Tom's Hardware > Forum > CPU & Components > Sound Cards > Old Sound Card Worth Using?

Old Sound Card Worth Using?

Forum CPU & Components : Sound Cards - Old Sound Card Worth Using?

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
beehew   07-02-2009 at 07:49:06 AM

So, I have a Sound Blaster Live CT4760 sound card lying around and am wondering if it is worth putting into my system that I am upgrading. My motherboard is supposed to have good onboard sound (Asus P5Q Pro Turbo) or so the manufacturer claims. Is this old sound card worth using or is it better left for eBay?

Thanks!

Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
505090   07-02-2009 at 08:04:10 AM
- 0 +

wow haven't seen a sb live in a while. i wouldn't bother carrying it over the card but i would get a new one the xonar d1 will sound a lot better than the onboard sound and it's cheap

------------------------------ E8400 : GA-EP35-DS3L : mushkin 4GB DDR2 800 : HD 2600PRO : 450W ATX12V : Windows 7
 Reply to 505090
hefox   07-02-2009 at 10:24:00 AM
- 0 +

You should use the onboard one. It's a good sound card. I've read an review and the differences between an onboard one and an expensive sound card are barely noticeable.

Message quoted 1 times
------------------------------ Intel i7 920, Gigabyte X58-DS4, 3x1 Corsair DDR3 1333, XFX 260 GTX
Samsung 750Gb F1,Samsung DVD-rw, Hiper Type-M 880W, Coolermaster HAF 932, Logitech Z-5500
 Reply to hefox
Bronze CPUs badge jsc   07-02-2009 at 10:59:04 AM
- 0 +

I'd say to use the on board sound. It's better than the old sound card.

Reply to jsc
jitpublisher   07-02-2009 at 02:07:26 PM
- 0 +

Ebay? I don't know who would want it, but I did see several on sale at Amazon for $10.
Never know I guess, maybe someone collecting old hardware might want it.
Performance wise, yes modern onboard sound will be literally YEARS ahead of the old sound card.


Message edited by jitpublisher on 07-02-2009 at 02:07:52 PM
Reply to jitpublisher
505090   07-02-2009 at 05:56:41 PM
- 0 +

hefox wrote :

You should use the onboard one. It's a good sound card. I've read an review and the differences between an onboard one and an expensive sound card are barely noticeable.



the difference from onboard sound and a $80 dollar sound card is night and day, unless you have some really cheap speakers

Message quoted 1 times
------------------------------ E8400 : GA-EP35-DS3L : mushkin 4GB DDR2 800 : HD 2600PRO : 450W ATX12V : Windows 7
 Reply to 505090
hefox   07-03-2009 at 11:18:12 AM
- 0 +

Unfortunately I can't find the test/review to show you that the difference are really small.

------------------------------ Intel i7 920, Gigabyte X58-DS4, 3x1 Corsair DDR3 1333, XFX 260 GTX
Samsung 750Gb F1,Samsung DVD-rw, Hiper Type-M 880W, Coolermaster HAF 932, Logitech Z-5500
 Reply to hefox
jitpublisher   07-03-2009 at 01:45:40 PM
- 0 +

505090 wrote :

the difference from onboard sound and a $80 dollar sound card is night and day, unless you have some really cheap speakers



And what is the purpose of this nonsense?
First, we are not talking about an $80 sound card. We are talking about a 6-10 year old SB Live.
Second, unless you have just bought a $59 el cheapo motherboard, the onboard sound will be quite good.
You would need much better than an $80 sound card to tell the difference.

Reply to jitpublisher
505090   07-03-2009 at 07:58:16 PM
- 0 +

@jitpublisher
I told him he would be better of with the onboard sound than with a sb live card already

@jitpublisher & hefox
Have you tried these cards or do you just go by reviews. Because i have consistently found sound cards to sound better than onboard sound in mine and my customers homes. Hell when my Audigy 2 finally died a few weeks ago i had to go back to onboard sound and it doesn't even to compare to that old sound card. As to the $80 card, it is the xonar d1 I hooked it up to a bose speaker system and it sounds great.

------------------------------ E8400 : GA-EP35-DS3L : mushkin 4GB DDR2 800 : HD 2600PRO : 450W ATX12V : Windows 7
 Reply to 505090
jitpublisher   07-04-2009 at 04:49:37 PM
- 0 +

I have had and used over the years, SB16, SBPro, SBlive, Turtle Beach Santa Cruz and Turtle Beach Montego, and of late, Auzentech Prelude, an X-FI gamer.
4-5 years ago I would have sworn, and have in fact argued on this very forum that no onboard sound would ever match a decent sound card.
But..........................
I just gave away the last sound cards I had, the X-FI and the Auzentech.

After the last 2 motherboards I have had, a DFI Lanparty, and the Gigabyte board I am using now, I could tell no big difference in sound quality, and just decided that there really isn't any need to bother with a Sound Card anymore.
I am not audiophile by any means, but I do like my music load and clear, and I have no problem with the new onboard modules delivering.

Reply to jitpublisher
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Hardware > Forum > CPU & Components > Sound Cards > Old Sound Card Worth Using?
Go to:

There are 673 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.547 seconds
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them