Sound Card Recommendations

**Trajan** · July 18, 2006, 11:28 PM

Can any of you guys give me some recommendations on sound cards? Here's my specs:

Intel Pent. 4 Processor 540 w/ HT 3.20GHz
Intel 915G Chipset
Win XP Home Edition SP2
2 GB DDR SDRAM Dual Channel
GF 7900GT 256MB
200 GB SATA 7200 RPM HD
Antec 480w PSU
Realtek HD Audio 880/860

I'm looking for a high end sound card that will go well with my setup and that's not $200 or more. A sound card that will go very well with games like Oblivion and future games like MTW2.

**Handsome Huss** · July 18, 2006, 11:40 PM

Well, Im not a tech kind of person at all, so, take my 2 cents however you want them. From experience, the best soundcard is....the stock one that usually comes with the PCs...The integrated cards. Unless you actually have a specific problem with the integrated cards, or need a higher end card for a specific reason...There's no need to get one. As far as sound goes, your soundcard will not make much of a difference. Speakers, are another story, but soundcards...not so much. I remember spending $200 on my last computer for a soundcard, in the end, the sound quality was worse than the regular integrated card. Was the Soundblaster Audigy ZS 2 or some such...If you have to buy one, dont buy that one.

With that in mind, I wouldnt tell anybody to buy the cheapest crap they can find, but, the medium to high-end cards dont have much of a noticeable difference. As I said, only if you have a specific need. So, just buy something for a decent price, an average card...High end, is just so, unnecessary.

If you must go High-end though, all I'd like to say is get whatever is compatible with the most things.

**Trajan** · July 18, 2006, 11:48 PM

Thanks for the input man. The reason why I want to buy a sound card is because the game Oblivion hates integrated sound cards and because of that, I get a lot of sound glitches in many places in that game. What you said is really making me think if I should spend over a hundred dollars or more just for one game.

**Timmius** · July 19, 2006, 03:17 AM

I really disagree with Handsome Huss. There are some integrated sound cards that produce nice sounds, but most of them don't. Just get a Soundblaster Live or perhaps an Audigy. They have way better sound than integrated soundcards and don't cost too much. Shoukld be enough for any game.

**Trajan** · July 19, 2006, 07:30 AM

Soundblaster Live or Audigy uh? Ok, I'll look those up. Thanks

Edit: What do you guys think of the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 4?

**Timmius** · July 19, 2006, 07:57 AM

If you are going to spend that much on a soundcard, I'd say go for the Soundblaster X-fi. Just look at some of the comments below. And if not convinced, look up some reviews

But to be honest I would Go to a store and ask for a demonstration to hear the difference between an onboard, SB Live!, and X-fi. I'm not really a music critic, but a friend of mine is, and he's currently very happy with his SB Live!

**Proximus** · July 19, 2006, 10:41 AM

A friend of mine has the Audigy 4, I think it' sounds really good. If you wait a couple of days I can tell you my first hand expierences of theX-fi, my last soundcard died on me and I saw an X-fi on sale and thought "what-theheck"

**Trajan** · July 19, 2006, 05:02 PM

:hmmm: I might just go for the Soundblaster X-fi. I think I will go down to my local Circuit City and hear the difference between the X-fi and the others.

**Evariste** · July 21, 2006, 12:34 AM

Another thing to consider is general sound recording capabilites. I've got an integrated sound card, and you wouldn't believe all the limitations that I have to deal with, and hoops that I have to jump through because of it. Recording the podcast is much more tedious than it needs to be. Also, integrated sound cards rarely update their drivers.

I'd look to spend from 70 to 120 for a good sound card. If you want the best of the best, just get the newest Creative sound card. If you're looking to get pretty much the same thing, but with a few less features that you probably won't use anyway, get the second newest Creative sound card. That's a good rule of thumb.

**General Sun** · July 24, 2006, 09:48 PM

Intergrated Sounds are like Intergrated Graphics. It significantly slows down gameplay, especially on lower end computers. Always get a sound card, and as said above, too good of a sound card probably isn't neccessary unless you're a music nut, but a decent one is a good idea.

**SweetDreamz** · July 25, 2006, 03:05 PM

Auzentch Xplosion.

I got the X-Mystique from another company, but it has since bee replaced by Auzentch, awesome card with the Dolby Digital.

**Trajan** · July 24, 2006, 08:51 PM

07-22-2006
Thanks Evariste. I got my eyes set on the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic. Looking at Newegg, this card was priced over $70 just a few days ago but now it's up to $111.99. What's up with that? Hopefully they'll drop the price faster then they raise it.

I picked up the X-Fi XtremeMusic yesterday and man; it's working like a dream.

The sound quality is extremely better compared to my integrated sound card and I'm getting better performance in my games, which is always a plus for me.

Thanks guys, especially Timmius for recommending the XtremeMusic, for all your help, I really appreciate it.

**HorseArcher** · July 24, 2006, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by Trajan

I picked up the X-Fi XtremeMusic yesterday and man; it's working like a dream.

The sound quality is extremely better compared to my integrated sound card and I'm getting better performance in my games, which is always a plus for me.

Thanks guys, especially Timmius for recommending the XtremeMusic, for all your help, I really appreciate it.

yeah, some people just refused to beleive me before to forget about the damn integrated sound. I have been using audigy 2 for ages and I can clearly can hear the difference between mine and theirs.

And also they won't beleive me about having less ctds and hickups and a little boost with performance.

I'm also thinking about going for the x-fi card, but right now, i'm thinking about a whole new MB/chip sometime in sept.

p.s also, i don't think I used onboard sound longer than 10-min on each of my motherboard ever. I can't stand it.