Should i buy a sound card ?

chriso132 · 13 Dec 2010 at 18:04

Hi,

Im looking to buy the logitech 5.1 surround sound (£200 model) and i was wondering if i should buy a sound card to go with it. The motherboard im using is the asus rampage extreme III and it has optical. Would i hear a decent improvement with buying a sound card ?. im also running 2 GTX480s on this motherboard so im not sure if i could fit in a sound card ?

Thanks

chriso132 · 13 Dec 2010 at 18:07

I was looking at this one http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-008-AS&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=. would i actually hear a difference if i went for a quality card like this ?

Blue160 · 13 Dec 2010 at 18:10

With decent speakers you should hear a BIG improvement from onboard sound. If sound quality matters to you go for it.

chriso132 · 13 Dec 2010 at 18:13

Yeah well i have a blu-ray player and that. I do love great sound so i think i might go for one. Also do you know how its put into the motherboard. Can it be fitted into one of the slots which a graphics card does ?

stulid · 13 Dec 2010 at 18:29

Is this the motherboard? - http://uk.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=jy0uafxYBCrJwksC&templete=2

That sound card has a standard PCI interface - http://uk.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=k8OChreLuh8zgFmQ&templete=2

so would fit in the long black slot above the bottom red PCI-E slot.

GTX480 are dual slot so would get close, but there will be room I am sure.

powelly · 13 Dec 2010 at 20:24

on this topic can anyone recommend a sound card that is pci-e x1 at around £40 max

MikeHunt79 · 13 Dec 2010 at 20:26

If the speakers have optical in then I can see very little gain from buying a soundcard...

stulid · 13 Dec 2010 at 20:28

powelly2010 said:
on this topic can anyone recommend a sound card that is pci-e x1 at around £40 max

Stick with the onboard sound, this guy has some good speakers to make the difference.

powelly · 13 Dec 2010 at 20:36

stulid said:
Stick with the onboard sound, this guy has some good speakers to make the difference.

how do you know i don't have good speakers?

stulid · 13 Dec 2010 at 20:40

powelly2010 said:
how do you know i don't have good speakers?

I scattered my tea leaves onto my saucer, and had an assumption!!

powelly · 13 Dec 2010 at 20:53

stulid said:
I scattered my tea leaves onto my saucer, and had an assumption!!

im a serious gamer (yeah right)

my spec

moniter eyefinity 2x19 inch and 1 17 inch

mobo: asus m4a785td-v evo
cpu: phenom iix4 b45@ 3.0 ghz
gpu: currently gtx 460 2gb soon to ??? that supports eyefinity
ram:4gb g skill ripjaws @ 1600mhz
psu:ez cool 750 watt
hdd:wd 500gb

and for speakers

there lg 5.1 tower speakers with a 1k watt sub on um and its a beast

suppose i could spend a bit more on a sound card , what can you recommend at no more than £70 MUST BE PCI-E x1 oh and btw im a sound freak

sorry to kinda steal your thread but i don't see the piont in making a new one, hope you don't mind

stulid · 13 Dec 2010 at 20:55

@powelly2010

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-002-AS&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

MikeHunt79 · 13 Dec 2010 at 20:59

Do your speakers have optical in? Also a 1Kw sub? Sounds mad, got any pics?

powelly · 13 Dec 2010 at 21:01

stulid said:
@powelly2010

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-002-AS&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

read some reviews and what not and i think im going to get this, thats my xmas sorted now

gfx cards, sound card and or maybe case

why is everyone here at ocuk so helpful?

powelly · 13 Dec 2010 at 21:02

MikeHunt79 said:
Do your speakers have optical in? Also a 1Kw sub? Sounds mad, got any pics?

think so but it's kinda oldish so i think a sound card would be a good improvement , ill get some pics in a sec

powelly · 13 Dec 2010 at 21:12

here's the sub (beast)

you can see the little sub next to it and compare size

and here's one out of four of the towers

powelly · 13 Dec 2010 at 21:13

sorry about extremely large pics