Sound Card

[Dolby]

I'm currently using my onboard sound and decided recently to upgrade my speakers to Logitech Z-2300 which seem to have gt great reviews.

But - how badly would quality be compromised by using the standard, cheap onboard green output plug?

 

[Keeper]

IMHO Sound cards have met their match in terms of quality to onboard. who buys these things nowadays?

however, i still prefer using my old trusty SB Live!

I don't think it will have much of a difference, only on performance, and maybe a *little* if you're a sound quality freak.

 

[Grimspoon]

I was wondering the same thing, I have High Definition Audio (8-channel) sound and an old SB! Live lying around...I have been pondering for some time now if it is worth putting the SB in....Personally I think onboard sound now days is very capable of doing what separate sound cards can do, I think that is assuming you have bought a decent Mobo

 

[Dolby]

And connections ... ? Don't higher end sound cards have actually analogue outputs as opposed to the minijack?

 

[Grimspoon]

And connections ... ? Don't higher end sound cards have actually analogue outputs as opposed to the minijack?

Not sure about that, all I know is my onboard has a digital line out, where as my SB doesnt'.

 

[OneEyedWelshman]

I used to have the Creative Audigy and i couldn't hear the difference when listening to music or watching movies. Although it enabled EAX® ADVANCED HD Effects in games. But i found this extremely irritating since it pretty much made everything resonate and gave an echo to speech. I had to turn up the speech volume and lower the sound effects and music to hear what a character was saying. I eventually just turned off the the EAX Advanced Effects. And a while after that i sold the card.

 

[Pooky]

Ya nowadays I don't think it makes much of a difference for eg. listening to music. I think where it matters is where you get to high end audio editing/sampling etc.

BTW, nice buy!

 

[Grouter]

Having a sound card installed frees up cpu cycles to do other stuff.

My onboard 5.1 sounds rubbish over my Logitech Z680's. Through my Audigy they sound brilliant. My 2 cents.

 

[flarkit]

For movies and general music, onboard is fine. For gaming and higher-quality music, I recommend an Audigy or X-Fi.