SoundCard.. Onboard vs card

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roddyp

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Hi,

I was wondering if its worth it upgrading my sound card?

I've got a fairly decent machine with a GA-P35-DS3L gigabyte mobo. I'm currently using the onboard soundcard (8 channel Highdefinition etc), but was wondering if it would be worthwhile upgrading to an Audigy or Creative® Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeAudio (With 6 Channel, EAX AHD 5)

I'm using a 2.1 speaker system and my machine is for gaming only.

Any advice?
 
If you use a 2.1 speaker system then there won't be a benefit unless you want proper EAX but the ExtremeAudio and Audigy Value are horrible and don't do hardware EAX.
If you really want to go Xfi then choose the extremegamer.

The xtremeaudio card is not an Xfi card btw, creative are ripping off the uninformed with that branding.
 
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+1

Although I'd look at Xonar DX... Their GX2.0 is very near EAX. Beaides in Vista it doesn't count...

Addin card only make a difference if youre inerested in SNR ratios. There tons of electrical interference on onboard soundcards...

Besides, the Xonars are awesome quality.... I know I own the D2/PM.

The DX is also pci-x so you can use that slot now (and save a pci slot)...
 
iDenTiTy_CRiSiS said:
+1

Although I'd look at Xonar DX... Their GX2.0 is very near EAX. Beaides in Vista it doesn't count...

Addin card only make a difference if youre inerested in SNR ratios. There tons of electrical interference on onboard soundcards...

Besides, the Xonars are awesome quality.... I know I own the D2/PM.

The DX is also pci-x so you can use that slot now (and save a pci slot)...
Click to expand...

+1
I also recommend the DX as a good value gaming alternative to the Xfi.

I game with my Xonar D2 using Dolby digital live and still enjoy good frame rates.
 
Buy biltong, will be of much more worth to you.

Creative® Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeAudio = lots of biltong.
 
Identity Crisis .. just a word of caution on the Xonar cards, I tried one earlier this year and kept getting sound stuttering in BF2, it turns out the EAX is software implemented so if you enable hardware audio in games you're in for a shock. I eventually turfed the Xonar and went with Xifi extremegamer.
 
Sabre said:
Identity Crisis .. just a word of caution on the Xonar cards, I tried one earlier this year and kept getting sound stuttering in BF2, it turns out the EAX is software implemented so if you enable hardware audio in games you're in for a shock. I eventually turfed the Xonar and went with Xifi extremegamer.
Click to expand...

I got D2X, new driver is much better and I don't have any problem in games like Crysis/UT3.

I would highly recommend Xonar cards to people who wants a card with well balanced performance in Music/Games/Movies.

But you need to get a decent speaker set to enjoy, I have noticed such a big difference between my onboard ALC 899A (GA-EP35-DS3R) and Xonar D2X.
 
Sabre said:
Identity Crisis .. just a word of caution on the Xonar cards, I tried one earlier this year and kept getting sound stuttering in BF2, it turns out the EAX is software implemented so if you enable hardware audio in games you're in for a shock. I eventually turfed the Xonar and went with Xifi extremegamer.
Click to expand...

That is true, the EAX on an asus card is not a 1:1 implementation of Creative's EAX, it is a mix of CPU and Soundcard decoding but the latest drivers keeps improving the EAX implementation.

You should enable DS3D GX on the ASUS card to take advantage of it.

Edit:
I'm speaking of EAX 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, EAX 1 and 2 should be exactly the same as Creative's, although I am disappointed that Asus advertise their cards as EAX 5.0 yet are not true EAX 5 cards, I was fooled by this too and only found out later.
 
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Dobee said:
That is true, the EAX on an asus card is not a 1:1 implementation of Creative's EAX, it is a mix of CPU and Soundcard decoding but the latest drivers keeps improving the EAX implementation.

You should enable DS3D GX on the ASUS card to take advantage of it.

Edit:
I'm speaking of EAX 3.0 and 5.0, EAX 1 and 2 should be exactly the same as Creative's.
Click to expand...

How do you enable DDL? Need speakers which support or decoder?
 
cyberarmy said:
How do you enable DDL? Need speakers which support or decoder?
Click to expand...

Yes, you need speakers that will recognise/decode the signal...

By using the xonar lcd control panel, under spdif I select dolby digital and my creative speaker decoder box shows it is using dolby digital.
I can also do DTS :D
 
Dobee said:
Yes, you need speakers that will recognise/decode the signal...

By using the xonar lcd control panel, under spdif I select dolby digital and my creative speaker decoder box shows it is using dolby digital.
I can also do DTS :D
Click to expand...

DTT 100? I wonder where can I buy a stand alone box without getting the set.
 
cyberarmy said:
DTT 100? I wonder where can I buy a stand alone box without getting the set.
Click to expand...

I got the (not that expensive) Creative GD580's...

Thing is I only tested the dolby digital on XP playing half-life2(oldie but goodie) so far and cant really say whether or not dolby digital will make a difference to the sound or not, I used my headphones with dolby headphone enabled at one stage which made a noticeable difference to normal headphone mode though.

Edit:
DTT 100? :confused:
 
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pjoub06 said:
Would it make my sound significantly better? Logitech z-5500, onboard 8ch Hi def
Click to expand...

Only if you have a really good ear would it be very noticable but I would choose either a Xonar D2 or Creative Xfi Xtremegamer if you want to make the most of your speakers.(I'm biased towards the ASUS though since I have one and don't like the way creative have been treating their customers lately)
 
My bro has the exrememusic.

He likes my D2 more. :D

I have NO probs in BF2 - with the EAX5 setting on...

The Xonars also have full 192 in 7.1 No X-Fi can do that !!!!

Just remember: The DX, D2X are both pci-ex. Only the D2 is PCI.

The DX can also connect to the front panel.

But the D2 and D2X have the higher quality DACs and OPAMPs.

The truth lies in the price....
 
Dobee said:
I got the (not that expensive) Creative GD580's...

Thing is I only tested the dolby digital on XP playing half-life2(oldie but goodie) so far and cant really say whether or not dolby digital will make a difference to the sound or not, I used my headphones with dolby headphone enabled at one stage which made a noticeable difference to normal headphone mode though.

Edit:
DTT 100? :confused:
Click to expand...

DTTS-100 Decoder, the one came with your speakers.
 
iDenTiTy_CRiSiS said:
My bro has the exrememusic.

He likes my D2 more. :D

I have NO probs in BF2 - with the EAX5 setting on...

The Xonars also have full 192 in 7.1 No X-Fi can do that !!!!

Just remember: The DX, D2X are both pci-ex. Only the D2 is PCI.

The DX can also connect to the front panel.

But the D2 and D2X have the higher quality DACs and OPAMPs.

The truth lies in the price....
Click to expand...

DX is for people with HTPC, who needs a low profile but Hi-Fidelity sound card. :D
 
cyberarmy said:
DTTS-100 Decoder, the one came with your speakers.
Click to expand...

Oh yes that's correct...

Edit:
I'm amazed at how radically different the ASUS soundcard sounds on XP compared to Vista, Dolby Digital sounds much better on XP when playing stereo tracks... Microsoft should have kept directsound in Vista IMHO
 
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