Sound Quality on the Cheap

[sanjiwatsuki]

First off, is a cheap (~$30) sound card any better than onboard audio?

Next off, will I even notice the difference with a sub-$30 "sound system" (quoted because it most likely can barely be called a sound system...)?

Sound card-wise I was looking at the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE SB0570LPVP 5.1 Channels PCI Interface Low-Profile Sound Card.

I've been looking at the Cyber Acoustics CA3001WB 14 watts 2.1 Speaker & the DCT Factory OG-550 25 Watts 5.1 Speaker.

Even though I'm going on the extra cheap sound-wise, will I get a significant difference to going up from 2.0 to 2.1/5.1 and onboard to a low end sound card?

Are there any other speakers I should look for, on the cheap?

Thanks!

 

[evongugg]

A sound card will give you a lot better sound than onboard sound.
Especially with some decent speakers.
It will take a load off of the CPU also.

 

[Surferosa]

^ Disagree a bit with.

If your spending money on a generic cheap soundcard, then 9 times out of ten your onboard audio will do just as good a job (if not better).

If you are severaly budget resricted, I would always sepend as much as you can on the sepakers and use onboard for the time being. You can always pop in a soundcard at a later date; but for general gaming / light home audio use with a sub $150 pair of speakers, onboard will usually be more than sufficient.

 

[belvdr]

^ Disagree a bit with.

If your spending money on a generic cheap soundcard, then 9 times out of ten your onboard audio will do just as good a job (if not better).

That depends on the game and I would hardly call the SoundBlaster Audigy "generic". If the game is EAX enabled, all processing is put onto the sound card. If your onboard sound isn't EAX-enabled, then it certainly would help to put in a better card. I put the Audigy SE in my Dell and reduced my CPU by 40% in FSX.

As for speakers, I bought a $30 set and they sound horrible compared to a nicer set. The bass is not what it should be; it's as if the crossover is set way too high (maybe 100Hz or so). At any rate, I recommend going to a store and listen to speakers before you purchase. MicroCenter is a good place to do this.

EDIT: Now that I re-read the original post, those CA speakers are the ones I bought. If you're thinking of gaming with them, I'd highly recommend you not do so.

 

[sanjiwatsuki]

http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/productsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=24&PFid=28&Level=5&Conn=4&ProdID=135

That is the onboard I would be getting. The ALC888 does seem to have EAX support.

 

[jaguarskx]

http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/productsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=24&PFid=28&Level=5&Conn=4&ProdID=135

That is the onboard I would be getting. The ALC888 does seem to have EAX support.

Just be aware that Windows Vista does not officially support EAX. Vista has given DirectSound 3D (and EAX) the boot in favor of OpenAL.

Creative has offered a solution and released new audio drivers in December 2006 that allows EAX to be used in Windows Vista. However, those drivers is only be for the X-Fi series of sound cards.

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/11/28/Vista_will_support_eax_after_all/

If a mobo's integrated sound supports EAX, then you will have to pray that they will release an updated auduio driver for their motherboard if you will be installing Windows Vista. I think it's more likely that hell will freeze over first.

 

[jcmiguel]

I have a Gigabyte DQ6 with the realtek ALC888 and I am running vista x64 home premium. Realtek released so far 3 drivers for the x64 vista platform and all worked fine (I don't even know what the fixes were). My set up is with a 7.1 speaker system (SB7900) and I can play everything. Never tried full volume because the walls would fall.... The only anoying thing is from vista itself since I cannot play DTS and AudioDVD on the media center. It only works through PowerDVD. I believe my system sound as good as any audiology board and that it would reduce the load on the CPU if I had a SB X series but then... why spend money?

 

[JonathanDeane]

X-Fi FTW ! lol Honestly you can get the Fatal1ty edition for like 130 bucks these days (its just the card no box no remote but its a killer deal) but if you have only 30$ to spend and not going to use Vista for a while I would recomend an Audigy

These are for the SE versions wich do suck but are better then 99% of the mobo based sound cards.....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=audigy

Alot of them are under 30$...

 

[halcyon]

I don't want to knock anyone's rig but before you conclude that your onboard sound is just as good as an Audigy do some subjective listening tests (be honest with yourself, please) and compare the specs of your onboard sound to the specs of an Audigy and/or X-Fi.

I desperately wanted the ALC883 in my old Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 to sound as good as my ancient SB-Live! so I could free up the PCI slot but in reality the ALC883 sounded noticably flat and hollow and I had to put the ancient SB-Live! back in to get the fuller sound I'd grown used to.

...that experience would lead me to wonder if the '888 sounds truly as good or better than an Audigy. Good luck.

 

[JonathanDeane]

I don't want to knock anyone's rig but before you conclude that your onboard sound is just as good as an Audigy do some subjective listening tests (be honest with yourself, please) and compare the specs of your onboard sound to the specs of an Audigy and/or X-Fi.

I desperately wanted the ALC883 in my old Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 to sound as good as my ancient SB-Live! so I could free up the PCI slot but in reality the ALC883 sounded noticably flat and hollow and I had to put the ancient SB-Live! back in to get the fuller sound I'd grown used to.

...that experience would lead me to wonder if the '888 sounds truly as good or better than an Audigy. Good luck.

I did the same thing when I bought my first SB card then I wondered if buying an Audigy would be worth it for me... Amazingly yes it too was better then the original SB !!! Then I was like "The X-Fi could not possibly be that much better then the Audigy" but it is !!! I dont know what kind of voodoo Creative has going on but I think it will be a loooong time before I give up my X-Fi !!! (probably when they remove PCI slots from mobo's and Creative makes some sort of upgraded PCIe version lol

Throw some headphones on and become creeped out as the virtual 3D sound has you turning your head looking for where that sound came from !!! I kid you not when I fist started using my headphones in this way I kept taking them off thinking that my other speakers where on ! lol

 

[jcmiguel]

It is a subjective matter, I suppose but I would recomend these threads:
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1098065
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/archive/index.php/t-756238.html
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=715910


as well as the specs of ALC888DD:
http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/productsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=24&PFid=28&Level=5&Conn=4&ProdID=135

I am quite sure the X-fi extreme music will be a better choice but there is a price to pay for that. My ears are not perfect and I don't want to get into an argument here but there is always someone else opinion. The savings of a dubious upgrade of a card can be towards a separated audio system receiving optical SPDIF from the computer. That is my plan.

 

[uncle_ben]

Next off, will I even notice the difference with a sub-$30 "sound system" (quoted because it most likely can barely be called a sound system...)?
(...)
Are there any other speakers I should look for, on the cheap?

You better off getting good headphones. Sub$30 sets are disgrace.

 

[halcyon]

A decent set of headphones can indeed be had for under $30, see some of the choices here: http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-budget/under-40/

...HeadRoom...a pretty good guide and E-tailer.

 

[harry_callahan]

Even though I'm going on the extra cheap sound-wise, will I get a significant difference to going up from 2.0 to 2.1/5.1 and onboard to a low end sound card?

Are there any other speakers I should look for, on the cheap?

Thanks![/quote]


Sorry, just saw the post.

Creative Sound Blaster SB0570 Audigy SE 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail $27.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102002


Logitech X-530 70 watts RMS 5.1 Black Speaker System - OEM $59.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121126

You gonna pull those pistols, or whistle dixie?

 

[halcyon]

That's probably not a bad pair for entry level 5.1 PC-sound, especially given the sub $100 mark.