Sound cards

[crazy]

do soundcards like the X-Fi ones, sound better than onboard sound (which claims to be "HD")?

[shaithis]

Depends on what your listening with

If you have a decent sound system that the PC is plugged into or a decent set of headphones, then you should be able to hear the difference. At least for me its night and day between on-board and even the lowliest SB Audigy.

[0iD]

X-fi is a superb card providing you're not using VistaX64, then it's an expensive hiss.

[Lee`]

Will this apply if you are going through a cheap AV amp?

[Rosaline]

It all depends why the amp is cheap, really, what the amp is made out of.

As a rule, cheap is bad. To get the electronics cost down, they likely use components which allow for more noise, and give a worse frequency response.

There is little point using an ultra-low-noise sound card with an amp that just adds masses more noise.

I'm not an audiophile, however, so I can't really give you many specifics. Your best bet would be either to try a sound system yourself, or to find audiophile reviews and tone down their opinions to levels more in keeping with your own preferences.

[EtheAv8r]

I recently installed an X-Fi Extream Audio OEM card from Scan (Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK) and it is a huge improvement through my Altec Lansing MX5021 2.1 speakers, and and even bigger improvement if routed through my Hi-Fi (Rotel amp and Monitor Audio speakers).

Well worth the upgrade for me.

[TooNice]

I'll say yes. Definitely, even if you are through relatively expensive set-up.

[themaidenmaniac]

Bit of an audiophile here. My opinion- not really. I am a recording musician at my small home studio- yes there are differences, but very subtle. In this sort of low level consumer home user range very little changes. You will benefit much more from better speakers.

Here's my little monster of a sound card: