New Soundcard Needed (Old one on way out)

Tican · 6 May 2006 at 16:36

Hi all,
Few problems with my soundcard (mainly the socket at the back, it needs to be half out to work, this is with 2 seperate leads/speakers/etc...

I need a decent but cheap as poss (Less than £50) soundcard. I listen to a lot of music (Rock, RnB, Trance, Garage (sometimes) ), and play games.
It will be connected to my stereo (Panasonic SA-AK520) using either rca > rca or 3.5mm -> RCA (depending on the card I suppose). My current one is an onboard Soundstorm 5.1, but my stereo is only 2.1

- But would like the card to have 5.1 or simular so if I upgrade stereo in future its all cool

. I will buy a new lead depending on the card I choose as the one I have is dodgy as it is

Dont know if I have covered everything?

I dont know nothing about soundcards

Thanks in advance

FatRakoon · 6 May 2006 at 19:51

Just get yourself a nic eSoundBlaster Live 24... They support up to 7.1 but as you say, also bog-standard Stereo too, all cards support stereo by the way.

Should be way less than £20 notes these days, and fantastic for the price as they are really just re-badged Audigy cards....
Probably the best value cards out there considering the power, quality and price.

Tican · 6 May 2006 at 20:07

FatRakoon said:
Just get yourself a nic eSoundBlaster Live 24... They support up to 7.1 but as you say, also bog-standard Stereo too, all cards support stereo by the way.

Should be way less than £20 notes these days, and fantastic for the price as they are really just re-badged Audigy cards....
Probably the best value cards out there considering the power, quality and price.

I was just looking at the Audigy cards lol. No idea what so ever I am looking at

.

Is the Soundblaster Live 24, a good allround card then?

I was looking at this one on OcUK:

OcUK said:
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX - Retail (SC-014-CL)
The Sound Blaster® Audigy™ 2 Platinum eX provides the most awesome audio performance for the PC. Designed for audio enthusiasts, musicians and gamers, it combines a PCI sound card based on the award-winning Audigy™ 2 processor, and a studio-quality External I/O Module offering ample analogue, digital and FireWire® connections. It supports low-latency, multi-channel ASIO™ 2.0 recording and playback at 24-bit/96kHz, recording or reproducing crystal-clear sound that’s fully compliant with the new Windows® Media Audio 9 standard. With full support for DVD-Audio playback at up to 24-bit/192kHz, plus MP3 library management and 6.1 channel Dolby® Digital EX, it’s the ultimate next-generation digital music device, and a must for the serious musician and gamer.

Full Specification

Price: £39.95 (£46.94 Including VAT at 17.5%)

I like the idea of the external box thingy aswell, as it would make swapping to my headset a lot easier!

Like I said I am only connecting to a Hi-Fi, and sometimes a cheapo headset (Also need a new one of these). But I would like to be able to upgrade to 5.1 surround or w/e at a later date, without having to mess with sound card.

EDIT: This one maybe:

OcUK said:
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE 7.1 Sound Card - OEM (SC-040-CL)
The Sound Blaster® Audigy™ SE is an excellent value upgrade to 7.1 surround sound on the PC. Featuring high quality audio specifications including 24-bit/96kHz recording and playback with 100dB signal to noise ratio and digital output, it''s the ideal partner for surround music and movie playback. For realistic gaming, EAX® ADVANCED HD™ 3.0 support delivers acoustic effects and detailed 7.1 3D surround sound in gaming. The included Creative Media Source™ software is a comprehensive tool for creating MP3s, managing a music collection, adding effects and burning custom CD compilations.

- 7.1 surround output
- 24-bit/96kHz audio resolution
- 100dB signal to noise ratio
- Comprehensive Creative Media Source software provided
- EAX ADVANCED HD 3.0 support for gaming
- CMSS up-mixes stereo content to 7.1 surround

Price: £15.95 (£18.74 Including VAT at 17.5%)

For a bog standard card

FatRakoon · 7 May 2006 at 01:23

I dont have any external cards myself, but from what I gather, there is very little difference between the internal and the external jobs, so I suppose if thats your bag...

I have got a few of the LiveDrives with my Cards, because my main speakers are Altec Lansing 955's and there is no headphone sockets in them, so I have to use somethign that I can plug my headphones into, and the craetive ones have been just right.

Both the cards you show there are great cards. I would opt for the Audigy 2 over the Live, however, you wont be dissapointed by either of them.

Tican · 7 May 2006 at 02:37

FatRakoon said:
I dont have any external cards myself, but from what I gather, there is very little difference between the internal and the external jobs, so I suppose if thats your bag...

I have got a few of the LiveDrives with my Cards, because my main speakers are Altec Lansing 955's and there is no headphone sockets in them, so I have to use somethign that I can plug my headphones into, and the craetive ones have been just right.

Both the cards you show there are great cards. I would opt for the Audigy 2 over the Live, however, you wont be dissapointed by either of them.

It is an external box that plugs into the soundcard by the looks of it :confused:

Because I want to get a set of PC speakers (2.1 or higher) and a decent headset, it would be easier for me to swap the 2 over, which is why I would most probs get Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX - Retail (SC-014-CL) over the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE 7.1 Sound Card - OEM (SC-040-CL).

Providing it is the best card for the money, that is

. I would love an X-Fi but they arnt in my price range *sob sob sob* lol

FatRakoon · 7 May 2006 at 03:16

LOL yeah, the XFI was a part pressie off the wife...

There is no way on earth that I would have paid for it myself, and to be honest, the basic job is actually good value for money, however, I wanted the box for it too.

The box is exactly the same as the IR version from the SBLive version, but its black instead, and thats the sole reason I got it more than anything cos my tower is black with everything black, and thats a sad reason to do that, but hey, thats me.

The Audigy 2 ZS is also black, but that has Firewire in it instead of the IR Remote junk, so thats perfect too.

The External thingy... So, that plugs into the normal outputs of the soundcard then? ok, thats cool. I wil be honest, but I was assuming it was USB actually???

Still say a drive bay job would be a better option however...

I will take a couple of pics of mine to show you, and do a linkie-poos, btu thats got to wait cos I cant find my digi cam right now, I think the kids have it in the tent ( no, they are not camping... I was going to take them in the garden the other day, but they crapped it when a couple of moggies were fighting, so we came in and I am just too lazy to take it down - hehe )

Tican · 7 May 2006 at 03:21

FatRakoon said:
LOL yeah, the XFI was a part pressie off the wife...

There is no way on earth that I would have paid for it myself, and to be honest, the basic job is actually good value for money, however, I wanted the box for it too.

The box is exactly the same as the IR version from the SBLive version, but its black instead, and thats the sole reason I got it more than anything cos my tower is black with everything black, and thats a sad reason to do that, but hey, thats me.

The Audigy 2 ZS is also black, but that has Firewire in it instead of the IR Remote junk, so thats perfect too.

The External thingy... So, that plugs into the normal outputs of the soundcard then? ok, thats cool. I wil be honest, but I was assuming it was USB actually???

Still say a drive bay job would be a better option however...

I will take a couple of pics of mine to show you, and do a linkie-poos, btu thats got to wait cos I cant find my digi cam right now, I think the kids have it in the tent ( no, they are not camping... I was going to take them in the garden the other day, but they crapped it when a couple of moggies were fighting, so we came in and I am just too lazy to take it down - hehe )

Lol.

- be something I would do (leave tent because im lazy

)

Regarding the ZS, maybe not at this price:

Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Sound Card - Retail (SC-024-CL)

but:

Available This Week Only for just £59.50 +VAT.

Full Specification

Price: £79.50 (£93.41 Including VAT at 17.5%)

Hmmmm

lol

My tower is black also w00t \o/ lol

Tican · 7 May 2006 at 13:14

OMG IM STUPID!!! lol

I got my SoundStorm soundcard working

I still want a new one, as long as it will sound better than what i currently have?

Damn jumper was missing :confused:

FatRakoon · 7 May 2006 at 13:53

The SoundStorm is a brilliant sound... Erm, card?

Its got near-perfect audio output ( for me anyway ) its smooth, and not at all harsh like I find many Creatives have.

Still, its a bit long in the tooth these days I suppose, and while it handles any game you want to throw at it, and it does EAX fairly well, it does sometimes lack the EAX ability of the higher end creative cards. I think perhaps ( although I have not given it an EAX head-to-head ) that its about on par with an Audigy 1 but not on par with an audigy 2.

Tican · 7 May 2006 at 15:50

FatRakoon said:
The SoundStorm is a brilliant sound... Erm, card?

Its got near-perfect audio output ( for me anyway ) its smooth, and not at all harsh like I find many Creatives have.

Still, its a bit long in the tooth these days I suppose, and while it handles any game you want to throw at it, and it does EAX fairly well, it does sometimes lack the EAX ability of the higher end creative cards. I think perhaps ( although I have not given it an EAX head-to-head ) that its about on par with an Audigy 1 but not on par with an audigy 2.

Is it not going to be worth upgrading? Or is it, providing I get a better sound setup? or... lol

Should I spend the money I am going to have in a month towards a decent set of speakers (well as decent as 100inc. gets me) - and a headset :rolleyes:

TooNice · 7 May 2006 at 19:41

The analogue out of the Nforce 2 Sound Storm is honestly quite atrocious. The Beyerdynamic DT880 out of those is just dull, and even an Audigy 2 NX walks all over it. For MM speakers they are okay, and if you use the digital out, then it all depends on the DAC of whatever you connect it to.

Mikey1280 · 7 May 2006 at 21:10

You could get a second hand audigy 2 zs, I picked mine up for £10

pcknight · 8 May 2006 at 10:26

Do you recommend the: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 4? I am after a cheap but good sound card too.

james.miller · 8 May 2006 at 12:13

TooNice said:
The analogue out of the Nforce 2 Sound Storm is honestly quite atrocious. The Beyerdynamic DT880 out of those is just dull, and even an Audigy 2 NX walks all over it. For MM speakers they are okay, and if you use the digital out, then it all depends on the DAC of whatever you connect it to.

he's right you know. ahuh. Anybody who reckons the analogue outputs of soundstorm boards are worth a crap need a kick up their tonedeaf backsides

they use nothing more than shody realtek or c-media DAC's. The same DAC's used on 99% of motherboards out there. ie, crap.

Tican · 8 May 2006 at 14:17

james.miller said:
he's right you know. ahuh. Anybody who reckons the analogue outputs of soundstorm boards are worth a crap need a kick up their tonedeaf backsides they use nothing more than shody realtek or c-media DAC's. The same DAC's used on 99% of motherboards out there. ie, crap.

It isnt too bad, one thing that annoys me is the hissing

FatRakoon · 8 May 2006 at 15:24

Bloody hell..

I was sure that there was no hissing at all on my NF7S, and the output was crystal clear, if a little muffled a tad, but I felt that this so called muffled sounding was perfect for the speakers I had at the time... Erm, god knows what they were?

Anyway, I have to see for myself so I have just had a listen, and you're bloody right... the output isnt as good as I remembered either.

Its been used in my 8 year old sons PC, coupled with a set of Lidl speakers, and its just fine for an 8yo lad playing games, so I assumed...

Well, now I know.

It is going back a couple of years since I used it myself of course!

Tican · 8 May 2006 at 17:00

FatRakoon said:
Bloody hell..

I was sure that there was no hissing at all on my NF7S, and the output was crystal clear, if a little muffled a tad, but I felt that this so called muffled sounding was perfect for the speakers I had at the time... Erm, god knows what they were?

Anyway, I have to see for myself so I have just had a listen, and you're bloody right... the output isnt as good as I remembered either.

Its been used in my 8 year old sons PC, coupled with a set of Lidl speakers, and its just fine for an 8yo lad playing games, so I assumed...

Well, now I know.

It is going back a couple of years since I used it myself of course!

Does get annoying

So the audigy 2's dont hiss?

? (Lets hope hehe)

TooNice · 8 May 2006 at 17:11

My SoundStorm didn't hiss either. But it just sounded muffled. The only thing that sounded remotely well were the Koss Porta Pro (and it's variant) and my Grado HF-1 (cans that are relatively easy to drive and bright). The UM2 sounded bad, and the DT880 sounded dead.

The Audigy 2 NX my friend had, while not a high end source by any mean, didn't hiss with the DT880 either, and sounded considerably better than the SS.