Sound Cards

[Nerwin]

Ok I have this sound card that i got for free, and I have no use for it so i'm thinking to put it in my machine but i can't figer out which one is the best.

I have Integrated Realtek ALC655 AC'97 audio CODEC chip. Link

And the Sound card i have: Creative Labs Sound Blaster CT4740 Sound Card. Link

Which one is the best?

Edited February 24, 2006 by computerMan

[nmX.Memnoch]

It looks like that's probably a Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 card (notice the built-in Dolby Digital 5.1 decoder). The Creative card will probably help performance a bit since your onboard sound is using software (and hence the system CPU) for sound processing, where the Creative card will do it in hardware.

[Nerwin]

Now if i install the card, Will it disable the intergated one?

[ripken204]

use the sound blaster

to disable the integrated one there may be a jumper or an option in the bios

[Nerwin]

ok I will check that

[Jeremy]

The only way integrated devices get disabled is if they are configured as such by default in the BIOS or if you do it manually.

The Sound Blaster cards are better than onboard sound controllers. My SBl 5.1 is 3 years old and I'd say it's better than the onboard.

[Nerwin]

Mine card works fine and it sounds better too, and i saw a increase in my performace too.

[clavicle]

You can add a little more punch to your sound blaster card by using YouP -Pax drivers and utilities!

[LiquidSage]

Just about any semi-recent soundcard is going to be better than onboard. Hearing your HD's and other goodies cranking away in the background (even mouse movement) seriously kills the audio experience for everyone.

Performance-wise, onbaord audio has recently made major improvements. It doesn't bog down a system nearly as much as in the past.

Since Creative Labs holds the audio card market for general consumers, it's too bad they skimp on using high quality board components (capacitors, resistors, etc) that don't cost that much moreto include, but add a huge difference in quality.

[nmX.Memnoch]

Performance-wise, onbaord audio has recently made major improvements. It doesn't bog down a system nearly as much as in the past.

Yes, but when you're gaming you want as much off of the system CPU as possible...

[Chozo4]

I would go for the Soundblaster as well. To echo what has alreayd been said, using it will take off the load from the System CPU thus helping performace.

Additional Bonuses:

- It will be more compatible with older games.

- Most OnBoard chips use only a headphone grade amplifier. Your soundblaster most likely has a better amplifier built in thus allowing you to get away with using passive (non-amplified) speakers as if they were powered speakers.

- If you are a MIDI fanatic, MIDI playback will be SO much better.

Edited February 26, 2006 by Chozo4

[jago_lfn]

You can add a little more punch to your sound blaster card by using YouP -Pax drivers and utilities!

And where might one obtain these? Do they work on audigy cards as well? Only better drivers I've found are the kX project (Minus EAX support in games) @ http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/index.php?skip=1

@Chozo4: Agreed on the midi part. Hardware wavetable is so much better than emulated and software synth.

@computerMan: Use the sound blaster. if you play any games at all you'll love the EAX Onboard sound that claims to have EAX are buggy and crappy compared to the real thing. Also make sure you download the latest drivers from creative's site instead of the cd (if you recived one). Creative packs way TOO MUCH crapware that installs from cd.

@nmX.Memnoch: It's a SB PCI 16. Can be purchased online around $7.00 USD

"Sound Blaster 16Bit PCI CT4740

Creative SB 16 PCI 3D audio and multi-channel support"

Edited February 27, 2006 by jago_lfn

[nmX.Memnoch]

@nmX.Memnoch: It's a SB PCI 16. Can be purchased online around $7.00 USD

"Sound Blaster 16Bit PCI CT4740

Creative SB 16 PCI 3D audio and multi-channel support"

Unfortunately, since this is the case that card doesn't have EAX support. I also doubt the originally linked site's claims that it has an built in Dolby Digital 5.1 Decoder.

@computerMan: Since it's an older SB card you may well be better off sticking with the onboard sound simply for the additional features. The SB16 has been around for a veeeeery long time...they didn't do much more with this version than update the motherboard connector from ISA to PCI (yes, it's that old).

On another note, you can find Audigy SE 7.1 cards pretty cheap. While not a current top-end card, it's not a low-end card by any means...and it will give you full support for EAX.