Sound Cards - Page 2

**=DdogG=** · 03-20-2005, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CingularDuality

You would think... Too bad that's not the case in reality.

Not to mention onboard sound has such crappy quality...

can you give me a source that shows cpu cycles for onboard sound cards? I have never personally seen any difference in benchmarks on my personal machines. and SOME onboard sound (like the soundstorm from nvidia) is quite good.

**asch** · 03-20-2005, 11:10 PM

The nVidia soundstorm is the only onboard sound that doesn't require cpu cycles. Unfortunately nVidia decided not to continue that on newer boards.

Black_V!per · 03-21-2005, 12:22 AM

Ive got a Sound Blaster Live 24-Bit, its got 5.1 capabilities, and thats all i need it for... Sounds great, and not bad for 30 bucks instore retail, im sure u can pick one up 1/2 off on the interweb.

**CingularDuality** · 03-21-2005, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by =DdogG=

can you give me a source that shows cpu cycles for onboard sound cards? I have never personally seen any difference in benchmarks on my personal machines. and SOME onboard sound (like the soundstorm from nvidia) is quite good.

Nope, all I know is that on my wife's computer (an Athlon 700 era machine with AC97 on the mainboard), if I use onboard sound, I have to use low quality sound on BF and JO, but when I throw a SB Live! in there, I can crank it up to the highest sound quality with no performance hit.

And, again, performance doesn't even take sound quality into account... Onboard sound is poopoo...

Skip the floppy drive and buy a SB, fer crissakes. You'll be much happier with your machine.

**TheFeniX** · 03-21-2005, 02:40 AM

I've had problems with those old AC97 integrated soundcards. I think that's more of a hardware issue rather than actual CPU theft issue. Could be mistaken though.

**CingularDuality** · 03-21-2005, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheFeniX

I've had problems with those old AC97 integrated soundcards. I think that's more of a hardware issue rather than actual CPU theft issue. Could be mistaken though.

AC97 is a standard, not a brand or model...

**=DdogG=** · 03-21-2005, 05:46 PM

I will agree with you on the ac97. It is almost completely software based and taxes the cpu, but the cmedia and soundmax and realtec and whatever I think are quite light on the cpu. I would like to see some real numbers on this though.... I think we are both just going from experience... not hard facts....

**kormendi** · 03-21-2005, 06:34 PM

I believe some clarification is necessary. AC97 is not a physical device. It is a specification created by Intel. If your onboard sound is AC97 that just means it complies with the specification. There are many different companies that make AC97 compliant devices.

here's a few sources for more info:
http://www.intel.com/technology/computing/audio/
http://www.digit-life.com/articles/inteld815efvac97/

Unfortunately AC97 is just a buzzword. It doesn’t say anything about the quality of the soundcard. Knowledge of the specific AC97 compliant chipset used for the audio must be known to compare generic AC97 devices.

I dont know about soundmax, but cmedia and realtek both make AC97 onboard sound solutions.

**=DdogG=** · 03-22-2005, 12:59 AM

ok, let me clarify.... the GENERIC "ac97" onboard soundcards are worthles... usually the ones that are from cmedia and intel (soundmax) etc actually have some hardware involved.... nvidia put their's in the nb. you are right "ac97" is not a soundcard, but that today is what "SB compatible" was in 95..... just a way for dirt cheap audio to get a recognised name.....

**kormendi** · 03-22-2005, 01:55 AM

Quote:

nvidia put their's in the nb

perhaps that would explain why I get such crappy sound proformance in hl2... maybe I should put my old SB live to use.

edit: its a realtek POS, not the nvidia soundstorm

><JohnGalt>< · 03-22-2005, 08:31 AM

Here is a noobish sound card question. The sound cards dont look like they have USB ports. Does that mean I need to purchase new headphones, or will the sound card send the audio through my mobo's USB ports

**CingularDuality** · 03-22-2005, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ><JohnGalt><

Here is a noobish sound card question. The sound cards dont look like they have USB ports. Does that mean I need to purchase new headphones, or will the sound card send the audio through my mobo's USB ports

If you're using USB headphones, then you don't need a sound card at all. The headphones do all the sound decoding themselves...

><JohnGalt>< · 03-22-2005, 08:48 AM

but how do I get better sound then?

**CingularDuality** · 03-22-2005, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ><JohnGalt><

but how do I get better sound then?

Buy better headphones... I'm using the Plantronics DSP-500 and am pleased. They're not the best headphones in the world, but being able to switch between my soundcard/stereo for music and my headphones for gaming is very nice. I'm very picky about sound quality (which is surprising considering my hearing loss...).

Probably the cheapest way to improve your sound situation would be to get a cheap sound card and a decent set of analog headphones/speakers.

**USN_Squid** · 03-22-2005, 11:24 PM

This is slightly off topic, but relevant:

25% off Creative Labs products for owners of Audigy: Creative labs recently settled a lawsuit. For the next few weeks, anyone who sends in a claim that they purchased one of the following Creative Labs sound cards from March 28, 1999 through December 29, 2004, is eligable for a 25% discount on a future Creative Labs product:
Audigy ES
Audigy Platinum
Audigy Platinum EX
Audigy Gamer
Audigy MP3+
Extigy
To make a claim, you must have the serial number of one of those products that was purchased between the above dates, and you must be unhappy with the quality of the sound produced from the sound card.

Full Story

03-20-2005, 11:10 PM	#17 (permalink)
asch Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Fort Mill, SC Age: 33 Posts: 9,966	Re: Sound Cards The nVidia soundstorm is the only onboard sound that doesn't require cpu cycles. Unfortunately nVidia decided not to continue that on newer boards.

03-21-2005, 12:22 AM	#18 (permalink)
Black_V!per Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Kingman AZ. Age: 20 Posts: 1,445	Re: Sound Cards Ive got a Sound Blaster Live 24-Bit, its got 5.1 capabilities, and thats all i need it for... Sounds great, and not bad for 30 bucks instore retail, im sure u can pick one up 1/2 off on the interweb. __________________ Start counting, when you reach infinity tell me. If you can read this you've got to much time on your hands.

03-21-2005, 02:40 AM	#20 (permalink)
TheFeniX Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Houston, TX Age: 26 Posts: 4,478	Re: Sound Cards I've had problems with those old AC97 integrated soundcards. I think that's more of a hardware issue rather than actual CPU theft issue. Could be mistaken though. __________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TheFeniX's Steam Profile TG's Team Fortress 2 Steam Group

03-21-2005, 05:46 PM	#22 (permalink)
=DdogG= Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ennis, TX Age: 31 Posts: 1,773	Re: Sound Cards I will agree with you on the ac97. It is almost completely software based and taxes the cpu, but the cmedia and soundmax and realtec and whatever I think are quite light on the cpu. I would like to see some real numbers on this though.... I think we are both just going from experience... not hard facts.... __________________ Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein The two most common elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity. -Harlan Ellison If all else fails: "rm -rf /"

03-21-2005, 06:34 PM	#23 (permalink)
kormendi Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Fairfax, Virginia Age: 27 Posts: 2,173	Re: Sound Cards I believe some clarification is necessary. AC97 is not a physical device. It is a specification created by Intel. If your onboard sound is AC97 that just means it complies with the specification. There are many different companies that make AC97 compliant devices. here's a few sources for more info: http://www.intel.com/technology/computing/audio/ http://www.digit-life.com/articles/inteld815efvac97/ Unfortunately AC97 is just a buzzword. It doesn’t say anything about the quality of the soundcard. Knowledge of the specific AC97 compliant chipset used for the audio must be known to compare generic AC97 devices. I dont know about soundmax, but cmedia and realtek both make AC97 onboard sound solutions.

03-22-2005, 12:59 AM	#24 (permalink)
=DdogG= Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ennis, TX Age: 31 Posts: 1,773	Re: Sound Cards ok, let me clarify.... the GENERIC "ac97" onboard soundcards are worthles... usually the ones that are from cmedia and intel (soundmax) etc actually have some hardware involved.... nvidia put their's in the nb. you are right "ac97" is not a soundcard, but that today is what "SB compatible" was in 95..... just a way for dirt cheap audio to get a recognised name..... __________________ Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein The two most common elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity. -Harlan Ellison If all else fails: "rm -rf /"

03-22-2005, 08:31 AM	#26 (permalink)
><JohnGalt>< Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 433	Re: Sound Cards Here is a noobish sound card question. The sound cards dont look like they have USB ports. Does that mean I need to purchase new headphones, or will the sound card send the audio through my mobo's USB ports __________________

03-22-2005, 08:48 AM	#28 (permalink)
><JohnGalt>< Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 433	Re: Sound Cards but how do I get better sound then? __________________

03-22-2005, 11:24 PM	#30 (permalink)
USN_Squid Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Denver Age: 38 Posts: 3,172	Re: Sound Cards This is slightly off topic, but relevant: 25% off Creative Labs products for owners of Audigy: Creative labs recently settled a lawsuit. For the next few weeks, anyone who sends in a claim that they purchased one of the following Creative Labs sound cards from March 28, 1999 through December 29, 2004, is eligable for a 25% discount on a future Creative Labs product: Audigy ES Audigy Platinum Audigy Platinum EX Audigy Gamer Audigy MP3+ Extigy To make a claim, you must have the serial number of one of those products that was purchased between the above dates, and you must be unhappy with the quality of the sound produced from the sound card. Full Story __________________ New to TG? Start here!

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