sound card... worth it?

[BlazinGarf]

i was looking into something like this...

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4031619

i just need something to hear with.. and it seems good, it comes with like 5 games... but a question, do i need like crazy good computer speakers for those?? or can i connect my radio to it thru line-out/aux?

 

[Swanny]

If you just need something to hear with then use onboard audio on your motherboard. The Creative cards are mostly for gamers who want to take advantage of EAX surround sound. And, of course, good speakers bring out the good in good cards and the bad in bad cards.

 

[BlazinGarf]

im having problems with my onboard audio so i deceided to pick up a sound card

 

[ts3433]

I agree with the above, but I found an increase in quality dumping my onboard sound for a cheap, $20 Chaintech AV710. No more weird noise in the background when nothing was playing through my headphones, and quality is much better (you can really hear the difference with slightly expensive stuff like my Sennheiser PX100s).

It's $20, but definitely good enough for me. I'd recommend it.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

You should be able to connect a radio to the line-in on the card from a 1/8" output or dual RCA output with an adapter from the radio.

What kind of speakers do you have? It might not be worth it to get something this expensive if your speakers are going to be a major bottleneck in performance.

 

[BlazinGarf]

some old panasonic speakers that came with the radio.... the only reason why i was looking into a sound card is because i cant get my onboard audio to work... with the radio OR sum dell speakers i have

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Was your onboard sound working and then it stopped or did it never work?

What did you try already to get it to work?

 

[BlazinGarf]

i tired just about everything... it never worked

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Like it's enabled in BIOS and drivers are right, and if your motherboard has jumpers for enabling it, etc?

(just want to make sure)

For your speakers are they all 2.0 or 2.1?

Chaintech AV-710 that ts3433 mentioned is a nice stereo card for music and works for games too.

 

[BlazinGarf]

i dont kno about the jumpers or about the 2.0 or 2.1...... but my mother board is chaintech vnf4/ultra

 

[sandeep108]

I think the nf4 ultras have pretty decent on board sound actually.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: BlazinGarf
i dont kno about the jumpers or about the 2.0 or 2.1...... but my mother board is chaintech vnf4/ultra

Some boards have jumpers that you set to select whether it's in front panel audio mode or standard rear output mode. Your motherboard should have a diagram to show where jumpers go if that's an option.

How many speakers are you planning on hooking up?
If it's stereo or 2.1, then the Chaintech would be a good choice.
If you're hooking up surround sound, then it's not so good a choice.

 

[CrispyFried]

have you tried plugging headphones into the onboard jacks? Maybe its the dell speakers or your radio (or cables) that are borked, not the on board sound?

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: BlazinGarf
i dont kno about the jumpers or about the 2.0 or 2.1...... but my mother board is chaintech vnf4/ultra

Some boards have jumpers that you set to select whether it's in front panel audio mode or standard rear output mode. Your motherboard should have a diagram to show where jumpers go if that's an option.

How many speakers are you planning on hooking up?
If it's stereo or 2.1, then the Chaintech would be a good choice.
If you're hooking up surround sound, then it's not so good a choice.

Yeah.

He may be much better off getting a chaintech, then some new speakers.