Soundcard.

[Littleburst]

I've got me Bose Companion 5 Speakers. But i still don't have a soundcard in this pc, there's a default thingy on my motherbord ( GigaByte GA-P35C-DS3R, P35 (ATX, DDR2⁄DDR3, Sound, LAN, SATA II, RAID) ), but i asume that it would kinda improve my musicquality if i put a decent soundcard on it.


But i'm quite a noob when it comes down to picking a soundcard, especially with the massive offer there is these days. So i was wondering if someone who does have some knowledge could recommend me anything.


Accoridng price, i'm willing to pay 100 euro or so for it, but i just don't know if that's worth it. Since i enjoy the good music and i do want to enjoy the music that has a good quality itself. But atleast 50% of the music i play is still mp3 or mpeg, so a 500 euro soundcard would be quite useless.


Thanks :)

[angeldeelite]

Did a little looking and this seems to come highly recomended in @ £63.99 (74.28 euro) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-045-CL (there are other places that sell it)
There are so many different cards out there and the range can be substantial in difference but i'd say if your
going from on board to PCI then your best off starting with something like this, youl see a huge improvement
at not to much cost
just dont go with supremeFX (asus) they fail my current one came free with the mobo and it has given me
nothing but blue screens and bad sound... so i just put in a £25 for tests and its better than the asus 1 lol
GL with the choice :D

[Littleburst]

Did a little looking and this seems to come highly recomended in @ £63.99 (74.28 euro) http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-045-CL (there are other places that sell it)
There are so many different cards out there and the range can be substantial in difference but i'd say if your
going from on board to PCI then your best off starting with something like this, youl see a huge improvement
at not to much cost
just dont go with supremeFX (asus) they fail my current one came free with the mobo and it has given me
nothing but blue screens and bad sound... so i just put in a £25 for tests and its better than the asus 1 lol
GL with the choice :D

Thanks! :)

typed in the name in a site i use often and found the Creative Labs SOUND BLASTER X-FI XTREME AUDIO PCI-E X1 24BIT 7.1CH for 40 euro.
http://www.cool-prices.nl/nl/product/componenten/geluidskaarten/creative-sb-x-fi-xtreme-audio-478123

Site is dutch though, i tried and google the name, but i only get dutch links.

This one should be good aswell, doesn't it?

[universal]

not sure about the version you posted, but there are still some versions which use an old emu10k1(or somehting like that) chip, and not the newer one from the "real" x-fi.

i'd check that first and then get one with the newer chip. which version then is iirc basically irrelevant.

[angeldeelite]

From what i could tell (dont speak dutch) the one you found is an older card so what that would mean in
reference to universal's post im not sure but looking at its spec's it isnt as good as the one i linked but
would prob do the job tbh

[Littleburst]

Just picked it up at the local store, the one you linked. updating the software atm.

Thanks for the help. :D

[angeldeelite]

Just picked it up at the local store, the one you linked. updating the software atm.

Thanks for the help. :D

Wehay result :p how much that set you back? let us no how it go's :D

[Littleburst]

Wehay result :p how much that set you back? let us no how it go's :D

99 euro's. Cheapest i could find on the internet was 90 euro's. I'll happily pay 9 euro for a actual store then.

Dunno how much i like it to be honest :X

[Sajuuk]

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/list/46

Have fun.

My only advice: Don't buy creative. Heard lots of crap about them (driver/compatibility issues)

[Littleburst]

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/list/46

Have fun.

My only advice: Don't buy creative. Heard lots of crap about them (driver/compatibility issues)

That's to late i'm affraid :P

I allready got great speakers and well, the sound that came out of them before i put a soundcard in it, wasn't bad at all. After putting the soundcard in it, i'm really doubting if there is a big difference in the soundquality.

I've turned my pc off, took the soundcard out, restarted it, played some music/movies to see how it sounds. Turned pc off again, put the soundcard back in and it's really hard to tell what the difference is.

How do i check if it actually works? And the speakerset comes with an USB connection, so they're not connected to the soundcard. Would that make a difference?

[universal]

if the speakers are connected via usb then most likely they've their own "soundcard" and your newly acquired one won't be used if i'm not mistaken.

the basic sound quality isn't really that much different if you haven't got super ears. but the x-fi often enables better surround sound in games + the virtual 3d sound for headphones etc ( can't remember how it's called, haven't got a dedicated soundcard in years) ;)

[angeldeelite]

That's to late i'm affraid :P

I allready got great speakers and well, the sound that came out of them before i put a soundcard in it, wasn't bad at all. After putting the soundcard in it, i'm really doubting if there is a big difference in the soundquality.

I've turned my pc off, took the soundcard out, restarted it, played some music/movies to see how it sounds. Turned pc off again, put the soundcard back in and it's really hard to tell what the difference is.

How do i check if it actually works? And the speakerset comes with an USB connection, so they're not connected to the soundcard. Would that make a difference?

Ouch ermm didnt think to ask if the system was USB i gathered it would be audio jacks and thats why you asked as you said
you had the "default thingy" on your motherboard...
Take your soundcard back to the store and claim either its faulty or not compatable as USB sound systems dont use any
on board sound cards they have there own amp and card built in and whatever you do wont make a difference
Sorry man :o
Hope you get your cash back


****Edit****
If they say you cant return it, kick up a fuss as you have usually 28 days to change your mind unless they clearly state on the purchase you have such and such a time and you only got it yesterday
so they have to return it for you

[Littleburst]

Ouch ermm didnt think to ask if the system was USB i gathered it would be audio jacks and thats why you asked as you said
you had the "default thingy" on your motherboard...
Take your soundcard back to the store and claim either its faulty or not compatable as USB sound systems dont use any
on board sound cards they have there own amp and card built in and whatever you do wont make a difference
Sorry man :o
Hope you get your cash back


****Edit****
If they say you cant return it, kick up a fuss as you have usually 28 days to change your mind unless they clearly state on the purchase you have such and such a time and you only got it yesterday
so they have to return it for you

Ok lol, it's nps.

I can atleast trade it within 14 days and i can use the refund nps, so it's ok. My mother wants a Kenwood K-323, so i'll just sort it with that :)

I'll try some other decent speakers which do have jacks, to see what the difference is like.

[mikekim]

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/list/46

Have fun.

My only advice: Don't buy creative. Heard lots of crap about them (driver/compatibility issues)

never had a major problem with Creative sound cards, and I have even used the emu sounfont compatibility in a professional recording studio setup with no issues what so ever. the only driver problems I have encountered, where early AWE64 64bit drivers, back when 64 bit O/S's first hit the market.

each to their own i suppose..


That's to late i'm affraid :P

I allready got great speakers and well, the sound that came out of them before i put a soundcard in it, wasn't bad at all. After putting the soundcard in it, i'm really doubting if there is a big difference in the soundquality.

I've turned my pc off, took the soundcard out, restarted it, played some music/movies to see how it sounds. Turned pc off again, put the soundcard back in and it's really hard to tell what the difference is.

How do i check if it actually works? And the speakerset comes with an USB connection, so they're not connected to the soundcard. Would that make a difference?

you my find some discernible difference in sound quality, depending on what speakers you use, and the room setup you are using, but i very much doubt that you will.
the main reason for using an additional soundcard in a PC today, (if you are not using it for music production) is to alleviate the sound processing task from the main CPU freeing up processing cycles for other tasks. the onboard chips supplied on motherboards are comparable to aftermarket cards for gaming and audio playback.

[Littleburst]

you my find some discernible difference in sound quality, depending on what speakers you use, and the room setup you are using, but i very much doubt that you will.
the main reason for using an additional soundcard in a PC today, (if you are not using it for music production) is to alleviate the sound processing task from the main CPU freeing up processing cycles for other tasks. the onboard chips supplied on motherboards are comparable to aftermarket cards for gaming and audio playback.

My bose speakers got an USB plug in and allready had good sound quality without a soundcard. So i'll just stick with that. :)