Onboard Audio vs Sound Card (sound quality only)

thelethalblow

Baseband Member
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Well I've been looking at a lot of reviews lately for the Logitech z-5500 speakers and I keep reading in reviews that you need a sound card to really enjoy these things. My current pc, which will be replaced when I get the new speakers, has integrated audio and is hooked up to my home stereo speakers. I pretty much planned to just use the onboard sound and save myself the money for other parts, maybe a new printer. Anyways, I use the pc all the time to listen to music (and when i get the new pc, for movies) and to tell you the truth am pretty satisfied with the sound I am getting from this old pc. I am not concerned with performance issues relating to sound card add ins only sound quality. So what do you think, in your experience, how much of a difference is there really between the mid-range motherboard integrated audio and a 60-80 dollar add in card.
 
depends on your motherboard sound chip. If you don't have much of an ear towards sound quality, I would go with on board sound. but if you think you have a good ear, I would buy a sound card. If you aren't sure, you can skip the sound card, and try out the integrated audio, and see if it is good enough. You can also hook up your speaker output to your microphone input, and run a program to see how much distortion there is on the sound from your card/motherboard
 
For those speakers, yes you need a sound card. For that kinda $$$ you don't want to skip out on anything. Invest wisely in a sound card.
 
thelethalblow said:
Well I've been looking at a lot of reviews lately for the Logitech z-5500 speakers and I keep reading in reviews that you need a sound card to really enjoy these things. My current pc, which will be replaced when I get the new speakers, has integrated audio and is hooked up to my home stereo speakers. I pretty much planned to just use the onboard sound and save myself the money for other parts, maybe a new printer. Anyways, I use the pc all the time to listen to music (and when i get the new pc, for movies) and to tell you the truth am pretty satisfied with the sound I am getting from this old pc. I am not concerned with performance issues relating to sound card add ins only sound quality. So what do you think, in your experience, how much of a difference is there really between the mid-range motherboard integrated audio and a 60-80 dollar add in card.

If you have good onboard sound, their will be little difference between onboard and a 60 dollar (surround) card. Alot of humans could also not tell the difference between onboard sound and a decent sound card.

However for a person with a good ear, upgrading sound cards is a definite must. If you are really into music i'd recommend professional quality sound cards and speakers.

Personally I have around 4000$ invested into audio equipment thats hooked up to my pc somehow :)
 
thelethalblow said:
Well I've been looking at a lot of reviews lately for the Logitech z-5500 speakers and I keep reading in reviews that you need a sound card to really enjoy these things.

So what do you think, in your experience, how much of a difference is there really between the mid-range motherboard integrated audio and a 60-80 dollar add in card.

If the reviewers have stated there is a need for a good sound card then obviously they probbaly have normal ears like you and me and have tested the speakers with onbaord sound and a sound card and found the sound card is better for those speakers.

If I had the budget then I would inverst in a decent sound card because I think a piece of hardware dedicated to a specific thing like sound is better quality than some onboard basic sound card. It's just like a hi fi a decent Panansonic stereo ($800) would be better than some cheap and nasty bargain bucket stero at $5!!!!!

BUY THE SOUND CARD!!!!!
 
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