What sound card to buy?

I'm looking for a new sound card. I have an old Turtle Beach Montego Card, and I'm perfectly happy with the quality of the sound. Unfortunately, it isn't really very compatible with WinXP, and I can only get reference drivers. Consequently, it doesn't work with some games such as Neverwinter Nights.

I don't really want to spend a great deal of money, as I'm far from an audiophile or anything. I've heard good things about the Hercules Fortissimo 7.1 card, which costs about $70 Canadian. Would this be a good card for me to buy? If not, could you suggest something better? I'm willing to pay a little more, but I don't want to pay anything like $200 for the Audigy 2, which I heard sucks anyway.

Thank you for any replies.

I've heard good things about the hercules. I almost bought one myself the other day, but I'll stick with the MUSE 5.1 DVD for now, because I haven't ANY problems with it, and it sounds pretty darn good too. Not bad for 30 Bucks American.

Water cooling is for the weak. Get liquid nitrogen.

Stay away from Creative. Get the Fortissimo III 7.1. It will more than suit your needs, and is one of the cheapest cards out there for the features and performance you get.

Don't forget that if you bought an Audigy2 off E-bay, not only do you have to cover the exchange (already up to $130), but then you need to pay duty on it and an additional $5 to $20 to cover handling costs, you're now up to about $175, which makes it nearly the same cost if you had bought it new. Forget it.

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Yeah, well, unless you bothered to find out newegg only ships within the states. As the author stated a price in Cdn, I'm inclined to believe they are canadian, and therefore can't buy dick off newegg, just like me.

XP 2500+ Barton
A7N8X Dlx
2x512MB Corsair PC3200
ATI 9700 Pro
16x DVD-ROM
2x80GB 7200RPM Maxtor
Onboard audio

It's mostly because I'm bitter that I can't get american stuff cheap.

No, you still have to pay duty and tax and handling fees for the borde guards, plus the additional shipping costs of actually getting it here. it's not cheap at all. you really have to be careful.

XP 2500+ Barton
A7N8X Dlx
2x512MB Corsair PC3200
ATI 9700 Pro
16x DVD-ROM
2x80GB 7200RPM Maxtor
Onboard audio

If you act suspicious, they may search your car. Chances are they wouldn't give two shizzy's about a sound card, as long as you packed it away. However, if you ship stuff over the border, 2 to 1 it'll arrive opened because of the border guards. It also would end up costing a lot more to drive down and back. Gas, hotel, food, etc.... It's not worth the trip.

XP 2500+ Barton
A7N8X Dlx
2x512MB Corsair PC3200
ATI 9700 Pro
16x DVD-ROM
2x80GB 7200RPM Maxtor
Onboard audio

Nope. As far as processors go, most Canadian retailers are a month behind the states. It can also go for a lot of other hardware as well. Some things like video cards and monitors are cheaper. Hard drives sometimes are. Once in a while something is cheaper here than down south, but it is so random it isn't worth watching for deals

The companies that actually have the processors up here usually buy them from US retailers, rather than Cdn wholesalers, which makes them more expensive. Sound cards are usually the same price up here as down there. It's just not cheaper to try to get them off E-Bay or other US retailers.

XP 2500+ Barton
A7N8X Dlx
2x512MB Corsair PC3200
ATI 9700 Pro
16x DVD-ROM
2x80GB 7200RPM Maxtor
Onboard audio