Worth buying a soundcard?

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » October 24th, 2005, 12:12

Since I got my new PC I've just been using the motherboard sound as I only listen through headphones or cheap speakers sometimes. I have an old Creative Live! 1024 Player or something like that but didn't think it would be as good as the on-board stuff. Is it worth buying a proper soundscard under these circumstances or installing the Creative card?

mrbobbins · Post by **mrbobbins** » October 24th, 2005, 12:56

Funnily enough I just bought a soundcard, been meaning too since I built my PC 2 years ago!!, I just got fed up of crap sounding MP3's. It's only a £30 one but it's got to be an improvement over the onboard 'sound'

Post by **FatherJack** » October 24th, 2005, 13:15

Some games (such as FEAR) require EAX to run, but the Live has that.

mrbobbins · Post by **mrbobbins** » October 24th, 2005, 13:18

Not true, I've been playing FEAR this weekend with my shit motherboard sound (Non EAX)

Post by **FatherJack** » October 24th, 2005, 13:26

It says it's required on the back of the box*, and in truth I did sort of get it working with the PCI128, but it only properly worked when I put a Live in.

I suspect it is a sign of things to come, though.

* Which is what I should have said: "Some games list EAX as a requirement"

mrbobbins · Post by **mrbobbins** » October 24th, 2005, 13:35

Yeah I guess, they list it as a requirement cos they want it to sound as good as possible, and sell some more sound cards.

I mean Doom 3 doesn't list a 12mb Voodoo 2 card as a minimum requirement!...

http://www.firingsquad.com/media/galler ... dia_id=244

Jinxx · Post by **Jinxx** » October 24th, 2005, 15:06

Where you see "EAX", mentally substitute that for "DirectX 8 or higher DirectSound3D capable audio processor". That covers practically every damn sound card that cost more than £15 which was produced in the last 2 years.

Remember kids, stamping "EAX" on the list of hardware requirements for your game means you get lotsa money from Creative Labs. Whereas stamping "DirectSound 3D" doesn't get you any money from Microsoft.

Post by **deject** » October 24th, 2005, 16:04

I say out the SB Live! in. You'll have less noise, and most likely better quality. That is, unless you have a nForce2 motherboard with the SoundStorm APU...

Jinxx · Post by **Jinxx** » October 24th, 2005, 16:30

deject wrote:I say out the SB Live! in. You'll have less noise, and most likely better quality. That is, unless you have a nForce2 motherboard with the SoundStorm APU...

If you have an nF2, put the Live in anyway - but just for the microphone - the mic on the soundstorm sucks ass.

Post by **FatherJack** » October 24th, 2005, 17:16

TBF games tend to list a "DirectX 9.0c compatible" sound card, not that that nets them any cash from MS. The mic gain on the Live I have is markedly lower than than the PCI128 (even with boost) and voice transmission is "scratchy" now, too.

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » October 24th, 2005, 19:41

well I installed the card and it's certainly made the output louder and I've got EAX 2.0 at least, thanks everyone

I've lost use of the headphone and mic ports on the front of the case but I might be able to fix that

Post by **deject** » October 24th, 2005, 20:00

spoodie wrote:well I installed the card and it's certainly made the output louder and I've got EAX 2.0 at least, thanks everyone

I've lost use of the headphone and mic ports on the front of the case but I might be able to fix that

get a headset with really long cords

Wiggy · Post by **Wiggy** » October 24th, 2005, 20:02

I have a lovely Philips sound card, got 24-bit something, and 5.1 surround. All for about 15-20 quid. It was on offer at PC World if I remember correctly.

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » October 24th, 2005, 21:03

deject wrote:get a headset with really long cords

got that covered but it's just a shame I cant use them

anyway I've found the old SB Live card has some major sound gliches in FEAR so I'm going to buy a new cheap card
edit: maybe a Creative Audigy 2 Value OEM, what do you think?

Post by **FatherJack** » October 24th, 2005, 21:17

Yes, I KKKKKKRRRRRKKKKCCCCHHHH!!!! noticed that too.

Post by **deject** » October 24th, 2005, 21:30

spoodie wrote:maybe a Creative Audigy 2 Value OEM, what do you think?

I'd say that will work great. I'm sure you don't want to spend the necessary ducats for them spankin' new X-Fi cards...

Post by **FatherJack** » October 24th, 2005, 23:16

I'm firmly in the "headphones or cheap speakers sometimes" brigade. While enhancements in processors or video cards have an effect I can actually notice, in soundcards I seem to be unable to distinguish any difference.

All I want is a bang noise when I press my gun, or maybe a fart noise - who cares? I just see this headed the way of "you can't play this without X processor and Y graphics card" and it irks me.

mrbobbins · Post by **mrbobbins** » October 25th, 2005, 8:24

FatherJack wrote:I'm firmly in the "headphones or cheap speakers sometimes" brigade. While enhancements in processors or video cards have an effect I can actually notice, in soundcards I seem to be unable to distinguish any difference.

All I want is a bang noise when I press my gun, or maybe a fart noise - who cares? I just see this headed the way of "you can't play this without X processor and Y graphics card" and it irks me.

A good soundcard improves performance and FPS in games because it takes load off the CPU. FACT

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » October 25th, 2005, 10:20

mrbobbins wrote:A good soundcard improves performance and FPS in games because it takes load off the CPU. FACT

This is true.

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » October 25th, 2005, 12:06

I dont think I want to spend twice as much on a X-Fi card but I can tell it's definately worth using a proper soundcard over the on-board, when it worked the SB card made the sound a lot richer. Unless there's a really good reason to go for the more expensive one?