OT: Does getting a new soundcard increase performance?

Hey all.. sort of a weird situation. I have onboard sound (K7S5A) right now, and I'm considering buying a 5.1 card. I'm looking at either the Soundblaster Live! for $46CDN or the Soundblaster Audigy 2 for $104CDN. The audigy 2 is obviously newer, better, and I like that it has a firewire port. Just incase I ever decide to get that digital video camera, I can transfer video through the firewire port. I mean, firewire cards themselves cost $50 anyhow. However, looking into the future... if I ever want to upgrade my computer, I noticed that most motherboards have firewire built in and the nforce 2 boards also have 5.1 audio built in. So, when I upgrade my computer in December or something, will I be sitting with a $104 Audigy 2 and nothing to do with it, since the motherboard has 5.1 built in and firewire?? Theoretically, lets say I already have that nforce 2 card with the onboard 5.1 sound, would framerate and performance benefit from disabling it and installing the audigy 2? I figure it would, since the CPU (if it is even the CPU that does it) doesn't have to calculate all the audio stuff. Mike http://mikebeauchamp.com

I'm pretty sure that disabling your onboard sound and installing a PCI Soundblaster card would give you increased frame rates. Pete "Mike Beauchamp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:0eNKa.36893$[email hidden]... > Hey all.. sort of a weird situation. I have onboard sound (K7S5A) rightnow, > and I'm considering buying a 5.1 card. I'm looking at either the > Soundblaster Live! for $46CDN or the Soundblaster Audigy 2 for $104CDN.The > audigy 2 is obviously newer, better, and I like that it has a firewireport. > Just incase I ever decide to get that digital video camera, I can transfer > video through the firewire port. I mean, firewire cards themselves cost$50 > anyhow. > > However, looking into the future... if I ever want to upgrade my computer,I

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> noticed that most motherboards have firewire built in and the nforce 2 > boards also have 5.1 audio built in. > > So, when I upgrade my computer in December or something, will I be sitting > with a $104 Audigy 2 and nothing to do with it, since the motherboard has > 5.1 built in and firewire?? > > Theoretically, lets say I already have that nforce 2 card with the onboard > 5.1 sound, would framerate and performance benefit from disabling it and > installing the audigy 2? I figure it would, since the CPU (if it is even

the > CPU that does it) doesn't have to calculate all the audio stuff. > > Mike > http://mikebeauchamp.com > >

Depends on how the onboard sound is implemented. Some of them are quite good. See if your motherboard is reviewed on www.hardocp.com, they are the only web site I have seen that bothers to check the effect of the onboard sound on frame rate. If you do decide to go with a 5.1 card, avoid the Soundblaster Live. The drivers for XP are poor, hardware mode has never really worked right even in Windows 9x, and besides, it's a five year old design. Would you put a 5 year old video card in your game machine? I have a couple of friends with Audigy 2's who like them very much, if I wasn't using onboard sound I would probably go with that. "Mike Beauchamp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:0eNKa.36893$[email hidden]... > Hey all.. sort of a weird situation. I have onboard sound (K7S5A) rightnow, > and I'm considering buying a 5.1 card. I'm looking at either the > Soundblaster Live! for $46CDN or the Soundblaster Audigy 2 for $104CDN.The > audigy 2 is obviously newer, better, and I like that it has a firewireport. > Just incase I ever decide to get that digital video camera, I can transfer > video through the firewire port. I mean, firewire cards themselves cost$50 > anyhow. > > However, looking into the future... if I ever want to upgrade my computer,I

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> noticed that most motherboards have firewire built in and the nforce 2 > boards also have 5.1 audio built in. > > So, when I upgrade my computer in December or something, will I be sitting > with a $104 Audigy 2 and nothing to do with it, since the motherboard has > 5.1 built in and firewire?? > > Theoretically, lets say I already have that nforce 2 card with the onboard > 5.1 sound, would framerate and performance benefit from disabling it and > installing the audigy 2? I figure it would, since the CPU (if it is even

the > CPU that does it) doesn't have to calculate all the audio stuff. > > Mike > http://mikebeauchamp.com > >

I think there is a review of cards versus nforce sound on Toms hardware. From memory the Audigy 2 leads, but not by very much. The Nforce was around equal to Audigy (1) or Live card. Audigy (1) has firewire also. I have one, used for video. -- Pete H GPL sucks ... you in NR2002 too "Haqsau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:bdgeqe$sl0lv$[email hidden]... > Depends on how the onboard sound is implemented. Some of them are quite > good. See if your motherboard is reviewed on www.hardocp.com, they are the > only web site I have seen that bothers to check the effect of the onboard > sound on frame rate. > > If you do decide to go with a 5.1 card, avoid the Soundblaster Live. The > drivers for XP are poor, hardware mode has never really worked right even in > Windows 9x, and besides, it's a five year old design. Would you put a 5 > year old video card in your game machine? I have a couple of friends with > Audigy 2's who like them very much, if I wasn't using onboard sound I would > probably go with that. > > "Mike Beauchamp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:0eNKa.36893$[email hidden]... > > Hey all.. sort of a weird situation. I have onboard sound (K7S5A) right > now, > > and I'm considering buying a 5.1 card. I'm looking at either the > > Soundblaster Live! for $46CDN or the Soundblaster Audigy 2 for $104CDN. > The > > audigy 2 is obviously newer, better, and I like that it has a firewire > port. > > Just incase I ever decide to get that digital video camera, I can transfer > > video through the firewire port. I mean, firewire cards themselves cost > $50 > > anyhow. > > > > However, looking into the future... if I ever want to upgrade my computer, > I > > noticed that most motherboards have firewire built in and the nforce 2 > > boards also have 5.1 audio built in. > > > > So, when I upgrade my computer in December or something, will I be sitting > > with a $104 Audigy 2 and nothing to do with it, since the motherboard has > > 5.1 built in and firewire?? > > > > Theoretically, lets say I already have that nforce 2 card with the onboard > > 5.1 sound, would framerate and performance benefit from disabling it and > > installing the audigy 2? I figure it would, since the CPU (if it is even > the > > CPU that does it) doesn't have to calculate all the audio stuff. > > > > Mike > > http://mikebeauchamp.com > > > > > >

I tried the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 with one of my 1.3-GHz Athlons. It produced the best sound I've ever heard on my Logi Z-680s, BUT was very CPU intensive. I went back to my Audigy 2 and put the Revolution back in the box pending my upgrade to a Canterwood/3-Ghz P4. "Haqsau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:bdgeqe$sl0lv$[email hidden]... > Depends on how the onboard sound is implemented. Some of them are quite > good. See if your motherboard is reviewed on www.hardocp.com, they arethe > only web site I have seen that bothers to check the effect of the onboard > sound on frame rate. > > If you do decide to go with a 5.1 card, avoid the Soundblaster Live. The > drivers for XP are poor, hardware mode has never really worked right evenin > Windows 9x, and besides, it's a five year old design. Would you put a 5 > year old video card in your game machine? I have a couple of friends with > Audigy 2's who like them very much, if I wasn't using onboard sound Iwould

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> probably go with that. > > "Mike Beauchamp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:0eNKa.36893$[email hidden]... > > Hey all.. sort of a weird situation. I have onboard sound (K7S5A) right > now, > > and I'm considering buying a 5.1 card. I'm looking at either the > > Soundblaster Live! for $46CDN or the Soundblaster Audigy 2 for $104CDN. > The > > audigy 2 is obviously newer, better, and I like that it has a firewire > port. > > Just incase I ever decide to get that digital video camera, I can

transfer > > video through the firewire port. I mean, firewire cards themselves cost > $50 > > anyhow. > > > > However, looking into the future... if I ever want to upgrade mycomputer, > I > > noticed that most motherboards have firewire built in and the nforce 2 > > boards also have 5.1 audio built in. > > > > So, when I upgrade my computer in December or something, will I besitting > > with a $104 Audigy 2 and nothing to do with it, since the motherboardhas > > 5.1 built in and firewire?? > > > > Theoretically, lets say I already have that nforce 2 card with theonboard

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> > 5.1 sound, would framerate and performance benefit from disabling it and > > installing the audigy 2? I figure it would, since the CPU (if it is even > the > > CPU that does it) doesn't have to calculate all the audio stuff. > > > > Mike > > http://mikebeauchamp.com > > > > > >

IMHO, the nforce2 onboard sound is far superior to an Audigy in most respects - particularly xp drivers. With your current AC97 onboard sound, I'd guess that games are up to 5-10% slower than with decent sound hardware. Not really a big deal and it's probably worth putting up with it until you're ready to upgrade to a nforce 2 or 3. An easy way to see what difference a new sound card would make is to disable your current sound hardware in the device manager and see if games run much faster without sound.

nforce2 onboard is BETTER than an audigy 2, or just the audigy? The audigy I can understand, but from reviews I've read, the audigy 2 seems like a pretty high end card. Thanks for the info though, I'll take a look at it and consider a few things. The reason I'm looking into it in the first place isn't really for performance, it's for 5.1 audio in my bedroom. My stereo receiver supports it, and I'm building 5.1 speakers in a few weeks. I also can't wait to play games like Raven Shield with full 5.1 sound and EAX. Mike http://mikebeauchamp.com "Redmist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:bdjbrc$u09aj$[email hidden]... > IMHO, the nforce2 onboard sound is far superior to an Audigy in most > respects - particularly xp drivers. With your current AC97 onboard sound, > I'd guess that games are up to 5-10% slower than with decent soundhardware. > Not really a big deal and it's probably worth putting up with it until > you're ready to upgrade to a nforce 2 or 3. > > An easy way to see what difference a new sound card would make is todisable > your current sound hardware in the device manager and see if games runmuch > faster without sound. > >

Hi Mike, > ..lets say I ...have that nforce 2 card ...would framerate and > performance benefit from disabling it installing the audigy 2? Yes, especially when you're using 3D sound and EAX. > So, when I upgrade my computer in December ...will I be sitting > with a $104 Audigy 2 and nothing to do with it, since the > motherboard has 5.1 built in and firewire?? For me, the nForce2 sound chip frequently produced a little stutter when shifting up in GPL and had this cross-talk like effect with N2002 when playing online, in that from time to time, I seemed to hear other car's engine sounds although they weren't anywhere near me. I'm not the only one reporting issues with the nForce2, but OTOH, the nForce2 works perfectly fine for others. While again OTOH, there are people who have issues with the Audigy, while it works perfectly for me (Asus A7N8X Deluxe, WinME and Win2k, using the board's Nvidia NIC). Therefor, fps apart, it might be good if you were able to try before you buy. Achim

Hi Mike, > nforce2 onboard is BETTER than an audigy 2, or just the audigy? IMHO, the A2 sounds better than the nForce2 onboard, more refined and balanced somehow. But, the nForce2 sound pretty good for an onboard sound as well and _is_ an alternative to a separate soundcard. Achim

Yeah, my mistake.. you are right.. the nforce2 onboard sound is definately faster.. http://www17.tomshardware.com/game/20030405/sound_for_games-02.html Hmmm.. Mike http://mikebeauchamp.com "Redmist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:bdjbrc$u09aj$[email hidden]... > IMHO, the nforce2 onboard sound is far superior to an Audigy in most > respects - particularly xp drivers. With your current AC97 onboard sound, > I'd guess that games are up to 5-10% slower than with decent soundhardware. > Not really a big deal and it's probably worth putting up with it until > you're ready to upgrade to a nforce 2 or 3. > > An easy way to see what difference a new sound card would make is todisable > your current sound hardware in the device manager and see if games runmuch > faster without sound. > >

> nforce2 onboard is BETTER than an audigy 2, or just the audigy? The audigyI > can understand, but from reviews I've read, the audigy 2 seems like apretty > high end card. > > Thanks for the info though, I'll take a look at it and consider a few > things. The reason I'm looking into it in the first place isn't really for > performance, it's for 5.1 audio in my bedroom. My stereo receiver supports > it, and I'm building 5.1 speakers in a few weeks. I also can't wait toplay > games like Raven Shield with full 5.1 sound and EAX. If you're going to be using a digital solution, the analogue quality (signal:noise ratio etc) won't really matter - I'd guess that for EAX, wanky, wizz-bang, 3D effects an Audigy (2) might be better than an nforce but I wouldn't bet on it. Creative's drivers and bloatware/software don't fill me with confidence though.....

I agree the A2 is a *great* sound card, but Creative's fluffy s/w *is* bloatware, particularly when it loads @ boot. Don't believe me? Check yer memory headroom w. and w/o all the cute little applets. "Peter Parker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> On Sat, 28 Jun 2003 18:00:47 +1000, "Redmist" <[email hidden]> wrote: > > > >If you're going to be using a digital solution, the analogue quality > >(signal:noise ratio etc) won't really matter - I'd guess that for EAX, > >wanky, wizz-bang, 3D effects an Audigy (2) might be better than an nforce > >but I wouldn't bet on it. Creative's drivers and bloatware/software

don't

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> >fill me with confidence though..... > > > I have the Audigy2 and the bloatware is optional now. If you want you > can choose to install only the drivers and nothing else (that means no > taskbar at the top of your screen unless you want it). But then you > will miss out on some of the great utilities included too, like DVD-A > player, Streaming Audio recorder (which I actually use to just listen > to radio stations because it's a lot more compact than Media Player), > and even the main Mediasource player is pretty cool. The retail > Audigy2 is a good package and they even throw in Hitman2 and Soldier > of Fortune2. Buy those two games seperately and that will be about the > same cost as the Audigy2 can be had for.

> If you want good EAX then get the Audigy2. And onboard sound on the > Nforce2 may be good but then you have to always buy a mb with the same > chipset. Audigy2 can migrate to any system. nForce2 mainboards aren't any more expensive than other boards nowadays so that's a moot point. Quality onboard sound is finally a standard feature these days. With the nForce2 you install one driver and your NIC, SC, AGP etc is all working in a matter of seconds. By the way, I don't own one - I've got a pathetic VIA KT333 mobo (with all of VIAs USB problems) and a SBLive which has had its share of driver issues and mainboard chipset conflicts.

> No it isn't. You are stuck with AMD forever. I use a P4 so an Nforce2 > is useless to me. Hehe...now I *really* feel sorry for Intel users.

On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 16:49:43 +1000, "Damien Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote: >Hehe...now I *really* feel sorry for Intel users. > Well, you wouldn't if you saw how I can run a Pinnacle Studio TV Pro card on my Audigy2 fine and then found out how it is NFG with the Nforce2 mb's onboard sound.