Epox 8RDA+ Audio vs TB Santa Cruz

[LandRover]

I recently upgraded my system with an 8RDA+. I didn't think twice before installing my Santa Cruz and disabling the onboard audio. I have been very happy with my TBSC...

I've been reading some good things about the onboard nforce2 audio. How is it compared to the Santa Cruz? Which is best for gaming perfomance, and which has the best overall audio quality?

Appreciate any input.

Thanks!

 

[amnesiac]

For the most part, the phrase "audio quality" is a lost cause with PCs, due to the budget construction of many audio chipsets and the inherent environmental noise. You likely won't hear too much of a difference as far as quality goes. In most cases the main difference, if any, will be in CPU overhead.

 

[LandRover]

That being said, which would require less CPU overhead? I would imagine the TBSC would.

 

[drewdogg808]

the sound quality of soundstorm is pretty close, i think you'd be hard pressed to tell a different. i do remember there being an incompatibility with the tbsc and the 8rda+....something with the gameport and conflicting irqs iirc.

 

[pspada]

I don't think the Santa Cruz card works properly under WinXP, that may be because of this ^ conflict, or may be something else entirely.

 

[LandRover]

Well, I've been using my Santa Cruz under WinXP for over a year now. No problems at all.
I haven't had any problems with the TBSC and the 8RDA+ either.

 

[NEVERwinter]

TBSC used to have an IRQ conflict between it's gameport and something in the 8RDA+ boards. I think the latest BIOS (or was it TBSC driver?) resloved the problem...

 

[Rafael]

Well I dont hv a Epox 8RDA+, but I hv a NF7-S with a TBSC, no problem running under Win XP or NF2 chipset. Even using the beta driver 4193.
I dont know anything about 8RDA+ with TBSC.

To me the TBSC sounded better on my Z-640. Lots of ppl said SoundStorm just sound better if you use it digital.

Raf

 

[EPoXTech]

LandRover

The onboard audio is very good and today is getting better and better thanks to Nvidia. My opinion, give it a try.

 

[Sabbathian]

Just to say..... I have IRQ problem on that board with CL SoundBlaster PCI128 ..... changing the PCI didnt help, freeing resources also..... so I enabled onboard gameport and I use that one

 

[lsman]

was using a TBSC before on this board, later sold it and use the onboard.

Few weeks before, try to rip the MinDV to VCD for family (yeah, my almost 2 year old boy. Grandmom oversea, just need to see "him"), the sound was so barely little. Play around the settling can only increase so little without noise... I think i may miss a true sound card on the input. Or i miss some setting.

Last time, i brorrow a Dazzle DVC. And the reult was very nice.

 

[Zap]

I have a Santa Cruz on my P4 system (Abit IS7) and I'm happy with it. My Athlon (8RDA+) has an original SB Live in it right now. I would happily use the onboard audio for both those systems... if they worked properly. My IS7 sound picks up system noise such as HDD seeks and even moving the mouse would cause buzzing noises. The 8RDA+ would work fine... until the system heats up. Then, sound would start lagging a second or two behind the action... then sound would just stop altogether. Even a reboot doesn't bring back sound. Have to remove the audio device from Device Manager and let Windows XP re-detect it to bring back sound. I alleviated most of these problems by putting a Zalman heatsink on the Southbridge and pointing a case fan down on it (using a Zalman fan bracket). Since I did that the audio has never stopped working, but still occasionally would lag. Using the PCI sound card fixed everything.

My other system has an MSI PT880 chipset. Has a slight mouse buzz, but barely noticeable on good headphones when nothing is playing. While gaming I don't notice anything, thus I'm using onboard sound. The buzz on the IS7 board was so horrible that I'd hear it even while gaming or playing music. Using onboard sound was NOT an option on my board.

 

[Iron Woode]

I have never had a problem with the onboard sound from my 8RDA+. I use Logitech Z-640 and the sound is great. No lags or system noise at all.

 

[LandRover]

I decided to give the onboard a try. Uninstalled my TBSC and checked out the SoundStorm for a couple days... The Santa Cruz definitely sounds better (to me anyways). Tried the onboard with a few games (latest official nForce drivers). It sounded ok in most, but quite lousy in one of my favorite games, Operation Flashpoint.

So, back to the TBSC now and very happy.

Thanks for the input and opinions on the matter.