Sound in a Desktop

[sayyd]

Just a heads-up, it's a pretty stupid question.
I'm building a desktop so I won't have to play StarCraft 2 with 0 FPs on my bloody laptop, and I've come across an issue. Having had a (terrible) laptop for the past 2 years, and an HP Desktop before that (that same desktop had an integrated sound system on the back of the screen), I haven't been in touch with the way we "get sound", since the computer I had before those 2 was from 1995 and had speakers. I'd like to know how am I supposed to (once again) "get sound" on my desktop. If you want the specs of the build just ask.

 

[corkyg]

Desktop sound can be had one of two ways. 1. Use the internal audio system and connect to the ports on the mobo backplane. 2. Insert a soundcard and connect to its ports. Unless you are using top quality audiophile transducers, the on-board sound should suffice when connected to computer quality speakers.

 

[Thump553]

I'm reasonably audiophile and the modern (last five years at least) motherboard based soundchips are sufficient for 99.5% of us. The real issue is what you will play the sound over. The three choices are: (1) headphones, (2) connect to a home stereo/home theater and use those speakers (pretty simple to do) or (3) the traditional powered speakers. For powered speakers, keep an eye on the various Hot Deal forums and/or check out Logitech's dented box sales at http://www.logitech.com/en-us/promotional-items

BTW I've bought a couple of the Logitech dented box items-all have been perfect-I don't even recall if the boxes were dented.

 

[sayyd]

Desktop sound can be had one of two ways. 1. Use the internal audio system and connect to the ports on the mobo backplane. 2. Insert a soundcard and connect to its ports. Unless you are using top quality audiophile transducers, the on-board sound should suffice when connected to computer quality speakers.

I vaguely understood how the motherboard sound works, but my doubt continues to be where does the sound come from, what output device produces the sound waves for me to hear?

 

[corkyg]

The sound originally comes from the source program. That digital data is then converted by the on board or attached audio controilers to a signal that can be processed by the transducers attached, Transducers is a term used to describe the audio pre-amp and amplifier to an attached set of speakers or headphones. That, in effect is a digital to analog process - your ears perceive the product of that process. You ask a good question, but it is somewhat analogous to "where does life begin?"

 

[vbuggy]

I vaguely understood how the motherboard sound works, but my doubt continues to be where does the sound come from, what output device produces the sound waves for me to hear?

Same as on a laptop. There's usually one chip that handles it all (the audio that is). The only thing that wouldn't be wired on a desktop that would be on a laptop is the amplified speaker out (the chips even contain a low-power amplifier to drive small speakers).

If you just want to get CLEAN very high quality sound (as Thump says, mobo audio is mostly pretty decent these days even for semi-discerning types), move it out of the computer. Look towards pro audio interfaces. As far as gaming audio, etc goes - what ships with a current mobo should be just fine.