*More General Sound Card Theory* Realtek sound is crap = me want a sound card

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ComatoseDelirium

Senior member
Dec 18, 2004
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My onboard realtek sound was fine when i was using some 2 generic speakers, but recently i upgraded to a 5.1 altec lansing setup, and the onboard sound, just does not do it justice, im looking for a sound card to fix the problem, i have been looking around, but never purchasing a sound card before, causes me not to know any of the real of thumbs, what should I look for... what should I look out for? I will have about 50- to 80 Canadian to spend on a card, and I will be looking for one on NCIX, all supplies in canadian dollars, : http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?minorcatid=1007

now the cards I have been looking at are : http://www.ncix.com/products/i...t_id=11745#review17504

and

http://www.ncix.com/products/i...acture=Creative%20Labs

The latter being my uninformed choice for now, any help or tips or sites that have guides you can offer will be appreciated.
 
RussianSensation

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
Audigy 2 - $61

Essentially Audigy 2 ZS is Audigy 2 with 7.1 support and slightly higher SNR of 108db vs. 106db (which means nothing in the real world since SNR measurements are often questionable). Either way, Audigy 2 will provide better sound than TurtleBeach and offload the cpu better + EAX1-4 and cost $15 less.
 
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Brian48

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 1999
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The TBSC is out of production and was de-supported almost two years ago. I still love mine, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone at this point. The A2 posted above is a decent choice for an all around. If gaming is a not big deal to you, any of the VIA Envy24HT-S based cards is decent choice as well.
 
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ComatoseDelirium

Senior member
Dec 18, 2004
653
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well Im no audiophile, thank you for the responses, I love music, and I love gaming, but i really dont notice too much between a midrange and a high end sound card, plus I dont do anything musical wise, just want to listen to my mp3s and play doom with an added auroa, thanks for replying, I think I'd go for the audigy 2 RussianSensation recommended, but if it is better? why is it less O_O? (it matches the colour of my mobo lol. another selling point.)
 
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ComatoseDelirium

Senior member
Dec 18, 2004
653
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my 5.1 system doesnt use a co-axial digital out, though that audigy 2 doesnt come with co-axial digital out, but if i ever chose to upgrade to a system that does have it.. i'd be slightly screwed, is their anything else higher end you could recommend? I'd rather spend 20 more bucks and be future proof ya-know?
 
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imported_bum

Golden Member
Jan 15, 2005
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That Audigy 2 above would be a great choice, but for the digital out I can only think of the M-audio Revolution : http://www.ncix.com/products/i...mp;manufacture=M-Audio

The Revolution is probably the best card around for listening to mp3s (in that price range), but it's in no way designed for gaming. The Audigy is going to make your gaming a little bit smoother (especially doom 3) by taking load of the processor. So... Revo for superior music quality + co-axial, Audigy for slightly better gaming. Since I just realized it's way above your price limit, and you said you aren't much of an audiophile anyway, go with the Audigy 2. There are adapters you can buy so you could do a co-axial hookup, but of course much of the quality will be lost in the process.

P.S. - woot first post! :)
 
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ComatoseDelirium

Senior member
Dec 18, 2004
653
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ahh welcome to anandtech. thanks for your post I have a co- axial de-lee, in my mobo, but I feel that won't work with the card, and I want a good for both card thats 80 bucks or cheaper, so the audigy would have to be my choice. thanks for your input.
 
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imported_bum

Golden Member
Jan 15, 2005
1,402
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Originally posted by: ComatoseDelirium
is this one : http://www.ncix.com/products/i...acture=Creative%20Labs , more future proof than this one : http://www.ncix.com/products/i...acture=Creative%20Labs

price wise I would assume its better, what do you guys think?
Click to expand...

I think like RussianSensation said, you aren't getting much besides 7.1 support. The sound quality may be arguably better, but I don't think it's enough to pay the extra if you are trying to save $$$. Besides, the normal Audigy 2 has support for your 5.1 anyway.

 
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ComatoseDelirium

Senior member
Dec 18, 2004
653
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ahh, so its pretty much the game crap withour Laura Croft? I think I'd go for it then if their is not quality boost, is the 20 bucks just for 7.1? like.. what exactly causes a sound card to be better.. *like how we know a processor is better by its Ghz, and its bandwidth and cache etc.*
 
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imported_bum

Golden Member
Jan 15, 2005
1,402
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I'm not exactly an expert on audio specifications, but I can tell you that looking at the two cards, they both have about the same specs. They both have the audigy 2 chip with 24 bit/192kHz playback sampling rates in stereo, and 24 bit/96kHz in 5.1 surround. The only sound quality difference is the 106 SNR vs. 108 SNR, which I don't think is very noticeable. Plus, you have 6.1 vs 7.1. Now, if someone can explain what that all means, maybe they would answer your question. :D
 
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cyberknight

Senior member
Sep 3, 2004
378
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if you're gonna game, I'd go with Creative. M-Audio for music, editing, and stuff like that.

I would go with the Audigy 2 ZS. hey never know if you may use 7.1 one day. And you get a FireWire port, which will be handy cuz you don't just see those things everywhere like USB ports. I'd just go with the OEM version to save some money.
 
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ComatoseDelirium

Senior member
Dec 18, 2004
653
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yeah I will go OEM, but its disconcerting to learn, that on a 5.1 system causes a worse sound on mp3's if that is true :\ is that true for all sound cards? are their any that will give youm 196.. or 128 quality?
I prefer to have good music, and ok gaming then, good gaming sound, and ok music...
 
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ComatoseDelirium

Senior member
Dec 18, 2004
653
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is this true? I've heard people say that you can't update the drivers of the OEM soundblaster cards for some reason. If you get any Creative Labs cards, buy the retail edition
 
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Coolin

Member
Jun 6, 2004
56
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If you're on a budget and care about quality when listening to music, get the Chaintech AV-710. It's music quality is only second (and a very close second at that) to the M-Audio Revolution. Plus it's friggen CHEAP. NCIX holds sales on those a lot of the time, bringing the price down to $28 or so.

If you want a couple extra frames when playing Doom 3, get the Audigy 2.
 
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Coolin

Member
Jun 6, 2004
56
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That's the M-Audio Revolution that costs 3x the price of the Chaintech on NCIX for ever so slightly better sound quality. ;)

They use same chipset.
 
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