Sound Card Advice

[MrFahrenheit]

Hello, first time poster,

So, I need some tech advice. I'm really not in the know at all when it comes to sound cards; I'm an onboard kinda guy. However, my dad's a real music nut, and he constantly spends time on his computer listening to loud rock, but he's got these cheapo speakers, so I thought I'd get him a speaker/sound card combo for Christmas.

Now, I've got the speakers picked out (Logitech X-530, 5 speaker, woofer), but he needs a sound card. I simply can't let him use these speakers with onboard on his old DFI, PIII 733mhz computer. I can't. That would be a crime.

So, I come here for help. My budget is set at a max. of $50 for the card, and I'd really like to keep it from sucking away his CPU power that he so desperately needs to run XP.

So... Yes. Any advice would be simply awesome. Thanks.

-MrF

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Welcome to AT.

Does he just listen to music or does he do movies/games too?

If just music (which is a stereo source unless he does DVD-A and such), a 2.0 or 2.1 set might be a better choice.

Going along the lines of just music, a Chaintech AV-710 will offer very good analog output if you configure it to use the 7/8 jack that has a very nice DAC.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=292003

At $26, this would allow you to put some more money into the speakers.

A used set of Klipsch Promedias would be an excellent choice if you can find a set of ebay.

Examples:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Klipsch-ProMedia-2-...04QQcategoryZ94906QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Klipsch-Promedia-2-...04QQcategoryZ14991QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[imported_RedStar]

"Logitech X-530, 5 speaker, woofer"

i just saw those on sale (60$) at canadacomputers today and am going to buy them tomorrow.

i have the x-fi xtrememusic. got it for 50$ cdn ..2 months ago. I have not seen the same sale since. Perhaps on boxing day!