If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Sound card recommendation
I recently built my first computer. It was kind of thrilling when I finally
got all the parts together and it actually booted up when I hit the power switch but I'm not happy with the sound card. I have a Creative Labs Soundblaster 16 PCI sound card. The card works okay with the generic Windows XP drivers but the higher functions in the volume control panel are either missing or grayed out. If I install the drivers provided by Creative Labs I have access to the advanced audio functions but the sound on some of my Windows 9X games is distorted for lack of a better word. If I roll back the drivers to the XP drivers then the distortion disappears but then so does the access to the advanced audio functions. I'm seriously thinking about getting a new card. I have a basic speaker setup, two satellites plus one subwoofer, so I don't need anything that supports 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound or anything like that. The important thing is sound quality. I just want something that sounds good and works well with all computer games from Windows 95 games to Windows XP games. Any recommendations? Thanks |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
|
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Only one card to get, well two...trust me, all the "techno nerds" buy Audigy
2 soundcards. Try this for size: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...102-162&depa=0 Or if you wanna skimp and save a few bucks, this: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...102-158&depa=0 Personally i would spend the 88 bucks and get the Audigy 2 ZS. "DJS0302" wrote in message ... I recently built my first computer. It was kind of thrilling when I finally got all the parts together and it actually booted up when I hit the power switch but I'm not happy with the sound card. I have a Creative Labs Soundblaster 16 PCI sound card. The card works okay with the generic Windows XP drivers but the higher functions in the volume control panel are either missing or grayed out. If I install the drivers provided by Creative Labs I have access to the advanced audio functions but the sound on some of my Windows 9X games is distorted for lack of a better word. If I roll back the drivers to the XP drivers then the distortion disappears but then so does the access to the advanced audio functions. I'm seriously thinking about getting a new card. I have a basic speaker setup, two satellites plus one subwoofer, so I don't need anything that supports 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound or anything like that. The important thing is sound quality. I just want something that sounds good and works well with all computer games from Windows 95 games to Windows XP games. Any recommendations? Thanks |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
"DJS0302" wrote in message ... I recently built my first computer. It was kind of thrilling when I finally got all the parts together and it actually booted up when I hit the power switch but I'm not happy with the sound card. I have a Creative Labs Soundblaster 16 PCI sound card. The card works okay with the generic Windows XP drivers but the higher functions in the volume control panel are either missing or grayed out. If I install the drivers provided by Creative Labs I have access to the advanced audio functions but the sound on some of my Windows 9X games is distorted for lack of a better word. If I roll back the drivers to the XP drivers then the distortion disappears but then so does the access to the advanced audio functions. I'm seriously thinking about getting a new card. I have a basic speaker setup, two satellites plus one subwoofer, so I don't need anything that supports 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound or anything like that. The important thing is sound quality. I just want something that sounds good and works well with all computer games from Windows 95 games to Windows XP games. Any recommendations? Thanks It's going to be tough to find even a really CHEAP sound card today that doesn't support 5.1 or more channels of surround sound. BUT, you don't have to use all channels, unless you want to. I've got a 5.1 sound card with two speakers (and subwoofer), and it sounds great. So what you need to be looking for is good value in a high quality card that will support your games. The windows 95 is going to kill you though. I've looked at several inexpensive cards that would sound good, and they only have drivers going back to 98. I'd suggest you pick up a Creative Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 off of ebay. You can still buy it straight from Creative, but it costs twice as much as newer 24-bit cards with better sound quality. That's why I suggest you check ebay, and try not to spend more than $25 on it, including shipping. But if you go to Creative's web site, you will find drivers for every OS from 95 to XP. And it will sound great with your games. -Dave http://us.creative.com/products/prod...ry=&product=50 |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
|
#7
|
|||
|
|||
"Stephen" wrote in message
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/prod...rds/santacruz/ "I second that emotion" The TBSC is the overall best consumer PCI sound card with the least hassles with any mobo . (also appears to be "very efficient"; extremely low CPU /system "drag") If you have budget issues; go with a Yamaha chipset "cheapie" . Just be prepared to go thru "driver hell" .... |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
In article , djs0302
@aol.comnospam says... I recently built my first computer. It was kind of thrilling when I finally got all the parts together and it actually booted up when I hit the power switch but I'm not happy with the sound card. I have a Creative Labs Soundblaster 16 PCI sound card. The card works okay with the generic Windows XP drivers but the higher functions in the volume control panel are either missing or grayed out. If I install the drivers provided by Creative Labs I have access to the advanced audio functions but the sound on some of my Windows 9X games is distorted for lack of a better word. If I roll back the drivers to the XP drivers then the distortion disappears but then so does the access to the advanced audio functions. I'm seriously thinking about getting a new card. I have a basic speaker setup, two satellites plus one subwoofer, so I don't need anything that supports 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound or anything like that. The important thing is sound quality. I just want something that sounds good and works well with all computer games from Windows 95 games to Windows XP games. Any recommendations? Thanks Just in case you were thinking of it, stay away from the M-Audio Revolution. No sooner did I install it on my new Asus board, than I started getting BSODs. The best part was when, after 2 seconds of discussion, M-Audio vehemently informed me that it was NOT their card, but rather my system (which had worked flawlessly with the Audigy 2ZS, that was at fault. And, he then offered to try to help me fix my system! I informed him I knew the best way to fix my system: remove the M-Audio board. After that, all was well. Louise |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
On Thu, 27 May 2004 00:30:50 -0400, Louise wrote:
| Just in case you were thinking of it, stay away from the M-Audio | Revolution. No sooner did I install it on my new Asus board, than I | started getting BSODs. | | The best part was when, after 2 seconds of discussion, M-Audio | vehemently informed me that it was NOT their card, but rather my system | (which had worked flawlessly with the Audigy 2ZS, that was at fault. | And, he then offered to try to help me fix my system! | | I informed him I knew the best way to fix my system: remove the M-Audio | board. After that, all was well. Wonder if the M-Audio Revolution just doesn't get along with Asus? I have one in my MSI 865PE and it works perfectly. I don't think the OP would be interested in the Revolution anyway since it's definitely not a great gaming card. I'll put it up against any sound card I've ever heard with music, though. Larc §§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§ |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
In article , Larc says...
On Thu, 27 May 2004 00:30:50 -0400, Louise wrote: | Just in case you were thinking of it, stay away from the M-Audio | Revolution. No sooner did I install it on my new Asus board, than I | started getting BSODs. | | The best part was when, after 2 seconds of discussion, M-Audio | vehemently informed me that it was NOT their card, but rather my system | (which had worked flawlessly with the Audigy 2ZS, that was at fault. | And, he then offered to try to help me fix my system! | | I informed him I knew the best way to fix my system: remove the M-Audio | board. After that, all was well. Wonder if the M-Audio Revolution just doesn't get along with Asus? I have one in my MSI 865PE and it works perfectly. I don't think the OP would be interested in the Revolution anyway since it's definitely not a great gaming card. I'll put it up against any sound card I've ever heard with music, though. Larc §§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§ I don't think it is an Asus problem since I have one running in an A7N8X-DX attached to a set of Logitech Z-2200's and one running on a A7N8X-X board with a coaxial digital hookup to my Onkyo TX-SR501 receiver. Both run without any problems and the sound is superb. Excellent sound quality on all music and the added advantage of DTS decoding on the Z-2200's for DVD's with DTS. I will have to admit that the onboard Soundstorm on the Deluxe board isn't too shabby and I will probably move the Revolution off of that board onto another. I am not a gamer and I do understand that the Audigy cards are superior for games but the Revolution is an excellent sound card for music and DVD's and M-Audio upgrades their drivers on a regular basis. The only problem I had was disabling the onboard sound on the Deluxe and that was my own stupidity. Ed |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Sound card produces odd noises during boot-up | Chaos Master | General | 6 | January 4th 04 03:05 PM |
Sound on unknown Bt848 based TV card | Joakim Roubert | General | 12 | December 31st 03 04:43 AM |
Sound card problems with Jetway 993AN board | Steve Macleod | General | 1 | December 2nd 03 09:10 PM |
sound card irq's? | James | General | 1 | September 14th 03 03:05 AM |
Santa Cruz Sound Card | Davek | General | 0 | August 17th 03 10:33 PM |