, games uses sound through the DirectSound API (or some extension thereof), which by definition allows for multiple sound streams. But standard programs use standard wave-out, for which the driver may or may not allow multiple streams. BTW, all WDM (Windows Driver Model, available in Win98 and Win2K) drivers support it.
To further prove my point, I've accumulated information regarding this feature on several sound cards:
Creative Sound Blaster 16 ISA
Win95 - no, Win98 - no, Win2K - yes (WDM)
ESS 1868 ISA (cheap SB16-compatible from 5 years ago)
Win95 - no, Win98 - YES (WDM), Win2K - yes (WDM)
Creative Sound Blaster 64 PCI (ES1370/1371)
Win95 - no, Win98 - no, Win2k - yes (WDM)
Creative Sound Blaster live
Win95 - yes, Win98 - yes, Win2K - yes
CMI 8738 (cheap PCI card I have now)
Win95 - no, Win98 - no, Win2k - yes (WDM)
-PJ
PowerJoe, I have no clue what you're talking about in the last part of your message. Wtf, Win95 - no, blah blah blah???
I have a Creative Sound Blaster 16 ISA PnP, works fine everywhere I tried it (DOS, Win 3.1, Win95a/b, Win98, Win2K, Linux, BeOS)..
I really don't have a clue what you're talking about
I have a Creative Sound Blaster 16 ISA PnP, works fine everywhere I tried it (DOS, Win 3.1, Win95a/b, Win98, Win2K, Linux, BeOS)..
I really don't have a clue what you're talking about
Powerjoe- the thing that the guy was saying is true about only being able to play one sound at a time. Cheap card can only open up one, maybe two lines of input at once. Once i first installed my system and installed my cound card, i didn't know what i was setting and i set it for only like 2 input lines and it was really annoying
PowerJoe, your supported OSs seems a bit off to me. I know I have used or know people who have used most of those cards on OSs where you say "no."
Edit: I just read the first part of your message. The others are correct about cheap sound cards only being able to play a few sounds at once. I think 1-2 might be a little bit understating modern cheap cards, but I have not researched it in depth. Even the SB 64 can play more voices simultaneously than the 32 and the 32 can play more than the 16 to the best of my knowledge. When you attempt to play more sounds at the same time than the card supports its starts dropping the first sound (FIFO). It is noticable on some games with even a SB 16. Back 8 years ago I know one of my friends had a card that when you attempted to play more than 1 sound out of it, it would crackle.
Edit: I just read the first part of your message. The others are correct about cheap sound cards only being able to play a few sounds at once. I think 1-2 might be a little bit understating modern cheap cards, but I have not researched it in depth. Even the SB 64 can play more voices simultaneously than the 32 and the 32 can play more than the 16 to the best of my knowledge. When you attempt to play more sounds at the same time than the card supports its starts dropping the first sound (FIFO). It is noticable on some games with even a SB 16. Back 8 years ago I know one of my friends had a card that when you attempted to play more than 1 sound out of it, it would crackle.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 21K
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
-
Facebook
Twitter