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Sound for my pc

M

Master Chief

Member
I use my desktop mostly for watching movies and listening to music so good quality sound is a must. My question is, what is more important, a quality soundcard or quality speakers? I dont have money to get both right now, but if I were to get one or the other, which one is more important?
 
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
If you like them, why are you getting new ones?
Click to expand...


I didnt say I'm getting new ones, I said which is better to improve on, my speakers or soundcard. I personally think the soundcard but I'm not sure.
 
soundcard seems pretty decent. what don't you like about your setup? i would go with new speakers if you don't like something.
 
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Here is my soundcard

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/
Click to expand...

wow you bought a $200 sound card for $50 speakers. as for the sound card. it is still pretty good. best for music and slighly worse for game(no EAX support right?). it is stilla great sound card with better sound quality thnan the audigy2 probably. if you want better sq, get yourself some better speakers.(the santa cruz/crystal dynamics chip is very good as it is)
 
Originally posted by: minofifa
soundcard seems pretty decent. what don't you like about your setup? i would go with new speakers if you don't like something.
Click to expand...


Any speakers in the market right now around $100 that would be better then the ones that I have?
 
I'm no expert on sound cards, but it looks like you got some cheap speakers to go with your nice soundcard. 🙂

I see a lot of gamers and people who like to watch movies with their pc with $200-$400 sets of speakers to go along with their system (and usually only have on-board sound).

If you're really into audio, get some nice speakers with a digital input like these: http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/produ...details/CA/EN,CRID=2177,CONTENTID=9486

But of course I recommend reading some reviews and shopping around, too 🙂
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Here is my soundcard

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/
Click to expand...

wow you bought a $200 sound card for $50 speakers. as for the sound card. it is still pretty good. best for music and slighly worse for game(no EAX support right?). it is stilla great sound card with better sound quality thnan the audigy2 probably. if you want better sq, get yourself some better speakers.(the santa cruz/crystal dynamics chip is very good as it is)
Click to expand...


Soundcard was given to me by my brother, I didnt buy it. He upgraded his system and gave me his soundcard
 
Originally posted by: Kogan
I'm no expert on sound cards, but it looks like you got some cheap speakers to go with your nice soundcard. 🙂

I see a lot of gamers and people who like to watch movies with their pc with $200-$400 sets of speakers to go along with their system (and usually only have on-board sound).

If you're really into audio, get some nice speakers with a digital input like these: http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/produ...details/CA/EN,CRID=2177,CONTENTID=9486

But of course I recommend reading some reviews and shopping around, too 🙂
Click to expand...


See, my problem is I want to spend about $100 max, I mean I dont want to, but thats all I have to spend right now.
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Here is my soundcard

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/
Click to expand...

wow you bought a $200 sound card for $50 speakers. as for the sound card. it is still pretty good. best for music and slighly worse for game(no EAX support right?). it is stilla great sound card with better sound quality thnan the audigy2 probably. if you want better sq, get yourself some better speakers.(the santa cruz/crystal dynamics chip is very good as it is)
Click to expand...


So my current soundcard is better then the Soundblaster Extigy???
 
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Here is my soundcard

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/
Click to expand...

wow you bought a $200 sound card for $50 speakers. as for the sound card. it is still pretty good. best for music and slighly worse for game(no EAX support right?). it is stilla great sound card with better sound quality thnan the audigy2 probably. if you want better sq, get yourself some better speakers.(the santa cruz/crystal dynamics chip is very good as it is)
Click to expand...


So my current soundcard is better then the Soundblaster Extigy???
Click to expand...

the entire SB line is good, but tends to over warm(bass) music and slightly distorts it. while it is better for effects and explosions, it is no as good for music which is preferably for most to be as pure(flat eq wise) as possibvle so it sounds as close as to original recording as possible. Both have their pros and cons(audigy/extigy supports more codecs like EAX2, while the Crystal Dynamics offers a more flat sound.)
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Here is my soundcard

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/
Click to expand...

wow you bought a $200 sound card for $50 speakers. as for the sound card. it is still pretty good. best for music and slighly worse for game(no EAX support right?). it is stilla great sound card with better sound quality thnan the audigy2 probably. if you want better sq, get yourself some better speakers.(the santa cruz/crystal dynamics chip is very good as it is)
Click to expand...


So my current soundcard is better then the Soundblaster Extigy???
Click to expand...

the entire SB line is good, but tends to over warm(bass) music and slightly distorts it. while it is better for effects and explosions, it is no as good for music which is preferably for most to be as pure(flat eq wise) as possibvle so it sounds as close as to original recording as possible. Both have their pros and cons(audigy/extigy supports more codecs like EAX2, while the Crystal Dynamics offers a more flat sound.)
Click to expand...


Thanks, that helps
 
Nothin' wrong w/ your soundcard - so opt for the speakers (IMO)

I'd go for: Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 - great frequency response (31Hz - 20kHz), excellent efficiency rating (106dB) and a small footprint. - they typically go for $150 or so but in 2 weeks time you'll recover from the extra $50 bucks you paid and be stuck w/ a really nice 3-piece speaker system.

 
Originally posted by: ValuedCustomer
Nothin' wrong w/ your soundcard - so opt for the speakers (IMO)

I'd go for: Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 - great frequency response (31Hz - 20kHz), excellent efficiency rating (106dB) and a small footprint. - they typically go for $150 or so but in 2 weeks time you'll recover from the extra $50 bucks you paid and be stuck w/ a really nice 3-piece speaker system.
Click to expand...


Hmmm, just checked out some reviews and I like them, thanks, I think I'll look into them.
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Here is my soundcard

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/
Click to expand...

wow you bought a $200 sound card for $50 speakers. as for the sound card. it is still pretty good. best for music and slighly worse for game(no EAX support right?). it is stilla great sound card with better sound quality thnan the audigy2 probably. if you want better sq, get yourself some better speakers.(the santa cruz/crystal dynamics chip is very good as it is)
Click to expand...

That sound card sold for around $150, four years ago.

This PC World article reviews the Hercules vs. the Sould Blaster Live.

I would get a new sound card. Audigy 2 ZS Platinum
 
Originally posted by: Jakebrake
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Here is my soundcard

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/
Click to expand...

wow you bought a $200 sound card for $50 speakers. as for the sound card. it is still pretty good. best for music and slighly worse for game(no EAX support right?). it is stilla great sound card with better sound quality thnan the audigy2 probably. if you want better sq, get yourself some better speakers.(the santa cruz/crystal dynamics chip is very good as it is)
Click to expand...

That sound card sold for around $150, four years ago.

This PC World article reviews the Hercules vs. the Sould Blaster Live.

I would get a new sound card. Audigy 2 ZS Platinum
Click to expand...


My bro has that card and he likes it, but I cant afford it, thats why I was looking into the Extigy.
 
If you're wanting to spend around $100 I suggest going with Logitech's z-2300. It's a 2.1 setup that really kicks the hell out of a lot of competing products for the price.

You can usually get them for right around $100 from Dell with an E&A (Electronics & Accessories) coupon when they're simlutaneously running a free shipping promotion. I think they are $120 right now without a coupon. Amazon's price on these fluctuates a lot - you might be able to find them for a little over $100 shipped there as well.

Check cnet.com for reviews. All in all these speakers are very much worth it for your stated purposes.
 
Originally posted by: Jakebrake
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Here is my soundcard

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/
Click to expand...

wow you bought a $200 sound card for $50 speakers. as for the sound card. it is still pretty good. best for music and slighly worse for game(no EAX support right?). it is stilla great sound card with better sound quality thnan the audigy2 probably. if you want better sq, get yourself some better speakers.(the santa cruz/crystal dynamics chip is very good as it is)
Click to expand...

That sound card sold for around $150, four years ago.

This PC World article reviews the Hercules vs. the Sould Blaster Live.

I would get a new sound card. Audigy 2 ZS Platinum
Click to expand...

please, no offense but never link to a PC world or PC Mag review. if you actually read the review, it was completely owrthless .they complained about how it had 2 internal audio connections and then said get an audigy. Basically it tells you tol buy a sound card without even listening to it's sound quality or any sort of qualitative testing at all. do you buy a car just because of a spec sheet? do you decide to marry a woman just based on her physical measurements? as with everything, the crystal dynamics chip is different from the creative chip and there are intangibles that vault the crystal dynamics chip ahead in pure sound quality(hence why most audiophiles hate bose and many the audigy line for pure music).

edit:
found a review for lower priced 5.1 speaker sets here

this should also prove quite useful

review of creative speakers for around $100
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Jakebrake
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: Master Chief
Here is my soundcard

http://www.digit-life.com/articles/herculesgametheaterxp/
Click to expand...

wow you bought a $200 sound card for $50 speakers. as for the sound card. it is still pretty good. best for music and slighly worse for game(no EAX support right?). it is stilla great sound card with better sound quality thnan the audigy2 probably. if you want better sq, get yourself some better speakers.(the santa cruz/crystal dynamics chip is very good as it is)
Click to expand...

That sound card sold for around $150, four years ago.

This PC World article reviews the Hercules vs. the Sould Blaster Live.

I would get a new sound card. Audigy 2 ZS Platinum
Click to expand...

please, no offense but never link to a PC world or PC Mag review. if you actually read the review, it was completely owrthless .they complained about how it had 2 internal audio connections and then said get an audigy. Basically it tells you tol buy a sound card without even listening to it's sound quality or any sort of qualitative testing at all. do you buy a car just because of a spec sheet? do you decide to marry a woman just based on her physical measurements? as with everything, the crystal dynamics chip is different from the creative chip and there are intangibles that vault the crystal dynamics chip ahead in pure sound quality(hence why most audiophiles hate bose and many the audigy line for pure music).

edit:
found a review for lower priced 5.1 speaker sets here

this should also prove quite useful

review of creative speakers for around $100
Click to expand...


Thanks!!! 🙂
 
IMHO, dollar-for-dollar speakers are a much better investment than a soundcard, especially on a budget.

Good soundcard + crappy speakers = crappy sound
OK soundcard + good speakers = good sound

I use onboard sound, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but even back when I did buy soundcards, every upgrade felt like a waste of money. Upgraded speakers, however, were worth every penny.
 
Originally posted by: Micah
IMHO, dollar-for-dollar speakers are a much better investment than a soundcard, especially on a budget.

Good soundcard + crappy speakers = crappy sound
OK soundcard + good speakers = good sound

I use onboard sound, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but even back when I did buy soundcards, every upgrade felt like a waste of money. Upgraded speakers, however, were worth every penny.
Click to expand...


Ya, I think I'm going to look into some speakers rather then a soundcard. When I get some more cash, I might look into a soundcard then.
 
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