Sound Card Recommendation

[ERL857]

I currently running:

AMD A64 3000+ Newcastle @ 2.2
Asus K8N-E Deluxe Mobo
! gig of muskin 3200
320 gigs
AiW 9600XT

Im right now using the onboard sound with an altec lansing 5.1 spearker system(modded with older aiwa shelf system speakers for front speakers )

Im looking to get a pci sound card but not sure what kind to get I have only use the onboard sound on my systems in the past.

Budget: around $100 little more little less

Thanks!

 

[towert7]

First things first.

What do you want the sound card to do that the onboard audio can't do (or does'nt do good)?

~Keep us posted

 

[ERL857]

richer/better sound hard to describe the onboard sound is sort of weak

 

[dderidex]

For a *gaming* system, you've got two main choices:

I'd say Audigy 2zs Platinum on eBay - hovering right around $100 at the moment.

If you don't need the front panel audio connections (remote control, MIDI in and out, S/PDIF in and out, headphone jack, mic jack, etc), then an X-Fi Extreme Music is right about that price range, as well.

For a pure music listening or DVD playing system where you are outputting to a receiver, or 2.1 analog:

Chaintech AV-710. Has a very good Envy24 chipset (well, very good on 2 channels or digital out), and is CHEAP on Newegg. Note that it only supports EAX 1 and EAX 2 - not 3, 4, or 5. If that matters to you (I *still* haven't decided if it matters to me, and that's AFTER spending an afternoon with all of Creative's audio demos!). Advantage is that it can use an ATX case's standard front panel audio header connector just fine.

 

[{bmf}CrackSmoke]

Audigy 2 ZS would be my suggestion. Great Sound

 

[ERL857]

yea i know this is about a month later, havent been on here in a while, went with the audigy 2 zs, great stuff.