realtek AC97 vs SB Live

[OS]

i got a new mobo, 8rda3i/NF2. Apparently it doesn't use the nvidia audio/driver, it uses some generic ass realtek AC97. It seems to sound worse than my old 8rda+ and I have an SB live sitting around somewhere. Should I just use the live instead?

 

[powerMarkymark]

You already have it so nothing to lose right?

Marc

 

[OS]

well in case anyone cares, it seems like the Live sounds much better than the realtek.

Anyways, I should have done a search, there's volumes of stuff on this.

 

[Frew]

I use Realtek's onboard because I only use Headphones.

 

[Ichinisan]

FWIW, the Realtek audio is a system resource hog, unlike a real hardware sound card.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

Realtek AC97 is just the codec, it's the sound engine in the motherboard chipset south bridge or single chip hub and the cpu to handle the sound processing.
NF2 with Realtek codec is comparable to SB Live (built-in codec inside the main chip).

 

[VirtualLarry]

RealTek codec is no way comparable ot SBLive, either in analog sound quality, nor in low CPU usage. If the mobo is an NF2 with an MCP-T, then you have the onboard SoundStorm processor, even if you have an Realtek codec attached to it. You have to use the NVidia sound drivers to take advantage of the audio processor though. If you install the RealTek drivers, they are completely software-driven. (I am the owner of an MSI KT4V-L with a RealTek ALC650 crap-o-rama codec installed onboard. When I purchased it, I wasn't aware that the "Ultra" model included a hardware sound chip, but the "V-L" only a software one. Should have looked at the details closer. Anyways, it does have my initials though. )

 

[Insomniak]

Live does sound much better than onboard AC'97, from what I've heard.