Soundcard questions

[JellyWorld]

Ok my Dell Dimension shipped with an integrated sound card and pathetic speakers, so I'm planning on replacing them. How do you replace your integrated sound card with another sound card? i'm a hardware noob.

Oh yeah, and can someone recommend me a good soundcard/speaker combination? I don't want to spend more than US$150 on each. i'm thinking a Creative Audigy 2 ZS, the audigy 4 is way over my head in terms of price. I'd prefer a 7.1 system, but I dunno if the card can handle it well, I've read somewhere that 5.1 speakers can give better sound than 7.1 if your sound card doesn't handle it well.

 

[G-Dub]

I think you would install the new sound card and disable the on-board sound via the Device Manager.

Won't recommend a soundcard/speaker combo purely because I've only ever used on-board sound.

Hope that helps

 

[JellyWorld]

oh yeah, and btw where on earth do i put the big centre speaker you see in those surround sound systems?

 

[G-Dub]

How exactly do you mean "where"?

Where in the layout of your speaker system? Or where on the soundcard?

 

[JellyWorld]

How exactly do you mean "where"?

Where in the layout of your speaker system? Or where on the soundcard?

The layout.

 

[G-Dub]

Best place to put it would be low down, possibly on the floor, central to your setup. Does that make sense? :|

 

[JellyWorld]

suppose so.

 

[IonizeMyAtoms]

The central speaker you'd want on top of your monitor or something like that, the sub you want on the floor

 

[JellyWorld]

The central speaker you'd want on top of your monitor or something like that, the sub you want on the floor

My monitor's an LCD, I doubt the speakers can balance on it lol. Soundcard/Speakers combo, anyone?

 

[IonizeMyAtoms]

I think the general consensus around here as far as sound cards go is the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum. Check out the thread I made for some speaker recommendations
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=80391

 

[JellyWorld]

hmm Asus mentioned something about your audio card not being able to have true surround sound on the 7.1, does that apply to the ZS platinum? If i buy the ZS platinum should i get 5.1 or 7.1?

 

[Asus]

What most 7.1 cards do is take 5.1 and just copy two channels to get 7.1, such as the Audigy 2. Basicly it's faked.

 

[baron insig]

, dont disable your onboard sound in device manager, disable it in your bios

 

[JellyWorld]

What most 7.1 cards do is take 5.1 and just copy two channels to get 7.1, such as the Audigy 2. Basicly it's faked.

So I'll be better off with a 5.1 system?

 

[Hazar]

prolly,

I've got the audigy 2 zs, and it's worked great. I'd reccomend it.

You prolly won't notice anything above it's level anyways.

 

[Revisedsoul]

might also want to try m-audio my friend raves about it, wouldnt know myself, but worth checking out.

7.1
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Revolution71-main.html

5.1
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Revolution51-main.html

 

[J_Tweedy]

looks pretty good i guess. It depend a whole lot though on your speaker set up- if youve got shite speakers and a good sound card it's kinda pointless, and vice-versa. In my opinion there doesn't seem much oint in spending much on a soundcard unless you have the speakers to justify them. I ve only got a Soundblaster live! 24bit but with my early 90s technics amp and speakers, it runs a beaut.

 

[holydeadpenguins]

You probably want to put the center speaker somewhere right in front of you. With the creative speaker calibration you probably wont have to have all the speakers setup perfectly.