Need Sound Card

Discussion in 'hardware' started by Rainwalker, Aug 29, 2010.

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  1. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    I am in need of recommendations for a good sound card under $100 that works well with 7/64 quad-core.
     
  2. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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  3. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    OK...It looks like what I was looking for. Thanks :)

    Any thoughts on speaker system under $100 ?
     
  4. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    If you find a good one let me know. I'm still using an old 2.1 set from tiny, from the 90's :D
     
  5. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    OK...pretty much the same here...2.1 and old....I'll keep ya posted.
    Do you want from for mostly gaming or music ?
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2010
  6. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    Heh don't worry about what I want, I mainly use a headset anyway :D
     
  7. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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  8. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    Thanks JRViejo...appreciated.
     
  9. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    Thanks JR!
     
  10. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    Rainwalker & elapsed, you're welcome! Take care.
     
  11. tobacco

    tobacco Frequent Poster

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    Every time i'm in Future Shop, i stop and listen to these speakers. Amazing crisp sound for the price. Check out the user reviews (94 of them) Just read the first few but they all seem to love em - www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/alt...b674425f68875en02&lid=fp-10093051-alteclansin
     

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  12. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    Thanks tobacco.......very nice and the low end frequency response is just right.
     
  13. ruinebabine

    ruinebabine Registered Member

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    Some other options to also consider:

    Sound Card: AuzenTech Bravura ($85 CAD)

    Speakers: Klipsch Promedia 2.1 (oldish model at discounted prices)
    __KLIPSH__.png

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    EDIT image added
     

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    Last edited: Aug 30, 2010
  14. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    Thanks ruinbabine.
     
  15. Sully

    Sully Registered Member

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    I know it is out of your price range most likely, but HTOmega makes great audio cards. I picked up the Claro+ a few years back, and I am simply in awe of that card. I have had SoundBlaster cards, and really never liked them much for various reasons, most notably compatability, glitches and retarded drivers not to mention a tendency for the software to become bloated over the years. I started with an SB16 I think it was. Used the AWEs and Audigy and Live cards along the way.

    I wanted something more, not just the slick marketing and rave reviews by knuckle-heads. Somewhere I read some reviews by a guy who was serious about his hardware, knew a lot about the components and wrote a review that impressed me. I dropped $200 for it, and although my onboard intel solution was pretty good, I could only shake my head at how much better the HTOmega card was. In every aspect, I would gladly shell out the $$ for this card again. And since it is a PCI card, it will migrate to my next build as well.

    Sul.
     
  16. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    Hmm...thanks Sully.. It is more then what I care to spend......I think...but you sure sold me on it if they have a driver update for 7/64 :)
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2010
  17. Searching_ _ _

    Searching_ _ _ Registered Member

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    What will you be using the sound card for?
    General Computing?
    Gaming?
    Music Production?
    Are you a Musician?

    It matters what purpose you will use your sound card for.

    Speakers are not created equal and each manufacturer "tunes" the speaker system to have "it's sound".
    Are they purists or just a used car salesman marketing to a brand junkie?
    Amplifiers are the other part of a speaker that make the sound quality or not.

    Listen to as many speaker systems as you can side by side in the same environment.
    This is the only way to get the quality you can live with.

    I have found Altec and Klipsch computer speakers to be inferior at a premium price.

    Until I hear all speaker systems being sold today I will not change my opinion of price and quality of sound in Logitech speaker systems.
    For the price of an Altec Lansing or Klipsch 2.1 you can get a Logitech 5.1.
     
  18. ruinebabine

    ruinebabine Registered Member

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    There is a regular poster going by the handle of "obobski" at [H]ard|Forum, in the Computer Audio section.
    S(h)e usually gives pretty sounding advices. You could give a search on his name a try, or also drop a question there...
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2010
  19. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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  20. linuxforall

    linuxforall Registered Member

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    Altec Lansing and ASUS Sonar would be HiFi combo.
     
  21. ruinebabine

    ruinebabine Registered Member

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    HT Omega Claro Plus sound card seems real good as a part of a good music setup, by the specs and raving reviews. I would be curious to land an ear or two on this one.
     
  22. Bill_Bright

    Bill_Bright Registered Member

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    I think if your budget for speakers is only $100, you are wasting your money on that ASUS sound card, or any high-end card for that matter. With digital electronics, even entry level on-board sound devices these days are very good at delivering a decent signal to a $100 set of speakers where, as Searching_ _ _ correctly noted, the integrated amplifier takes over.

    I think we should start this thread over and you need to tell us what you currently have for a motherboard. Does it have on-board sound? Does it support digital audio out?
     
  23. Sully

    Sully Registered Member

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    While I am not an audio monk I do understand many of the aspects of what produces good audio. When I was shopping around I was really looking to replace my intel solution onboard with something a little better but that had a better mic input gain. I was looking at the Razer, Audigy, TurtleBeach and a few others. I was looking at the onboard processors thinking why not dump the load off the cpu.

    Once I decided to purchase the card and installed it, I really was pretty amazed. You could notice the difference. Not just 'is it louder', but when I played the same song back on mulitple machines with both onboard and pci solutiions, it was 'better'.

    I bought a set of Bose headphones (over the ear) for I think 100 or 150 quite some time ago. I am not a Bose fanboy, I know they are good but not the best. I was very impressed with them for thier comfort and the sound was acceptable. When I used those with the HTOmega card, it was literally like I went from a Sanyo headset to a Bose headset. I mean, tremendous difference even more noticable on quality gear. The 3d emulation even works quite well which I was surprised at.

    Maybe serious audio enthusiasts could find a weak spot, but looking at it from a geeks perspective, it is everything I will ever need in a sound card and then some. The drivers work and have been updated. The software provides enough features without feeling bloated. There has only been BSODs on my XP box from one of the later drivers which was solved by using one of the other three available. Like I said, I would buy another without hesitation.

    Sul.
     
  24. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    On-board:
    Integrated Realtek ALC888S Audio........
    High Definition 7.1 channel audio

    Audio CODEC: Realtek ALC888S
    Thanks Bill..and thanks again Sul.
     
  25. Bill_Bright

    Bill_Bright Registered Member

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    I think the on-board will suit you just fine.
     
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