Does anyone even use a seperate sound card these days?

[Jumpem]

?

 

[Billb2]

Depends on how good you want the sound to be.

But, yes, I do. Sound Blaster Live 24, firmware modded to Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme.

 

[TheStu]

I haven't used a separate sound card since I built my first computer, which had nVidia SoundStorm 2 audio. Based on my recollection of my research from the time, that onboard audio chipset was actually significantly superior to most of the discrete sound cards from the time, save the really expensive audiophile ones.

Since then I have not bothered with a separate sound card. I have never noticed problems with regard to gaming or anything like that, and although I am a quality snob, I just don't have the money for a good computer audio setup, especially not the speakers, and on top of that, almost none of my music is in lossless format. So, it hasn't really been an issue.

I do know that there are plenty of people that swear by separate sound cards, and there are also people that spend hundreds of dollars on fancy network cards just for gaming.

 

[Jumpem]

Originally posted by: TheStu
I haven't used a separate sound card since I built my first computer, which had nVidia SoundStorm 2 audio. Based on my recollection of my research from the time, that onboard audio chipset was actually significantly superior to most of the discrete sound cards from the time, save the really expensive audiophile ones.

Since then I have not bothered with a separate sound card. I have never noticed problems with regard to gaming or anything like that, and although I am a quality snob, I just don't have the money for a good computer audio setup, especially not the speakers, and on top of that, almost none of my music is in lossless format. So, it hasn't really been an issue.

I do know that there are plenty of people that swear by separate sound cards, and there are also people that spend hundreds of dollars on fancy network cards just for gaming.

I don't bother with 5.1 speaker setups for PCs. It is in a corner of the living room with a pair of Creative GigaWorks T20 speakers.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: Jumpem
Does anyone even use a seperate sound card these days?

I use dedicated sound cards in both my PCs.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Jumpem

Originally posted by: TheStu
I haven't used a separate sound card since I built my first computer, which had nVidia SoundStorm 2 audio. Based on my recollection of my research from the time, that onboard audio chipset was actually significantly superior to most of the discrete sound cards from the time, save the really expensive audiophile ones.

Since then I have not bothered with a separate sound card. I have never noticed problems with regard to gaming or anything like that, and although I am a quality snob, I just don't have the money for a good computer audio setup, especially not the speakers, and on top of that, almost none of my music is in lossless format. So, it hasn't really been an issue.

I do know that there are plenty of people that swear by separate sound cards, and there are also people that spend hundreds of dollars on fancy network cards just for gaming.

I don't bother with 5.1 speaker setups for PCs. It is in a corner of the living room with a pair of Creative GigaWorks T20 speakers.

I have no use for a 5.1 speaker set up. A good 2.1 setup is all I need, preferrable for music listening, and just fine for gaming and movies. When I really want more 'in my face' sound i hook up my Grado SR60 headphones.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: TheStu


I have no use for a 5.1 speaker set up. A good 2.1 setup is all I need, preferrable for music listening, and just fine for gaming and movies. When I really want more 'in my face' sound i hook up my Grado SR60 headphones.

I love my 5.1s(a cheapy Creative set). I like the aural positioning in games, and I've never been comfortable with headphones.


Edit:
Btw, I use an Xfi fatal1ty

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: TheStu


I have no use for a 5.1 speaker set up. A good 2.1 setup is all I need, preferrable for music listening, and just fine for gaming and movies. When I really want more 'in my face' sound i hook up my Grado SR60 headphones.

I love my 5.1s(a cheapy Creative set). I like the aural positioning in games, and I've never been comfortable with headphones.


Edit:
Btw, I use an Xfi fatal1ty

Well, it doesn't help that most people just don't have the time or the patience to properly setup a 5.1 system correctly. My 2.1 Logitech set works just fine, and my headphones are only comfortable for maybe the first 2 hours or so. I think I need new foam earpieces.

I think that in response to the OP's original question, yes people use a separate sound card these days. Whether or not it is necessary can probably be debated for quite some time, much like AMD or intel, ATi or nVidia, Windows or OS X or Linux, PS3 or XBox 360... you get the idea.

 

[masterbm]

I run on board sound all system. only my media center system is connected to 5.1 amp the hardest thing was get the codec working to support it

 

[Arglebargle]

Your sound set up will be as strong as its weakest component. I do some audio production, so I have an old pro level external soundcard and my best headphones on that system. Went with a decent (non-Creative) sound card, a 5.1 Razer Barracuda on my gaming computer. The Razer headphones had terrible construction quality though, so I am using so so stereo headphones now, probably the weak link there. A great sound system with terrible speakers will sound terrible.

You have to decide how much successive small increments in audio performance are worth to you. Also, everyone's ears are different, so to do it right, you really have to listen to lots of the alternatives, something that is not always easily possible.

 

[TC91]

Was running a sb live! 24bit card for a while until it died, and then I replaced it with the xonar d2 .

 

[somethingsketchy]

Integrated sound on the motherboard. Because of the quality of integrated sound these days I have hardly noticed any difference between a discrete sound card and an integrated sound card. Besides I put the extra money (from the would-be cost of a sound card) towards other components like RAM, video cards or HDDs

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

sb audigy2 in my rig.

 

[nineball9]

Machine guns sound fine with onboard sound. Mozart encoded in FLAC or original CD - not so good. I use sound cards in my systems.

 

[Ausm]

for me it's a waste of cash

 

[SniperWulf]

I use a XonarDX now a days. Was using a X-fi XtremeMusic before that

 

[alcoholbob]

I stopped using surround sound for gaming ages ago. I've found consoles have significantly higher sound budgets. For me its just onboard optical. With Vista's far superior sound API thats all you really need.

 

[StinkyPinky]

I just use onboard. Never had a problem with it.

 

[RallyMaster]

Two XtremeMusics here. None of my onboard codecs sound the same because I'm so used to the X-Fi after a year and a half with them.

 

[RebateMonger]

I've used pretty much every add-on sound card since the first Radio Shack CMS Gameblaster (ca. 1987), the AdLib, the Thunderboard, the first 8-bit Sound Blasters, and so on. I've owned dozens over the years.

When motherboard-integrated sound became available, I hated it and turned it off, substituting Creative cards. But the integrated stuff got better and I haven't used an add-in card since maybe 2002. I have an Audigy 2 card that's never been out of the box. I've been using the same Yamaha 2.1 system since 2000, and it does a decent job of games and music.

Yeah, i DO like high-end audio. I have a (once-$2000) Velodyne subwoofer that weighs about 100 pounds on my main stereo system. But I've found the built-in motherboard audio OK for what I do with PCs.

 

[rarebear]

My Asus P5Q Deluxe Mobo model has one with plug in or with onboard and I think I read its the same card on both.. So why pay $100 more for plug in???

I have a great set of Boston Acustics speakers and rarely crack it up with some MP3s and most times its so low that I can hardly hear a Ding

 

[Sureshot324]

I use my old Audigy 2 and my Sennheiser 280 Pro headphones. Although I don't notice any sound quality difference between my Audigy and the integrated sound on my Asus X58 board, the Audigy definitely has a stronger amp. Good headphones have speaker cones made of thicker plastic, so it takes more power to get them loud, compared to cheaper headphones. I found the integrated loud enough for rock, but not for electronic stuff that needs a lot of bass. It's a shame because I hate creative and their crappy drivers and would love to ditch the Audigy, but I can't justify buying a new sound card.