Soundcards: do they help?

[Seizure Explosion]

Hey I've just built a new PC (7800 GT, 1GB RAM, AMD 3500+) and am using integrated audio on my eVGA nForce 4 SLi mobo. I've used integrated audio all my life and have never had a soundcard. So I was wondering if sound cards in combination with good speakers actually make things sound better, or if they just take pressure off the other components. If they do make things sound better, which sound card would you reccomend for a resonable price (no more than $150)?

 

[Cowcaster88]

Onboard cards these days sound well enough for like DVD play back, music and some games. Most of the onboard equip is only 5.1. While if you got a real soundcard, I believe they sound better and you could get more channels (6.1 or 7.1). Also if you want other options like different audio inputs a real soundcard would be more equipped. All a question of what do you want to do with it.

I think the cards that Creative makes are normally very good for their price. I had an old SoundBlaster Live 5.1 Platinum, but that was years ago.

 

[Seizure Explosion]

I'm going to be gaming with my PC mostly. It will improve sound quality for that, then?

 

[Hobbit89]

In games, OH YES! Its all because of the EAX! (Enviormental Audio Extentions) it makes games sound a lot better, the EAX adds things like echoes and reverbs and footsteps and directional audio channles and just a cleaner crisper sound.. And if you have nice $150 budget, then i would go for the X-Fi card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102188) it is suposedly the best gamer card out right now. though, if you want to step down a notch the Sound Blaster Audigy 2ZS is pretty good to, but i recomend the X-Fi.
Hope this helps!

 

[playrh8r]

I have a similar system i'm building:

Athlon 64 3700+ (939)
Evga SLI motherboard
Enermax 550watt PS
Evga 7800 GT
2gb Corsair Valueram

I'm debating whether or not to use the onboard sound of my motherboard. I have a sound blaster live 5.1 from my old system. Would I see better performance with the sb live over the onboard?

thanks,

Jeff

 

[needmorecarnitine]

In games, OH YES! Its all because of the EAX! (Enviormental Audio Extentions) it makes games sound a lot better, the EAX adds things like echoes and reverbs and footsteps and directional audio channles and just a cleaner crisper sound..

Is that just for games that are written with EAX?

 

[Chastity]

No offense, but both the SB Live and the Realtek onboard sound solutions both rot.

 

[compulsivephreek]

what makes you say they rot ? the SB Live cards are very good for the money, lots of people still use them, and generally they are better than most on board sound solutions. I have been using on board for years, and put the Live card in to replace C media and I can tell a definite improvement. I had heard they were about equivalent, and I mainly did this to take some work off the CPU, but the sound is better. I wouldn't say the SB Live card rots. May not be the latest and greatest but for $10 it works fine.

 

[Chastity]

Improvement is a relative term. I had a Live card, and not the 5.1 model. I was never happy with the analog output, and fortunately, thing have gotten alot better since. I used to use 2 soundcards at a time, one for gaming and one for music.

 

[TheJackal]

if you game, you should get a dedicated sound option. why? yes, EAX is pimp, but mainly to free up cpu resources. i used to use intel's high definition audio 7.1 on my 915 mobo, bought a SB Live! 24-bit at best buy for $30 and seriously couldn't be happier. i can enable EAX and crank up the sound settings (max it supports is 64bit channels says everest). you will get higher fps with onboard audio disabled, believe me.

sound card = higher fps, EAX, and higher sound options
integrated = cpu utilization and loss of cpu cycles, no EAX, and you can pick higher sound settings but it will use more cpu power.