Should I use a PCI or PCI-e sound card?

[ironk]

I have this motherboard:

http://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/M5A78LMUSB3/gallery/

The graphics card slot is taken and so is the last PCI slot (next to the usb headers) which has a Wi-fi card. This leaves me a PCI-e slot which is to the left of the graphics card and a PCI slot which is in between the graphics card and the last PCI slot. Which of the remaining slots is best to use for a sound card? I am thinking in terms of cooling, interferance and IRQ conflicts since its on a Windows XP professional OS.

 

[Seba]

Most graphics cards are dual slot (so the first slot below is covered). Check to see if this is not your case.

Why not use the on-board sound card? Is it defective? Or just poor quality?

If you are thinking to buy an expensive sound card, a PCI-E version will be useable for a longer time (PCI is on its way out). But a PCI-E sound card may not have Windows XP drivers.

 

[biostud]

you could get an USB DAC and use it as sound card.

 

[ironk]

Most graphics cards are dual slot (so the first slot below is covered). Check to see if this is not your case.

Why not use the on-board sound card? Is it defective? Or just poor quality?

If you are thinking to buy an expensive sound card, a PCI-E version will be useable for a longer time (PCI is on its way out). But a PCI-E sound card may not have Windows XP drivers.

graphics card isn't too large or expensive (GT620) but I don't know if a PCI card will be too close to it. I should find out soon and will post a picture.

The onboard sound (VIA VT1708S) works, its just that I would like something better.

you could get an USB DAC and use it as sound card.

I don't know, I am not really familiar with them. I do use linux from time to time on the same computer, not sure if the USB sound cards will have trouble with it.

 

[richaron]

I don't know, I am not really familiar with them. I do use linux from time to time on the same computer, not sure if the USB sound cards will have trouble with it.

Any class compliant USB DAC/Interface will work. I'm using one as I type

 

[ironk]

Any class compliant USB DAC/Interface will work. I'm using one as I type

Which one are you using? Link, if you have it please? Does it sound as good as Soundblaster/Audigys at least?

 

[lyssword]

pci-e, and for one reason only: expansion. When you decide to upgrade this aging platform, most of the boards (specially smaller size) won't have normal pci slot anymore, only pci-e, leaving your card useless.

 

[richaron]

Which one are you using? Link, if you have it please? Does it sound as good as Soundblaster/Audigys at least?

I use a Mackie Blackjack. It's a simple analog stereo interface at the lower end of the "prosumer" segment, but has the plugs I wanted for proper mic & speakers. And I like real volume knobs on my desktop.

You probly don't need something like that but USB audio interfaces start pretty cheap (like this one). And a simple "usb DAC" or "usb soundcard" google search will give you heaps of options also. Do your research and/or look for terms like "no drivers required", "plug and play", or "class compliant" to make sure it will work in Linux.

 

[wangotango]

You probly don't need something like that but USB audio interfaces start pretty cheap (like this one). And a simple "usb DAC" or "usb soundcard" google search will give you heaps of options also. Do your research and/or look for terms like "no drivers required", "plug and play", or "class compliant" to make sure it will work in Linux.

That is a slick little unit. Great suggestion.

 

[MongGrel]

I'm weird and bought a PCI adapter to my old PCI-E only P6T7 and use one of these over TOS-Link.

Not recommended I'd guess and would be hard to find the card these days anyways I'd imagine.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829156005

I'm sure if your going that route there are others, I just always loved this card and stole it out of my wifes that was my old gaming computer and stuck it in the main rig again.

The onboard here was almost as good, but it's a old Mobo.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I'm weird and bought a PCI adapter to my old PCI-E only P6T7 and use one of these over TOS-Link.

Not recommended I'd guess and would be hard to find the card these days anyways I'd imagine.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829156005

I'm sure if your going that route there are others, I just always loved this card one and stole it out of my wifes that was my old gaming computer and stuck it in the main rig again.

The onboard here was almost as good, but it's a old Mobo.

That was a good card. It's been my understanding that the HDMI stack for a graphics card output simply sends the signal to an AVR if one had hooked up an AVR to the PC. The point of having a PCI or PCI-E sound-card: you want the similar quality that such a card may provide.

I think it was in '07 that RealTek and Creative teamed up to produce the onboard sound for certain motherboards. I'm pretty satisfied with my ASUS P8Z68-V Pro onboard sound. It's at least 5.1 capable, but I thought it was configurable to 7.1. But since I can switch between the onboard and my AVR through a Media Center plug-in, I've got the best of all of it, or I would think so.

 

[MongGrel]

That was a good card. It's been my understanding that the HDMI stack for a graphics card output simply sends the signal to an AVR if one had hooked up an AVR to the PC. The point of having a PCI or PCI-E sound-card: you want the similar quality that such a card may provide.

I think it was in '07 that RealTek and Creative teamed up to produce the onboard sound for certain motherboards. I'm pretty satisfied with my ASUS P8Z68-V Pro onboard sound. It's at least 5.1 capable, but I thought it was configurable to 7.1. But since I can switch between the onboard and my AVR through a Media Center plug-in, I've got the best of all of it, or I would think so.

Still is :biggrin:

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Still is :biggrin:

I didn't mean it's a "has-been." That was a good card when I first heard about it, and as you say -- likely still is. I think I've got an Audigy ZS [whatever] in my parts locker which preceded the X-Fi. Not as good as the Auzen. I think there was a problem with Win7 drivers -- can't say. Maybe Creative picked up the ball.

Ah! The onboard I have is good enough. I just really hate to take that Audigy to the recyclers. Haven't been found out yet, so I won't be on "Hoarders" next week . . . .

 

[MongGrel]

I didn't mean it's a "has-been." That was a good card when I first heard about it, and as you say -- likely still is. I think I've got an Audigy ZS [whatever] in my parts locker which preceded the X-Fi. Not as good as the Auzen. I think there was a problem with Win7 drivers -- can't say. Maybe Creative picked up the ball.

Ah! The onboard I have is good enough. I just really hate to take that Audigy to the recyclers. Haven't been found out yet, so I won't be on "Hoarders" next week . . . .

I know, sorry, didn't mean it to sound bad.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[tidy]

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[BonzaiDuck]

The ZS has working Windows 7 drivers, I still use mine in my spare PC. What a great card. The Prelude is excellent too, especially compared to their later X-Fi based cards where they seemed to drop the ball. I'm currently looking for a tidy Prelude for my XP build (I bought a Titanium HD for the purpose, not realizing that it was the only X-Fi with no XP drivers). It's a pity that Auzen went under, and that their customers presumably won't be getting any official drivers for upcoming operating systems (I know people like to hang on to sound cards for the long term).

Then I should not worry so much about a spotlight on "Hoarders." What I need to do is look for a slot to use in more than one system!

I had always been wary about using two sound systems at the same time. I never resolved whether there would ever be a problem with the gfx-enabled HDMI and onboard "HD." But there apparently wasn't any, so -- shown in recent posts on the "HTPC" forum -- I've figured out how to use both or switch between them, anyway.

I'd still like to be able to allocate sound sources (i.e., "System," games, HT media) among multiple sound-card or speaker outputs.

Has anyone done something like this with VAC -- "Virtual Audio Cable?" I bought the $25 license; I just need to play with it -- now that I've solved the Media Center problem of easy-switching between audio subsystems.

 

[tidy]

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[EdgeOfDetroit]

Every USB-based audio device I've ever used had extremely dirty sound, where you could hear the pitch of the background noise change every time the hard drive was accessed, the CPU usage changed, a browser window opened or closed, etc. I've always avoided them for this reason, and I'm wary of anything that plugs into USB for power that goes into my ears (I use a separate powered USB hub for these).

 

[ironk]

Every USB-based audio device I've ever used had extremely dirty sound, where you could hear the pitch of the background noise change every time the hard drive was accessed, the CPU usage changed, a browser window opened or closed, etc. I've always avoided them for this reason, and I'm wary of anything that plugs into USB for power that goes into my ears (I use a separate powered USB hub for these).

That is one thing that I was also worried about too.

 

[RampantAndroid]

Every USB-based audio device I've ever used had extremely dirty sound, where you could hear the pitch of the background noise change every time the hard drive was accessed, the CPU usage changed, a browser window opened or closed, etc. I've always avoided them for this reason, and I'm wary of anything that plugs into USB for power that goes into my ears (I use a separate powered USB hub for these).

I built a DAC from AMB labs (a gamma2) and the USB audio is perfectly clean. It's possible to have good USB DACs, but you can't buy bottom of the barrel. The only reason I instead use my DAC in SP/DIF mode is that the USB mode doesn't allow volume control in Windows.

 

[richaron]

Every USB-based audio device I've ever used had extremely dirty sound, where you could hear the pitch of the background noise change every time the hard drive was accessed, the CPU usage changed, a browser window opened or closed, etc. I've always avoided them for this reason, and I'm wary of anything that plugs into USB for power that goes into my ears (I use a separate powered USB hub for these).

Both the DAC and the motherboard have to be decent to avoid the annoying noise floor. The motherboard particularly important to avoid introducing noise from system components. I've even noticed the location of the port has an impact on the noise (only noticeable when cranked up very high).

That being said; any DAC on a mid-high end motherboard should have very little noise.