NForce2 without CMedia or Realtek?

[SMabille]

Hi,
Following up the very interesting article about sounds processor, could you please direct me to NForce2 motherboard using the NForce sound processor not the Realtek or CMedia ones?
Thanks forward.
Stephane

 

[bikeman]

Coincidence or not, I just posted in another thread on this forum about the same question ... Kewl ... Wait, I'll give you a link to that thread: <A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=538627#538627" target="_new">http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=538627#538627</A>

Greetz,
Bikeman

<i>Then again, that's just my opinion</i>

 

[TKH]

Well, all nForce2 mobo uses Realtek or C-Media on board sound controller but in case of MCP-T it has another APU for SoundStorm so it just uses the Realtek 6-ch output controller. And I believe only Chaintech Zenith 7NJ-S uses C-Media and not SoundStorm. So I think you are looking a mobo with SoundStorm features. The best should be MSI K7N2-ILRS, second the Asus A7N8X Deluxe, and the high-end model for Soltek, Leadtek and Abit.

You never know how stupid you are until you have done something stupid enough for you to realize it.
<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=22996" target="_new">My System Rig</A>

 

[lordsnow]

The statement in the article, "most nForce2 motherboards don't use the APU" baffled me. I always assumed that all nForce2 motherboards with an MCP-T used it? And had the Realtek/C-Media chip only as a converter/controller.

<b>update</b> this little snippet from the 6-board nForce2 review from Anandtech seems to support my believes: <i>Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC650 controller (nForce2 APU)</i>

AFAIK: the Abit NF7 the only board at the moment to be certified by nVidia & Dolby under the new sound quality assurance program. (note: this isn't about whether or not the board has SoundStorm).

As a side-note: does anyone know what motherboard Toms Hardware used for the article?<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by lordsnow on 04/06/03 06:20 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[TKH]

Yeah, most nForce2 mobo don't use APU because they are lower end product e.g. MSI K7N2-L. High end mobo like Asus A7N8X Deluxe utilises APU as well as SoundStorm technology, and real time Dolby Digital 5.1 encoding. Let's talk about how Realtek/C-Media works. They are actually the controller of audio signal I/O, but all the audio signal processing is done by CPU, that's why you may get a performance loss if you use the conventional on board audio; incase of nForce2 APU, this small piece of silicon just like any other sound card which handles all the audio processing job for CPU then pass to Realtek/C-Media controller for sound amplification and output. So, buying a nForce2 mobo with SoundStorm feature is the same as you buy a normal nForce2 mobo plus a "nVidia SoundStorm" sound card. So this APU do cost you a little more but cheaper then all sound card with the same level.
And most nForce2 mobo do use MCP-T but MCP-T is not only the APU, it has a lot of other usage e.g. Dual LAN supported. Mobo manufacturer sometimes just don't incorporate all the technologies and we don't know why e.g. Chaintech Zenith uses MCP-T but it only has single LAN and using C-Media controller instead of nForce2 APU.

You never know how stupid you are until you have done something stupid enough for you to realize it.
<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=22996" target="_new">My System Rig</A>

 

[Spitfire_x86]

All nForce2 mobos with MCP2 southbridge don't have nForce APU.

All nForce2 mobos with MCP2-T have nForce2 APU and use it (except Chaintech Zenith 7NJ-S)

<b><A HREF="http://geocities.com/spitfire_x86" target="_new"> My Rig</A></b>

 

[NeoBlademun]

The only Mobo I'v found that uses the Soundstorm APU is the K7NCR18D-PRO board. I might have to go someplace other the Newegg to find something eles *gasp* but thats not happening. lol I like the Leadtek board alot. Can't wait to get some money together to build a system around it.

 

[TKH]

Well, look carefully, Asus uses SoundStorm, Abit uses SoundStorm, Soltek uses SoundStorm, MSI uses SoundStorm. not only Leadtek.

You never know how stupid you are until you have done something stupid enough for you to realize it.
<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=22996" target="_new">My System Rig</A>