New Sound Card?

[gt07]

Just bought a new set of Klipsch 5.1 Ultras but will only be using 3.1 (fronts and center).

I however realized just now that I only have one 3.5mm output on my PC (it's onboard sound Tyan K8W).

Will i need to get a new soundcard with more outputs?

 

[arcenite]

Originally posted by: gt07
Just bought a new set of Klipsch 5.1 Ultras but will only be using 3.1 (fronts and center).

I however realized just now that I only have one 3.5mm output on my PC (it's onboard sound Tyan K8W).

Will i need to get a new soundcard with more outputs?

Get yourself a Chaintech AV-710 (that's what I use...) Awesome speakers by the way, but you could have gotten something a lot cheaper if you didn't need 5.1's.

 

[gt07]

Originally posted by: arcenite

Originally posted by: gt07
Just bought a new set of Klipsch 5.1 Ultras but will only be using 3.1 (fronts and center).

I however realized just now that I only have one 3.5mm output on my PC (it's onboard sound Tyan K8W).

Will i need to get a new soundcard with more outputs?

Get yourself a Chaintech AV-710 (that's what I use...) Awesome speakers by the way, but you could have gotten something a lot cheaper if you didn't need 5.1's.

true 🙁 but I just couldn't resist the dell offer at $258. I already have a set of the regular 2.1 so I'm curious to see the difference in the ultras!!!

I'll take a look at that card. What about a Turtle Beach card? Are they still considered good?

 

[SynthDude2001]

I'm not sure that you'd really be able to use any 3.1 sources...my onboard sound (Nvidia Soundstorm) has a registry hack that will enable you to "create" a center channel from the right and left, but I think it's mostly pointless. If you're only going to use stereo sources and the onboard sound's SNR is good (which I don't know anything about that particular board), one stereo connection will be fine since the speakers should take the bass from both channels and send it to the sub. However, with such high-quality speakers, you may find that your onboard sound is not adequate. Also, if you ever want to listen to any sources with 5.1 channels, you will almost certainly need at least one more 3.5mm output, since the standard for 5.1 analog PC speakers is to have the center and subwoofer on one separate 3.5mm jack. I'd recommend picking up a cheap Audigy or Audigy 2, they can be found relatively inexpensively these days.

 

[suicidalpigeon]

turtle beach's cards are ok, but the av710 cannot be beat for budget mp3 soundcards.

 

[gt07]

Good quick responses guys! Thanks :thumbsup:

Pretty unanimous that even though my board rocks my socks off 😉 that a independent sound card is definitely needed for the new speakers.

I'm looking to keep my budget <$100

The Chaintech definitely looks like a great card, especially for the price. My speakers look like they'll be arriving Monday so unfortunately I'll have to pick something up at a local retailer 🙁 Anything that wouldn't be ridiculously marked up at say Best Buy or Microcenter (we don't have Fry's :brokenheart: )?

 

[suicidalpigeon]

audigy 2 zs. i would say bluegears x-mystique but i dont know if they sell them at retail stores.

 

[LxMxFxD3]

Originally posted by: arcenite

Originally posted by: gt07
Just bought a new set of Klipsch 5.1 Ultras but will only be using 3.1 (fronts and center).

I however realized just now that I only have one 3.5mm output on my PC (it's onboard sound Tyan K8W).

Will i need to get a new soundcard with more outputs?

Get yourself a Chaintech AV-710 (that's what I use...) Awesome speakers by the way, but you could have gotten something a lot cheaper if you didn't need 5.1's.

Thats what I have. Awesome board, was like $17 at newegg a while back

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

You can get an Audigy 2 zs for $43 AR from Zip Zoom Fly. Free 2nd Day air.

You can use your speakers in a 2.1 configuration until you get a soundcard.

The Chaintech would be nice for 2 channel, but in 3.1 and higher you're going to end up using it's cheaper DACs.

 

[gt07]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
You can get an Audigy 2 zs for $43 AR from Zip Zoom Fly. Free 2nd Day air.

You can use your speakers in a 2.1 configuration until you get a soundcard.

The Chaintech would be nice for 2 channel, but in 3.1 and higher you're going to end up using it's cheaper DACs.

Looks like a pretty sweet card. I'll admit that I haven't really followed sound card hardware since building my pc, so this would probably be the best mix of affordability and quality?

If you had a budget of 150-200 do you think there's something better that you'd get or is the 2zs already phenominal?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: gt07

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
You can get an Audigy 2 zs for $43 AR from Zip Zoom Fly. Free 2nd Day air.

You can use your speakers in a 2.1 configuration until you get a soundcard.

The Chaintech would be nice for 2 channel, but in 3.1 and higher you're going to end up using it's cheaper DACs.

Looks like a pretty sweet card. I'll admit that I haven't really followed sound card hardware since building my pc, so this would probably be the best mix of affordability and quality?

If you had a budget of 150-200 do you think there's something better that you'd get or is the 2zs already phenominal?

You could get an X-Fi card or something more geared towards music listening if you wanted to. There are a lot of "pro" type cards out for 2 channel use.

If gaming is a big concern, the A2 zs is a great value. Before the X-Fi came out, people were buying it for $75 or so but now it seems like everyone thinks it's trash and now they're dirt cheap. Great card for gaming.

X-Fi keep the A2's gaming abilities, adds better quality music production and some bells and whistles.

You can get a basic X-Fi for $130 at Best Buy I think.