Overclock.net banner

The Sound Quality Difference is ASTOUNDING!

1K views 39 replies 18 participants last post by  TwoCables 
#1 ·
my creative x-fi titanium fatality card arrived, i just installed it and threw jurrasic park on for sound test in 5.1 in entertainment mode, i can say, i will NEVER use onboard audio again.
 
#3 ·
it sounds like it but i didnt, my pioneer 5.1 is too good to throw away


the highs and lows come through properly now, and thank god for no more sound cut out in games!
 
#6 ·
Quote:


Originally Posted by TwoCables
View Post

I know, but what I'm saying is that this is how I felt when I upgraded: it sounded like I also upgraded to better speakers.

yeah its that feeling...that im finally getting what i paid for when i bought my speakers
 
#7 ·
Quote:


Originally Posted by Strider_2001
View Post

Yeah I want to get a sound card for mine...but I have some crappy 2.1 speakers and would have to upgrade those as well to make it worth it...

a sound card also makes a 2.1 set sound better, my brother found that out, i gave him my old soundblaster LIVE! 5.1 card for his xp system.
 
#8 ·
I actually just got the SAME sound card a few days ago. A lot of people told me there would be zero difference and everything would just be placebo, however, that in no way shape or form is the case. Just listening to music itself is absolutely astounding in entertainment mode. I listened to Aqueous Transmission by Incubus and instantly fell in love with the card.

After messing with a lot of the EQ settings and extra settings you get in the Creative CP, it's really amazing. I haven't tried playing any games with sound yet, I'm going to try BFBC2 tonight.
 
#9 ·
I've been seeing alot of threads like this recently, and it's starting to make me want to entertain a sound card. Years ago, I loved my Sound Blaster Live Platinum over onboard stuff back then, but it's old now. I'm also not sure if it'd be worth it if you don't spend like ~$150 and with the speakers (Logitech Z-2300) and headphone (Sennheiser eH 350) I have.
 
#10 ·
Quote:


Originally Posted by PCSarge
View Post

a sound card also makes a 2.1 set sound better, my brother found that out, i gave him my old soundblaster LIVE! 5.1 card for his xp system.

yeah but these were a $20 pair from walmart that I bought 5 years ago...lol....pretty sure they are the best they are going to sound...

I spend 1000 on my CPU and 750 on my GPU....but cant seem to pull the trigger on about 350 for a good sound set-up.....
 
#11 ·
Quote:


Originally Posted by PCSarge
View Post

yeah its that feeling...that im finally getting what i paid for when i bought my speakers


Yeah! That's how I felt too; as though I was finally hearing the true full potential of my speakers!

If you're anything like I am, then you may still be impressed even more than 3 years later! I upgraded from an Audigy 2 ZS to the X-Fi XtremeGamer on 3/12/08 (the day I finally started using my sig rig), and I'm still impressed to this day - especially when I hear the very satisfying deep low end!
 
#13 ·
Quote:


Originally Posted by E-Peen
View Post

I actually just got the SAME sound card a few days ago. A lot of people told me there would be zero difference and everything would just be placebo, however, that in no way shape or form is the case. Just listening to music itself is absolutely astounding in entertainment mode. I listened to Aqueous Transmission my Incubus and instantly fell in love with the card.

After messing with a lot of the EQ settings and extra settings you get in the Creative CP, it's really amazing. I haven't tried playing any games with sound yet, I'm going to try BFBC2 tonight.

I bet those who were telling you that there would be zero difference either have no experience with sound cards, or have no experience with good sound cards.

Either way, my crappy little Altec Lansing VS4121's sound like 10x better with the XtremeGamer than they did with the Audigy 2 ZS!

So I think that even if someone has $20 speakers from Wal-Mart that it would still be worth it because a good sound card brings the best out of any speakers.
 
#14 ·
I recently received my SoundBlaster X-FI Titanium PCIe. I'll never go back to onboard ever!.

My X-230's have amazed me yet again. I've had it for 6 years already I think.
 
#15 ·
Quote:


Originally Posted by TwoCables
View Post

Yeah! That's how I felt too; as though I was finally hearing the true full potential of my speakers!

If you're anything like I am, then you may still be impressed even more than 3 years later! I upgraded from an Audigy 2 ZS to the X-Fi XtremeGamer on 3/12/08 (the day I finally started using my sig rig), and I'm still impressed to this day - especially when I hear the very satisfying deep low end!

undoubtedly, the card made my highs and mids come to life, and the lows were smooth when the sub kicked in, the onboard misfed the sub with regular output.

listening to the chopper flight into the island on jurrasic park, when the orchestra kicked in for the theme, i literally fell in love, never will i be without a sound card again.

now i just need to get me some real headphones...my old sonys from 21 years ago just bit it, they were from 1980, the era when headphones were quality from sony, even on the low end.
 
#21 ·
Quote:


Originally Posted by WildEast
View Post

Does it make a difference in headphones?

yes it will make a difference
 
#22 ·
Quote:


Originally Posted by WildEast
View Post

Does it make a difference in headphones?

If you set your settings to 44100KHz bit-matched stereo playback, which you should for headphones, then no. It won't make a difference. I don't know about other set ups.
 
#26 ·
Quote:


Originally Posted by Iceman23
View Post

What are you saying? That a soundcard won't make a difference?

Yep, with that specific set up, my realtek alc889 hasn't been beaten by any sound card. The best way to "upgrade" the sound with my set up has been to get better headphones. Anyway, there are a lot of different audio set ups you can have, and maybe a sound card would work for those, but for stereo headphones, no. That goes for music and movies. For gaming I'm not sure yet; I'd have to dig up some facts on hardware channels/hardware mixing.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top