Sound Cards

[guest_9323wk]

Hi,

Does any one know of any good quality Sound Cards for Gaming I have an Onboard Realtek AC 97 HD audio chip and its rubbish most games that I play are crackly even with the latest drives. So I am looking to buy a sound card.

Also can you but a PCI expansion boards for mother boards?


Can someone please advise me on the above.


Thanks,

wizkid

 

[V_R]

I can fully recommend the X-FI Extreme Music, sounds 10x better than onboard.

 

[Anon_F]

Look HERE
Plenty to choose & what to pay.

 

[V_R]

Look HERE
Plenty to choose & what to pay.

...and they're all pap! Sorry but if your going for one of them, may as well just stick to onboard.

Good starting point

 

[guest_9323wk]

Thanks,

I was looking at this one.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-045-CL&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

wizkid

 

[Anon_F]

...and they're all pap! Sorry but if your going for one of them, may as well just stick to onboard.

Well as a 'maplin white box' fan i agree some would not buy them.
But not a gamer so that may explain a bit.

 

[Abarbarian]

I've got Realtek AC 97 onboard not sure if its HD though and my 5.1 system does not crackle at all . Sounds pretty good to with plenty of sound effects . Obviously not as good as a dedicated card I guess . The drivers I'm using are WDM_A400.exe can't remember where I got em from , mebees Guru .

 

[guest_9323wk]

Hi,

Do you think the cracklying is down to the speakers that I am using logitech x-230 ?

Could someone help me on this.

Thanks,

wizkid

 

[Abarbarian]

Could be can you borrow a set of desktop speakers from a mate to check ? Or run your Hi Fi through the pc .

 

[floppybootstomp]

Thanks,

I was looking at this one.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-045-CL&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

wizkid

An excellent choice

 

[V_R]

Or you could save a tenner and get the Xtreme Music edition, and enjoy the added software functions for music.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-043-CL&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

 

[floppybootstomp]

I've never been quite able to work out what the difference is between the Gamer and Music editions

Apart from a tenner of course

There's a difference in software as well eh? Is that what the price difference is about then?

Anybody care to enlighten a poor boy who's too lazy to look it up himself?

 

[V_R]

Well as far as i know the gamer only has one Software mode. But has the 64mb Xram, and from what i've read in the real world means not a lot, so imo the extra tenner could go towards a pair of speaker/headphones instead.

Where as the Music has the 3 different modes depending on what you do.

Like this..

 

[V_R]

Acctually looking into it, i dont think the Gamer does have Xram....

Gamer
Music

Its the catchy named 'X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional Series' that has the XRAM, and at £100 is surely pointless?

 

[guest_9323wk]

Thanks V_R for pictures and infomation.

I am going for the Xtreme gamer card.

Can you find it cheaper than OC UK?

X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional Series. Is there any point speding £100 pound and getting XRAM?

Could you please let me know.

Thanks,

wizkid

 

[V_R]

Thanks V_R for pictures and infomation.

I am going for the Xtreme gamer card.

Why?

Can you find it cheaper than OC UK?

Ebuyer, I'd get the Music for £49 Its a whole £1 more than the Gamer, and imo better.

X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional Series. Is there any point speding £100 pound and getting XRAM?

See my above posts.

 

[floppybootstomp]

X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatal1ty Professional Series. Is there any point speding £100 pound and getting XRAM?

I don't think so.

However, this deal may be worth considering, Fatality Card & Gamer's Headset for £90.00 Link

 

[guest_9323wk]

Ok.

I will consder getting this card.

http://uk.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=15854

 

[floppybootstomp]

Well, if that's your decision, so be it, but unless you go for the offer I posted a link to where you get a 'free' set of gamer's headphones, I seriously think you're throwing money away tbh.

After looking at what V_R has to say above I have to say if I was in the market for a Creative Sound card I'd go for the X-Fi Extreme Music, as it has some good audio software and a gamer's mode as well.

But as there is still an issue between Creative drivers and Windows Vista, I shall hold back.

I have the 'X-Fi' Extreme Audio sound card myself which I found out after purchasing isn't really an X-Fi card at all Creative need their wrists slapped for false marketing.

I think were I to upgrade I'd probably go for the Razer sound card but as it's £140.00 and I am currently skint, that option is on hold for the moment

 

[Belloni]

I have the Fatal1ty version.

XRAM will shine in future games when games utilize it. Some games already do such as BF2412, and people say they get a good FPS boost compared to onboard sound.