Audigy 2 SE vs. Onborad Realtek ALC 885

[vinegarjoe]

I've got an older pci sound card: SB Audigy 2 SE (Model # SB0400), and I'm wondering if I should use that or my onboard sound? The onboard is on my DFI LP x38 T2RB mobo. I believe it's Realtek ALC 885 (at least that's what the mobo box says). I have a decent set of Logitech 5.1 speakers and am planning to also run through my nicer home stereo system with Pioneer VSX-D510 receiver.


Assuming SB has windows 7 64 bit drivers, would it make a difference using win7 64bit or XP 32bit?

 

[hairystuff]

If you've got the audigy2 I'd recommend using it.

 

[gamerk316]

ALC 885: 106dB SnR
Audigy 2 SE: 106dB SnR

Equal output quality, so the Audigy 2 is probably better due to the extra sound processing done by the soundcard as opposed to the onboard.

 

[ClanGrant]

I use the Audigy 2 as well. Is this card good enough to run todays games through a headset.

 

[hairystuff]

The microphone capability is pretty good, so it should be fine.

 

[vinegarjoe]

Well I ended up ditching the audigy card because it seems that creative didn't bother to update the excellent software package to Windows 7. So all I could get was basic driver functionality but no control of specific speaker settings/volumes/speaker diagnostics/etc.

 

[hairystuff]

Unfortunatly the cards have been made obsolete by the hardware manufacturer and not the user, I have a few scanners, scsi cards and server ethernet cards no longer supported in Win7.