• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Onboard sound or old SoundBlaster 16??

P

Parrotheader

Diamond Member
On one of my spare systems I'm rebuilding the motherboard (an MSI 6309 . . . socket 370 board) has onboard sound. I've used the onboard sound in the past simply because I didn't use the system all that much and didn't want to bother paying for even a cheap sound card to go in there. I do play MP3s on it occasionally though when my other systems are in full use and they sound like crap. I've got an old SoundBlaster 16 laying around that was put out to pasture a couple years ago. Is that worth even trying or will it sound just as bad?
 
using a separate sound card, even if it's $10 will improve your sound.

I'd definitly give it a shot. I havn't used the 16 but used the 512 which sounds pretty good.
 
I think the quality of the sound will be very close between the two. You might have to try them and see which one will give you louder results, with better quality. I think they would be about identical.
 
I have great respect for the old '16. I seem to almost always have one or two in some machine I build/service for my family. They are not a match for some of the new PCI cards, they are not PCI 2.1/2.2 compliant, which limits your Power Management options to APM, they use more resources than a newer card, but they are a helluva lot better to work with than onboard sound - unless the onboard is a hardware solution, like the CMedia chip on an IWill KK266.
I say go with the SB16.
 
The real advantage probably won't be in the sound quality but in the processor overhead. The sound card should take a lot off the processor compared to the built-in.
 
Go with the SB16... Got a board with AC'97 and it sure sucks arse. Using a SB32 (SB16 with wavetable basically), and it puts out better sound than the onboard stuff.
 
Thanks all. I tried the old SoundBlaster and it sounds LIGHT YEARS better than the onboard audio. I can actually crank the volume up now and it sounds pretty dang smooth. I might be using this system for casual MP3 playing all the time now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top