Worth getting a sound card?

SlyReaper · 1 May 2008 at 00:10

Basically, I use the onboard sound hardware that came integrated with my motherboard. My question is: would I actually notice an improvement in sound quality if I installed a dedicated sound card? Perhaps it would improve the overall performance of the system, since the CPU would no longer have to do the maths involved in generating sound?

I don't have any speakers, just headphones.

james.miller · 1 May 2008 at 00:17

if you have a decent set of headphones then most definitely. more so than a set of pc speakers, the difference in sound quality should be immediately apparent.

asus xonar dx pci-e. the best card you will get for your money

Greenlizard0 · 1 May 2008 at 00:20

Yeap, my love for headphones began funnily enough right after I got a decent sound card. Even mp3's can sound that little bit better lol

SlyReaper · 1 May 2008 at 00:40

james.miller said:
if you have a decent set of headphones then most definitely. more so than a set of pc speakers, the difference in sound quality should be immediately apparent.

asus xonar dx pci-e. the best card you will get for your money

Nice. OCUK only seem to have it available as pre-order. Do we know when they'll be available?

My headphones are actually quite cheap, will I still notice a difference?

mattzilla · 1 May 2008 at 06:40

They should be available soon I reckon. They seem to be coming through in small quantities for some retailers (mine arrives today

)

I'd personally always recommend getting a separate sound card. But it really depends what you're going to use it for (games, music, films etc).

As to CPU usage, it's usually less with a dedicated card, but it's unlikely to be a very noticeable difference.

p4radox · 1 May 2008 at 08:34

Greenlizard0 said:
Even mp3's can sound that little bit better lol

And for those of us who can't tell the difference between mp3 and FLAC even with an Audigy 2 and Sennheiser 'phones they sound much better. :cool:

GregI · 1 May 2008 at 17:43

Just ordered an Audigy from ocuk.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-040-CL&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

Just to see what i can expect when i get a better one later on in the year.

james.miller · 1 May 2008 at 17:45

id be very suprised if an audigy se is any better than your onboard sound. i really cant see the point in buying one of those at all

MoRT489 · 2 May 2008 at 09:35

soundcard is infinitely better than onboard sound, especially in games for surround sound and 3D sound with headphones!

james.miller · 2 May 2008 at 09:47

im suprised then, because its not even a real audigy. it doesnt have a hardware 3d engine and the output specs are awful lol

MoRT489 · 2 May 2008 at 10:39

creed said:
soundcard is infinitely better than onboard sound, especially in games for surround sound and 3D sound with headphones!

james.miller said:
im suprised then, because its not even a real audigy. it doesnt have a hardware 3d engine and the output specs are awful lol

Cant comment on the SE (now using xtreme music) but even my old SB Live! was WAY better than onboard.

WillSpengler · 2 May 2008 at 11:04

james.miller said:
id be very suprised if an audigy se is any better than your onboard sound. i really cant see the point in buying one of those at all

I bought the Sound Blaster Live a few years ago (was cheaper than the audigy there is now). And it was miles better than my onboard.

Onboard sound is dire. It's only useful for skype!

gearoi · 2 May 2008 at 11:21

I've got a 5.1 sound output on my Gigabyte 8IPE-1000 Pro... it sounds pretty amazing to me and I'd need some more hard evidence - review comparision or something to make me switch to a sound card and pay an extra £20 for the privilege...

At the moment my sound already is amazing...

MoRT489 · 2 May 2008 at 11:30

gearoi said:
I've got a 5.1 sound output on my Gigabyte 8IPE-1000 Pro... it sounds pretty amazing to me and I'd need some more hard evidence - review comparision or something to make me switch to a sound card and pay an extra £20 for the privilege...

At the moment my sound already is amazing...

Play a game where the sound of your oponent creeping up on u is important...

gearoi · 2 May 2008 at 11:34

creed said:
Play a game where the sound of your oponent creeping up on u is important...

I do m8... I play CS:S and UT - it really matters and I can hear them! Maybe better, but it might also just be paranoia about having the best kit that keeps the whole market going..

WillSpengler · 2 May 2008 at 13:49

gearoi said:
I do m8... I play CS:S and UT - it really matters and I can hear them! Maybe better, but it might also just be paranoia about having the best kit that keeps the whole market going..

Audio sound cards do make a difference. It's hard to explain the differences, but a better soundcard tends to have a better depth and range of sounds, it makes the sound jump out at you more.

SlyReaper said:
Nice. OCUK only seem to have it available as pre-order. Do we know when they'll be available?

They are in stock now

Tripnologist · 4 May 2008 at 13:05

My girl and I have near identical computers with identical speakers (Aego 2.1). Mine has an Xfi but her's only has onboard sound (IP35Pro). When playing the same song on each one, there is a huge and massive difference.

thegoonden · 5 May 2008 at 18:01

Post some specs people.

Signal to noise ratio
Frequency response
THD

I've got onboard sound, and £300 quid's worth of M-audio Delta pro-audio interface. And, aside from a teensy bit of background CPU noise on the onboard (nice work with the MU-metal screen there ASUS), I can hear no difference. Ruddy onboard gets 5000+ rebirth points and Cubase is willing to try to use it.

Basically, until I see proof that the onboard cuts off at 16KHz or has a 45dB SnR, or 25% THD, I consider it all marketing hype.

(BTW, my mate has £1200 worth of Digidesign DG-01 and uses his onboard sound mostly)

WillSpengler · 5 May 2008 at 18:26

Maybe onboard sound is getting better than the AC97 of yester-year.

All I know is that my onboard sound doesnt compete at all with my Creative SB Live or my Presonus Firepod

split · 6 May 2008 at 01:50

I thought when I heard the onboard sound on an Abit NF7s that long last they had made a huge leap in onboard sound.
That does not seem to be the case.

I also tried the ASUS A7N8X Deluxe board which is very similar to the Abit above, and it picks up noises from the motherboard which is a pain.
I then tried onboard on an MSI Neo2, and that was like an AM radio compared to an SB live that sounded so much smoother.
I recently tried it on an Abit IP35 Pro, and again it's thin and it crackles at the start of a track.

I'm not going to quote figures, I'm just trusting my ears cos thats what you should be doing and IMO they have only ever got it right on one motherboard that I have tried.