What's the better audio solution?

[Valnar]

I'm building a new PC for my brother while utilizing some of his older components. It's going to be an Intel Core2Duo in a P35 chipset Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R motherboard. The motherboard audio is the Realtek ALC889A HD codec which probably represents the best of onboard audio and his existing sound card is a 4 year old PCI Sound Blaster Audigy 2. My guess is sound quality-wise, the Realtek is probably on par if not slightly better. But for compatibility and EAX, is the older Audigy2 better for games? Or the Realtek?

-Robert

 

[spaceman]

They both do eax 2-3 in software I think.

 

[Menelmarar]

They both do eax 2-3 in software I think.

Negative. Onboard is done in software.

Audigy 2 will have hardware acceleration. Faster for gaming. EAX through 4.0.

 

[Moofasa~]

The Audigy 2 is the clear pick here.

 

[Valnar]

The Audigy 2 is the clear pick here.

Even the older one huh? OK, thanks.

Robert

 

[Moofasa~]

Even the older one huh? OK, thanks.

Robert

Yep audio isn't like GPU/CPU's; it doesn't get updated often.

 

[ourfpshero]

true- audigy all the way

 

[madgun]

Audigy will give you 128 sounds at 24bits while the RealTek onboard will give you a maximum of 64 sounds.
With the new RealTek HD audio I am not sure how the situation has changed.