Best sub $50 sound card.

[Mister X]

A brief explanation of why you think card X is the best is welcome.

Used cards and cards that are no longer available are not eligible.

 

[Treyshadow]

CHAINTECH 7.1 Channel PCI Sound Card, Model "AV-710" - $25 bucks

This card has the via envy HT chipset. It is very good for music and movies. The best part is that this card can be flahed to accept the audiotrak prodigy drivers giving you bit perfect and kernel streaming playback (bypassing windows resampling to 44.1hz) and outputs it using the SPDIF cable. Buy this card for digital as the analog from the cards DACs is lacking.

 

[philtheskipper]

CHAINTECH 7.1 Channel PCI Sound Card, Model "AV-710" - $25 bucks

Buy this card for digital as the analog from the cards DACs is lacking.

What card would you recommed for someone who is going to use analog outputs for 2.1 channel music listening?

 

[Mister X]

What card would you recommed for someone who is going to use analog outputs for 2.1 channel music listening?

The AV-710.
It does have a very good supplemental DAC that services the 7th and 8th channels.
The software allows you to remap these channels and use them as the primary channels so you are not stuck using the crappy VIA codec for analog output.

 

[jaffy]

CHAINTECH AV-710:
Excellent sound quality for the price.

 

[SJetski71]

I voted Chaintech AV710 not out of personal experience but because of tons of positive feedback on hardware forums. The audigy1 is probably a close runner up but for differing aspects imho.

My all time favorite was the aureal vortex chipset. Now that had killer 3d positional audio, especially with headphones.
I wish that company never liquidated

 

[lorcani]

I love my Turtle Beach Santa Cruz. I've heard a few negative things about it (usually about its gaming ability), but it's worked well, and does its job. Even though it was twice the price as the Chaintech card you're all yapping about.

 

[KillRoy X]

Chaintech eh? I gotta check up on this guy.

 

[Mister X]

Back to the front....

 

[jamezzz122]

I think the Audigy 2 can be found at some places for under $50...

 

[GodsMadClown]

I like the Chaintech because Creative is an evil monopoly that stifles innovation.

 

[IdiotInCharge]

I like the Chaintech because Creative is an evil monopoly that stifles innovation.

While true, they still have a compelling product. As much as I'd like to put a satchel charge through their window, capitalism is about making money, not innovation. It takes government intervention to do that.