Laying my Audigy Platinum to rest.

Cutshaw · 20 Apr 2008 at 07:57

I've had a Audigy platinum for many a moon, and aside from fancying an upgrade, the cable from the front bay to the card is horrible for airflow.

I don't think I can live without at least a headphone jack and volume on the front of my PC, so I was wondering how the newer Fatal1ty Platinum cards were doing. I've heard lots of mixed things about the x-fi.

Cutshaw · 20 Apr 2008 at 11:49

I done a bit digging and these new Auzentech cards seem to be the way to go, but none come with a front panel. I would really miss having one. Is there anyway to get I/O ports and volume on a front panel and rig it to fit a Auzentech?

Cutshaw · 20 Apr 2008 at 13:21

I've zero experience with solder, but I would certainly be up for trying. I'm a born fiddler. Anyone have an idea on a good starting point?

Cutshaw · 21 Apr 2008 at 13:00

dave-lew99 said:
Explaining all of the basics of soldering and whatnot is a bit beyond a forum post but there are plenty of sites to help you with that. You don't need everything they list, just a soldering iron, solder plus snips/pliers and cable strippers would do for starters.

Then you'd need the appropriate connectors, for cutting holes in panels an ordinary electric drill would do.

I picked up most of the tools i use for this sort of thing for a total of around £30 (including temperature adjustable soldering iron, battery drill and a full set of bits)

Remember, start off on something which doesn't matter - an old 5 1/4" blanking plate for example. Soldering takes practice, so don't worry if you don't get it right straight away.

Thanks a lot. this sounds like a nice little project. I could do some experimentation with a blanking plate and maybe attempt something with my old audigy first.

Cutshaw · 21 Apr 2008 at 13:47

james.miller said:
id be inclined to get a headphone amp to be honest. far easier and it'll sound better too! more expensive but we arent talking hundreds of pounds lol

I actually have a headphone amp. I have it attached to my iRiver. I've got a decent Intergrated amp, too. I'm wary about attaching my "expensive" gear up to the PC, when it turns on and off there is a nasty crack you get through the headphones/speakers if they are still plugged in... other than that, it's a good idea. Can I maybe do something to stop the noise? I guess I have to work out what's doing it first.

Cutshaw · 21 Apr 2008 at 13:47

MTA99 said:
There's a whole host of front panels that will take the AC97 pinouts and give you front panel Mic and Headphones. They won't give you volume control.

I got a Silverstone FP32

I really really want a volume control. But it's something to think about.

Cutshaw · 22 Apr 2008 at 11:52

MeatLoaf said:
Bear in mind that its the same cable used to connect the X-Fi bay as it is your audigy bay so aiflow will be unaffected

That's a shame. I assumed that they had looked at that.

Cutshaw · 22 Apr 2008 at 11:58

dave-lew99 said:
One other thought is that you could get a card where the front bay is an external breakout box instead - i have the Audigy 2 Platinum Ex, i'm not sure how much you could pick one of those up for now, but it has to be less than what i paid!

Indeed. I have been thinking about that.

I'm going to have a tinker with some solder, for fun and the experience, and I'm going to have a look into the noise I get when I power my machine up and down, and possibly using my headphone amp.

if anyone knows about a way around the "loud" crack/click I get from my PC, I would love to hear it.