View Full Version : Sound Quality
Crownie
02-06-2005, 06:23 PM
I am currently thinking about upgrading from onboard sound (Realtek) to a decent PCI sound card. I do not play computer games, I only play music and I am wondering would I notice a major change in sound quality if I was to upgrade to a PCI sound card. If so, how much of a change? What sound card would people recommend considering I only want to spend around 100 dollars Aussie.
Cheers,
Matt.
Onycho
02-06-2005, 08:14 PM
Well, first off, what speaker system do you have? If you're listening to music and you're using just a set of 2 pc speakers...you'd get a lot more improvement by upgrading speakers than you would from upgrading a sound card. Let us know what you have, first.
Crownie
02-06-2005, 10:56 PM
Pair of TDK speakers, hooked into TDK amplifier/woofer.
Crankster
02-06-2005, 11:41 PM
What mobo do you have? *doh*
Crownie
02-07-2005, 12:29 AM
What mobo do you have? *doh*
Giga 8ST 667 , Realtek AC97 onboard sound.
Onycho
02-07-2005, 01:47 AM
Well then...if you're moving from that....
I'd go with Creative Labs Sound Blaster® Live!™ 24-Bit or the Audigy value at the extreme end and invest in a cheap 5.1 or 6.1 speaker set. You should be able to pick both the speakers and the Live card for less than what you want to spend. Compared to what you have now...it will make a world of difference.
Crownie
03-26-2006, 09:13 PM
Thread Revival. I am thinking about purchasing the Audigy 2 Value and perhaps the Klispch 2.1 GMX speakers. Any comments on either the card or speakers? If I upgraded to what I am thinking, will the sound quality be "that" much better when listening to music?
Crankster
03-27-2006, 11:51 AM
NECROMANCER SIGHTED, RUN FOR YER LIVES!
I'd go with the Audigy 2 sx or whatever it's called.
As for the speakers i haven't a clue.
Crownie
03-27-2006, 11:51 AM
bump
craig588
03-27-2006, 12:13 PM
Avoid any set of speakers sold as compuer speakers, it's just the secret way to say they're really crappy.
Frisch
03-27-2006, 12:18 PM
Avoid any set of speakers sold as compuer speakers, it's just the secret way to say they're really crappy.
Said it before , i'll say it again.
Hook it up to your Stereo.
PC speakers industry makes me wonder how low and unsatisfied a human will go to make money.
bullet2urbrain
03-27-2006, 05:59 PM
Said it before , i'll say it again.
Hook it up to your Stereo.
PC speakers industry makes me wonder how low and unsatisfied a human will go to make money.
how do you feel about the Logitech Z5500's?
im curious, i've owned 3 sets of them.. and i have built a couple competition car stereos.
Frisch
03-27-2006, 06:17 PM
how do you feel about the Logitech Z5500's?
im curious, i've owned 3 sets of them.. and i have built a couple competition car stereos.
Before you read my answer, please excuse my tone, i just really hate that buisness. (i'm a musician)
The best answer you can get on that one, is to take your "maybe i'm Lucky-with -Tech" down to a Pro speaker shop and show them your set. I can assure you they will ask you to keep them out of their shop, as they are dealing with speakers, and not garbage cans.
bullet2urbrain
03-27-2006, 06:20 PM
but thats not your opinion, i want YOUR opinion, i dont care about what a pro music shop says, i can take my Rainbow Profi Comps down there and be like "uhh i found these at a garage shop are they any good?" they may say "no they are junk"
im curious i KNOW what i consider the sets shortcomings, but im curious to know (and now that i know now) a musicians idears regarding them.
PS: Frisch your sense of humor is great. and your tone is always excused after all it is the intarwebernets
Frisch
03-27-2006, 06:41 PM
but thats not your opinion, i want YOUR opinion, i dont care about what a pro music shop says, i can take my Rainbow Profi Comps down there and be like "uhh i found these at a garage shop are they any good?" they may say "no they are junk"
im curious i KNOW what i consider the sets shortcomings, but im curious to know (and now that i know now) a musicians idears regarding them.
PS: Frisch your sense of humor is great. and your tone is always excused after all it is the intarwebernets
There are taste involved in this, and when I say taste, I mean Discant Middle And Bas tone. Some prefer a soft tone, centered at the middle. Others like a more stretched out tone, meaning, covering the wide specter, in an equal top, middle, and Bas. You wont find the quality in any Creative, Altec or what ever you prefer, that even a set of pro stereo speakers, can give you in return when it comes to music listening.
Mr. Tinker
03-27-2006, 06:50 PM
Let's put it this way: If you use PC speakers to listen to music, you will not be able to hear music any where near its fullest extent, or the way it was meant to be heard by the artist. You won't know what we're talking about until you get an A-B comparson between pc speakers and good speakers.
Delirious
03-27-2006, 06:57 PM
All this talk about how bad pc speakers are, so what are good speakers you "audio-philes" call good?
bullet2urbrain
03-27-2006, 07:09 PM
oh believe me i get an AB comparison, Frisch man your making this harder than it needs to be for 2 reasons,
1.) im very educated at building SQ systems in automobiles, and i've studied 2yrs of EE stuff (ie crossover networks,damping,noise,SNR)
2.) front pt1 i know the difference is in the def'n and taste of the listener i just want you opinion
Frisch
03-27-2006, 07:16 PM
oh believe me i get an AB comparison, Frisch man your making this harder than it needs to be for 2 reasons,
1.) im very educated at building SQ systems in automobiles, and i've studied 2yrs of EE stuff (ie crossover networks,damping,noise,SNR)
2.) front pt1 i know the difference is in the def'n and taste of the listener i just want you opinion
I have to sleep now, it's 5 in the morning.
But i can assure you i'll be back tomorrow, and it's going to be even harder :D
Last line before sleep.
You're the educated builder, i'm the educated listener, so it's going to be fun. :D
bullet2urbrain
03-27-2006, 07:21 PM
Your the XIP, Im the n00b its not going to be fun, it'll be funny and in a new thread .. mainly this thread... because i feel that we are crapping on this thread.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1359297#post1359297
Crownie
04-15-2006, 11:57 PM
I'm back again. I am prepared to increase my budget from 100 dollars to around 700 Aus. From my local supplier, I can get for 700 bucks, an X-Fi xtreme music sound card and some logitech 5500's. Does that sound alright? Any suggestions? Would I be better off, to buy a standalone reciever, some nice 2 way's and a different sound card? I do not game as mentioned earlier, and my current budget is give or take 700 aussie dollars.
Cheers.
Good quality speakers would be very expensive (far out of your budget). The best way to get decent sound from your PC and not spend your next mortgage payment, is to use headphones. For more info, go to head-fi.org.
WeStSiDePLaYa
04-16-2006, 05:06 PM
just to throw something in.
someone mentioned its good to get a set of cheap 5.1 system
BAD IDEA.
if your gonna get 5.1 get a GOOD setup.
otherwise. take the same money and get GOOD 2.1 instead of :banana::banana::banana::banana:TY 5.1
Crownie
04-17-2006, 11:02 PM
I've been doing some research... It appears for my budget, the best quality sound I am going to get is through some nice headphones, pre amp and sound card.
I like the Senn HD580's. I can get pre-amps on Ebay. My question is, if I was to go with this sort of set up, what sound card would be recommended?
Cheers,
Matt.
crackhead2k
04-19-2006, 09:34 AM
Altec lansing Speakers that are THX certified sound great... The 2 pr speakers for around 160 cdn sounded great. I have a Audigy 2 soundcard....
You can get a pair of speakers by ordering at NCIX, ATIC, ELITECH, and maybe ANITEC.
For best sound go for a reciever and Speakers from polk audio.
For soundcard adn copnnection to the reciever go for the new soundcards from sound blaster (xi fi series)