What's the difference between sound cards?

[Antagonist]

I've looked around and I don't completely understand why there's a difference between a C-media and a Soundblaster live to a Audigy X-FI. The only difference I've seen is features like a firewire port. How do you actually get better audio out of these devices? Isn't the audio defined by the speakers?

Sorry I'm a TOTAL noob, I've tried researching this but it's hard to ask people why they're reviewing something.

Don't kill me?

 

[PigCorpse]

They supposedly sound better, but it probably doesn't matter much for the most of us.

 

[Cyrilix]

A soundcard does the digital-analog conversion. That's one link in the chain of good audio. Soundcards usually have some sort of internal amplification as well. That's another link for you.

 

[Antagonist]

So what's the difference between a $50 sound card and a $250 sound card? Ie, Audigy and Live?

 

[Cyrilix]

The entire circuit, the design of the circuit, the quality of the components, the features, inputs/outputs, the DACs, the opamps.

 

[Monkey_feces]

My x-fi can act as an amp?!?!!?

 

[rhansen5_99]

yeah dude amplify sound of hd spinning to awsome mp3 quality music