onboard Realtek audio vs my old pci x-fi xtreme music

[dx11101]

Is everyone still using their old x-fi pci cards or are you using the onboard audio now. I have the GA-p67-ud3-b3 with the latest and greatest Realtek whatever but I also have a xfi extreme music collecting dust. This card is probably from 2005-2006ish.

 

[limniscate]

I have an ASUS P7P55D-E LX and an old Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic SB0770, and the difference in sound quality was very noticeable.

 

[john3850]

If you have good speakers go with X-fi.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Dont want to threadjack, but what about my SB Live 5.1 from cir 2001 versus today's Realtek audio? I use 2.1 speakers but occasionally attach my Triple Fi 10 Pro earbuds.

 

[gramboh]

Still using a PCI XtremeGamer. The onboard sound on my ancient P965 board is atrocious though. Even with new motherboards. I would expect the DAC to be awful and prone to interference from other mobo components, so unless you are outputting a digital signal over SPDIF to be decoded on a receiver, I would stick with the sound card. I output to Sennheiser headphones (no amp) and analog speakers.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Still using a PCI XtremeGamer. The onboard sound on my ancient P965 board is atrocious though. Even with new motherboards. I would expect the DAC to be awful and prone to interference from other mobo components, so unless you are outputting a digital signal over SPDIF to be decoded on a receiver, I would stick with the sound card. I output to Sennheiser headphones (no amp) and analog speakers.

My Xtremegamer sucked so much (mic bleeding into output) that it makes Realtek 889A sounds brillant. And Realtek produces far more streamlined drivers than Creative will ever do.