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Geek Culture / Looking to buy a new sound card...

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Agent Dink
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Posted: 29th Dec 2007 17:26
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... and well, I've never actually bought one or looked into them too much. I've always just used integrated sound.

Basically I don't want to spend more than $100 US and much less would be even better. I have a few in mind but maybe you guys can offer some insight on some good brands or models.

Creative SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102017
(apprehensive about this one as it's PCI-E and I only have my 2nd x16 slot left. I don't want to fill it in case I get a second video card in the future. Can these PCI-Ex1 (or is it x4?) cards work in normal PCI slots? I thought I read that somewhere.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102006#spec
If I'm not mistaken this is their next line of cards meant for gaming and stuff. Anyone have one? There's some pretty negative reviews mixed in with all the stellar reviews so I'm a bit apprehensive about this one as well.

I really don't know much about any of the other brands out there so any help is appreciated.

*back to researching

MISoft Studios - Silver-Dawn

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hessiess
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Posted: 29th Dec 2007 18:08
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Quote: "(apprehensive about this one as it's PCI-E and I only have my 2nd x16 slot left. I don't want to fill it in case I get a second video card in the future. Can these PCI-Ex1 (or is it x4?) cards work in normal PCI slots? I thought I read that somewhere."


no, the slots are completely difarent. think you can put 1* and 4* cards in a 16* slot tho.

unless you have a very good amp and speakers there is little point upgrading from integrated sound, besides mabie adding 5+1 to a computer without integrated 5+1 output

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Agent Dink
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Posted: 29th Dec 2007 18:12
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Quote: "think you can put 1* and 4* cards in a 16* slot tho."


Ah, yes, that's what I read.

Well, I notice some sound abnormalities once in awhile and I want some better quality. I also want a 5.1 or 7.1 system for my computer as well.

I figured why get the speakers if the quality really won't get much better...

MISoft Studios - Silver-Dawn

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Phaelax
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Posted: 29th Dec 2007 18:26
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I've used the SB Live platinum card and the Audigy 2zs platinum, both were great cards. Both were 24-bit cards with 96khz sample rate just like the X-Fi cards you're looking at. You can probably pick up an Audigy card for $30-$40. Looking at the newer X-Fi cards, I don't see any major changes that would warrant the higher cost.

But if you're like me, you'll probably get the X-Fi anyway and I can't really blame ya. I have some very nice sounding boston acoustic speakers that really make a difference in sound quality as well. I bought some Klipsch from BestBuy, and when I tried to return them the guy (who called himself an audiophile) seemed insulted that I didn't like their 'best computer speakers on the market'. My friend and I tried to explain to him that we're used to a very high quality of sound. Those Klipsch might be the best out there right now, but that doesn't make them the best ever. Now I'm rambling. Point is, make sure you have good speakers for your good sound card or you're waisting money.


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Agent Dink
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Posted: 29th Dec 2007 18:35
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I will be getting good speakers (in my price range anyhow) Haven't decided for sure yet, but if I get a Creative Labs card, they say Creative Labs brand speakers are designed for them and deliver really nice sound together.

MISoft Studios - Silver-Dawn

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Phaelax
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Posted: 30th Dec 2007 17:44
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friend of mine had the cambridge soundworks 5.1 system, which Creative recommended for the earlier Live cards and they sounded pretty good we thought.

These were the Klipsch I was talking about earlier.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=4148283&st=klipsch&type=product&id=1051384267922

They're still good speakers (which sound much clearer after you remove the grills) but I thought they lacked the midranged-depth that my Bostons had. I will say, however, that that subwoofer was awesome! And I had considered cutting wires to get my boston acoustics hooked up to that subwoofer.


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Agent Dink
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Posted: 1st Jan 2008 09:04 Edited at: 1st Jan 2008 09:10
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Well the Klipsch are too expensive for me for a 2.1 system. I'm really wanting to get surround sound on my PC.

I was looking at these. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836116153

And these.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836116025

I currently have this set of speakers. Obviously I want something with at least their level of quality, and they really seem to be decent speakers. The bass could be thumpier, but they don't sound bad. I just want surround sound...

http://misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=245911

And so last but not least I was looking at these. I'd imagine I could expect the same quality I already get out of these unless they changed something significant in their newer speaker models.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121006

MISoft Studios - Silver-Dawn

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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 1st Jan 2008 17:45
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I'm using a £12 Trust card. Why should you need anything more? It's the speakers that should be doing the amplifying, not a PCI card.


Since the other one was scaring you guys so much...
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Pixelator
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Posted: 1st Jan 2008 18:57
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YOU USED INTEGRATED SOUND????????????
[shudders]

thats awful


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RalphY
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Posted: 1st Jan 2008 19:12
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What operating system are you using?

If your on Vista I would suggest looking at alternatives to Creative soundcards. Their support has been basically non-exsistent for Vista, I'm having to use a 3rd party driver compiled by some random guy on their forum as they have yet to release a decent driver for the Audigy 2 range. I belive support for the X-Fi cards is a bit better but still lacking.

If your on XP then go for a Creative card, anything from the X-Fi range should be good. Try getting an OEM version of the card you want as it's usually quite a bit cheapper for the same card just without the fancy box.

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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 1st Jan 2008 19:31
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It's not integrated. It's just extremely cheap with no built-in amplifier. All there is on the board is a single chip. No capacitors. Nothing. The big brick on the back of the subwoofer does the rest.


Since the other one was scaring you guys so much...
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Agent Dink
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Posted: 1st Jan 2008 21:51
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I'm on XP right now and even if I upgrade to Vista it won't be for a while and I will probably get the 32 bit version. There are fewer compatibility problems.

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mm0zct
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Posted: 5th Jan 2008 02:24 Edited at: 5th Jan 2008 02:27
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ok do not get the x-fi audio!! it's just a software card, ignore it.

personally i have an x-fi music (gamer is just a low profile version)
and if it works with your board it's great, beware problems with nforce4? motherboards. google around for compatibility problems.
if you have good speakers the x-fi gamer is a good card. also for 5.1/7.1 (7.1 you'll need their cables probably, it uses 2x4-pole and 1x3 pole jacks to provide the 8 outputs for 7.1

another advantage is it supports eax 5 which can add so much more to the sound experience of games that are developed with it in mind.

if you couldn't care less about audio then onboard is probably fine, or an old audigy may suit your needs if you want that bit better.

as for vista i think x-fi has reasonable support, and with an x-fi you get alchemy software free which lets you have the eax effects in vista through openal conversion. (the vista driver model pretty much kills normal eax)

AMD athlon 64 3000+, 1GB ddr400, 720GB total hdd, ati radeon X1900gt 256mb (pci-e) 17" tft(@1280x1024).
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Agent Dink
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Posted: 5th Jan 2008 04:08
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Well, I think I have decided on this card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102006
And these speakers:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121121

Anyone have any comments before I go through with the purchase?

Thanks for all the help so far guys. It's appreciated

MISoft Studios - Silver-Dawn

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GatorHex
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Posted: 5th Jan 2008 04:12 Edited at: 5th Jan 2008 04:13
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I've used an XFi Gamer with Steinberg Sequel and the CPU load dropped from 100% to just 20%!

It's a DirectX sound accelerator which is supposed to more powerful than a 3Ghz Pentium 4. Not bad for £50.

I give this sound card a serious thumbs up.

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Agent Dink
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Posted: 5th Jan 2008 04:15
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Well it's only 15$ more than the X-Fi Audio but the shipping is free, so I'm going with the Gamer. Sounds good to me if it lowers CPU usage

MISoft Studios - Silver-Dawn

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