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Would a sound card be ftw or not?

782 Views 23 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  BADFASTBUSA, 
BADFASTBUSA
i have 7.1 onboard audio with my asus m3a79-t mobo right now and with todays purchase of my new razer carcharias headphones everything sounds really nice and i am extreamly happy with my purchase (but that is another thread all together), but i am wondering if there is any real world difference between what i am using now and a dedicated sound card and which one should i purchase to go with my setup if so?

BTW, i am strictly a gamer first and then music quality etc next.
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spaceballsrules
Quote:

Originally Posted by BADFASTBUSA View Post
i have 7.1 onboard audio with my asus m3a79-t mobo right now and with todays purchase of my new razer carcharias headphones everything sounds really nice and i am extreamly happy with my purchase (but that is another thread all together), but i am wondering if there is any real world difference between what i am using now and a dedicated sound card and which one should i purchase to go with my setup if so?

BTW, i am strictly a gamer first and then music quality etc next.
You answered your own question. If you are happy with the onboard sound, there is no need for you to spend money on a dedicated sound card.
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BADFASTBUSA
Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceballsrules View Post
You answered your own question. If you are happy with the onboard sound, there is no need for you to spend money on a dedicated sound card.
i also had a amd 9850 with a 8800gt graphics card that worked fine but my new amd 940 with my 4870x2 works sooooo much better, this is what i am getting at, would it be a noticable difference or not?
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XeRion
There is a big quality difference that you would never even know your speakers were capable of outputting. Its kind of like internet once you have say 10 Mb/s down, you just cant go back to dialup
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T
with vista, you dont get hardware acceleration anyway, everything is done software, so CPU useage isnt affected and with a quad core I wouldn't worry about CPU anyway. On board has caught up to gaming sound cards, where no where near the 400+ sound cards, but unless your doing professional audio recording and sampling you dont need that kind of equipment
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C
2
+5 fps?

Not guaranteed of course but I got an average +5fps in the few games I do play. Sound is nicer but playing mp3's out of $30 speakers isn't exactly godlike
Thankfully I've moved on to flac and I'm planning on 5.1 in the future.
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BADFASTBUSA
Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSandman View Post
with vista, you dont get hardware acceleration anyway, everything is done software, so CPU useage isnt affected and with a quad core I wouldn't worry about CPU anyway. On board has caught up to gaming sound cards, where no where near the 400+ sound cards, but unless your doing professional audio recording and sampling you dont need that kind of equipment
im using xp pro until win7 offically comes out.
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K
Onboard hasn't even scraped a Audigy. If you want better sound, get at least an X-Fi card. And not the Xtreme Audio.
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sgdude
i like my sound card and it was dirt cheap u can find what i have used for like $15 and i think it sounds better out of my cheap speakers. But its subjective.
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BADFASTBUSA
i was looking at the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional, and wondering if this one would be a good enough on for me to really tell a difference between onboard and dedicated sound. What do you guys think, or would you recommend something else?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102019
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sgdude
Quote:

Originally Posted by BADFASTBUSA View Post
i was looking at the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional, and wondering if this one would be a good enough on for me to really tell a difference between onboard and dedicated sound. What do you guys think, or would you recommend something else?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102019
go to creatives website their refubs are dirt cheap with the X-fis ranging from $45-$80.
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C
If you're not a hardcore audiophile (is that repetitive?), get an XtremeMusic. Best bang for your buck at $40 used after shipping. $45 refub pre-shipping isn't too bad either.
http://us.creative.com/products/prod...&product=16069
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xxicrimsonixx
Honestly, this is personal preference. IMO, I am perfectly happy to run with on board sound, cause all i like is listening to music, and as long as it is going, and there is no static, I am happy.

If you want crazy sound. then go for it.
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homestyle
Quote:


Originally Posted by xxicrimsonixx
View Post

Honestly, this is personal preference. IMO, I am perfectly happy to run with on board sound, cause all i like is listening to music, and as long as it is going, and there is no static, I am happy.

If you want crazy sound. then go for it.

Have you heard your speakers or headphones through a nice quality dedicated sound card?

I've always thought integrated sound was fine until I first heard music or games through my current sound card. NO WAY am I going back to onboard sound.

Onboard sound and sound cards are like night and day on 2 different planets.
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spaceballsrules
Quote:


Originally Posted by crashnburn_819
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If you're not a hardcore audiophile (is that repetitive?), get an XtremeMusic. Best bang for your buck at $40 used after shipping. $45 refub pre-shipping isn't too bad either.
http://us.creative.com/products/prod...&product=16069

+1
I like this card.
Did you want a PCI or PCI-E, or either?
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2
Quote:


Originally Posted by homestyle
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Have you heard your speakers or headphones through a nice quality dedicated sound card?

I've always thought dedicated sound was fine until I first heard music or games through my current sound card. NO WAY am I going back to onboard sound.

Dedicated sound and sound cards are like night and day on 2 different planets.

You mean integrated?
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BADFASTBUSA
I think i would need a pcie for my board but every one i look at don't have the long row of pins, its like 3 little rows or something to hook to the mobo... Maybe it don't go all the way accross like a graphics card does... Anyone want to chime in on this?

Here is my mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131339
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The_Rocker
Quote:


Originally Posted by BADFASTBUSA
View Post

I think i would need a pcie for my board but every one i look at don't have the long row of pins, its like 3 little rows or something to hook to the mobo... Maybe it don't go all the way accross like a graphics card does... Anyone want to chime in on this?

Here is my mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131339

You can have either a PCI-E or PCI sound card and I reccomend any from the ASUS Xonar range of cards.
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spaceballsrules
Quote:


Originally Posted by BADFASTBUSA
View Post

I think i would need a pcie for my board but every one i look at don't have the long row of pins, its like 3 little rows or something to hook to the mobo... Maybe it don't go all the way accross like a graphics card does... Anyone want to chime in on this?

Here is my mobo:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131339

You can use the PCI-E (x1 or x4) sound cards in any of your PCI-E x16 slots.
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T
Quote:


Originally Posted by Kamikaze127
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Onboard hasn't even scraped a Audigy. If you want better sound, get at least an X-Fi card. And not the Xtreme Audio.

i disagree, I pulled my Audigy2 out for the onbaord, the audigy 2 went into my P3 with my 6800GT

heck if you really want a SC you can buy mine i dont need it
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