How important is a sound card? Looking for advice

kelston · Apr 3, 2011, 06:33 AM

So I finally got in my B3 revision mobo, a P8P67 WS Revo. And since I waited this long for that specific mobo, I certainly had to be running at least SLI/Crossfire so i'm doing that.

Problem is, i'm also using the Noctua NH-C14, that monster of a horizontal based heatsink rather than the tower style heatsink. It's a great heatsink obviously but it has one major problem that for some reason no one bothered to mention ever. It prevents you from using the first PCI-X slot of your mobo, or at least this mobo. I can't imagine it's specific to this mobo. Regardless of what orientation I tried putting it in. Everyone certainly mentioned that it could interfere with your RAM but most enthusiasts would take that for a given by now. I think it would be more important to mention this fact.

So with SLI + the Noctua, the result is I have no PCI slots available and i'm forced to utilize onboard sound. It sort of pains me to have to since i've sworn off onboard sound for so long but it doesn't seem like I have a choice in the matter and there is a distinct lack of external sound cards for gaming purposes(?).

Any recommendations?

Tipstaff · Apr 3, 2011, 07:54 AM

Wait, on that board the very first slot is your first PCIe 16x graphics slot, so do you mean you can use that?

Going by the pic above, can you map out what is in what spot? Do you have any PCIe 1x slots open?

If you have any PCIe 1x slots (the white ones) open you could grab yourself a PCIe 1x sound card. Also, PCIe 16x, 8x, and 4x slots can accept PCIe 1x cards, so if you have any of those open you can put a PCIe 1x card into one of them too.

However, believe it not the onboard audio on that board is a Realtek HD Audio, a very decent onboard audio solution. The key to it, however, is to keep the drivers up to date. Don't use the ones off the installation CD/DVD, nor the ones off of Asus' website as they are usually too old. Grab the latest and greatest off of Realtek's site right HERE, or an alternate would be MajorGeeks right HERE.

kelston · Apr 3, 2011, 02:37 PM

Going from right to left (as that's what would be the order of the PCI-X slots), the first blue slot is the one that is blocked. The first black slot is the first video card. The 2nd blue slot is blocked because of the first video card. The 2nd black slot is the 2nd video card.

As a result, none of the slots are usable!

IvanV · Apr 3, 2011, 02:53 PM

Why not use the first white slot?

IvanV · Apr 3, 2011, 03:14 PM

Sorry about the double post, but is there really no way rotating the heatsink would help? If this orientation is possible on your motherboard, it looks like it makes the heatsink stay away from the first slot.

kelston · Apr 3, 2011, 04:08 PM

That is the way I currently have it, with the heatpipes over the ram. That was the most room I could get but with still no way of gaining access to the first PCI slot. /sad

blibbax · Apr 3, 2011, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelston

Going from right to left (as that's what would be the order of the PCI-X slots), the first blue slot is the one that is blocked. The first black slot is the first video card. The 2nd blue slot is blocked because of the first video card. The 2nd black slot is the 2nd video card.

As a result, none of the slots are usable!

If the second blue slot is blocked by the first video card, that means you're using triple slot cards. So, it looks like this:

Given that the board doesn't even have any PCI slots (just 4 PCI-Ex16s and 3 PCI-Ex1s), I take it you were planning on using a PCI-Ex1 sound card. In which case, you have two free slots, both of which are suitable for your sound card. Have I misunderstood something?

IvanV · Apr 3, 2011, 04:53 PM

Wow, that's a ridiculously large heatsink in that case.

In hindsight, I think that the board is a victim of its designers' ambition and that it suffers from having so many long PCI-E slots. Many boards, even cheaper ones, put a PCI-E 1x slot on top, so even with a gargantuan heatsink the first GPU slot remains free as it is positioned one place lower. It also keeps long cards away from the RAM slots.

EDIT: But I think that you'll find the on-board sound on it quite adequate.

kelston · Apr 3, 2011, 04:54 PM

You are spot on. I have one of the X-Fi Titaniums that I had intended to use.

Maybe I have fat fingers or maybe i'm doing something wrong, but when I attempted to put the sound card in either of the slots that I also thought appeared to be open, the video card told me no. ;x

blibbax · Apr 3, 2011, 04:58 PM

Is my diagram an accurate depiction? If so, there's no way that you should be unable to use the slots that I've marked as free.

I'm also thinking that you might find it easier using only dual slot cards, and that your case must be huge to house a triple slot card in the bottom slot, if that is indeed what you're doing.

***Veridian3*** · Apr 3, 2011, 06:04 PM

A pic of the inside of your system would probably help at this point... as well as one of the audio card you tried.

niceguyrichy · Apr 3, 2011, 06:06 PM

i have a Creative X-Fi HD USB sound card on one of my rigs
not ideal, but it's certainly better than most onboard and does a job

Tipstaff · Apr 3, 2011, 08:14 PM

Here's food for thought. Switch out the C14 for the D14, and sell the C14. At the very least you can get some money back to pay for the switch.

Personally, I would either stick with the onboard, which as mentioned is a very decent chip, or switch out the cooler to get those slots back. At the moment, the only good USB card (one better than the Realtek HD on your motherboard that is) is the Creative X-Fi Pro External USB one, and to me, paying $50-60+ for that card when you can pay that to switch the cooler and gain back slots so that you can use your internal X-Fi, doesn't feel right. It feels like a band-aid solution. You'd be throwing more money into the machine yet gaining little in return, plus you're still not dealing with a setup that is obviously bugging you.

kelston · Apr 4, 2011, 05:11 AM

Well, an update, which is probably not the most ideal at least for me.

Turns out I can run the sound card at least for now. However, it's not in the most ideal circumstances.

Apparently running SLI is taking a dump all over my new system (had to take out the 2nd video card for the time being) so perhaps you'd have some ideas on that front lols:

Running into major problems on my first attempt at SLI

Apr 3, 2011, 06:33 AM	#1
kelston HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bayside, NY USA Posts: 360 Rep Power: 0	How important is a sound card? Looking for advice So I finally got in my B3 revision mobo, a P8P67 WS Revo. And since I waited this long for that specific mobo, I certainly had to be running at least SLI/Crossfire so i'm doing that. Problem is, i'm also using the Noctua NH-C14, that monster of a horizontal based heatsink rather than the tower style heatsink. It's a great heatsink obviously but it has one major problem that for some reason no one bothered to mention ever. It prevents you from using the first PCI-X slot of your mobo, or at least this mobo. I can't imagine it's specific to this mobo. Regardless of what orientation I tried putting it in. Everyone certainly mentioned that it could interfere with your RAM but most enthusiasts would take that for a given by now. I think it would be more important to mention this fact. So with SLI + the Noctua, the result is I have no PCI slots available and i'm forced to utilize onboard sound. It sort of pains me to have to since i've sworn off onboard sound for so long but it doesn't seem like I have a choice in the matter and there is a distinct lack of external sound cards for gaming purposes(?). Any recommendations? __________________ Pants are a dangerous foe!

Apr 3, 2011, 07:54 AM	#2
Tipstaff HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Real capital of Canada: Torauna Posts: 6,773 Rep Power: 190 System Specs	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice Wait, on that board the very first slot is your first PCIe 16x graphics slot, so do you mean you can use that? Going by the pic above, can you map out what is in what spot? Do you have any PCIe 1x slots open? If you have any PCIe 1x slots (the white ones) open you could grab yourself a PCIe 1x sound card. Also, PCIe 16x, 8x, and 4x slots can accept PCIe 1x cards, so if you have any of those open you can put a PCIe 1x card into one of them too. However, believe it not the onboard audio on that board is a Realtek HD Audio, a very decent onboard audio solution. The key to it, however, is to keep the drivers up to date. Don't use the ones off the installation CD/DVD, nor the ones off of Asus' website as they are usually too old. Grab the latest and greatest off of Realtek's site right HERE, or an alternate would be MajorGeeks right HERE. __________________ Portal: The Flash Version _________________________________ Brain: So, you sacked the cocky khaki Kicky Sack sock plucker? Mr. Sackett: The second cocky khaki Kicky Sack sock plucker I've sacked since the sixth sitting sheet slitter got sick.

Apr 3, 2011, 02:37 PM	Thread Starter #3
kelston HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bayside, NY USA Posts: 360 Rep Power: 0	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice Going from right to left (as that's what would be the order of the PCI-X slots), the first blue slot is the one that is blocked. The first black slot is the first video card. The 2nd blue slot is blocked because of the first video card. The 2nd black slot is the 2nd video card. As a result, none of the slots are usable! __________________ Pants are a dangerous foe!

Apr 3, 2011, 02:53 PM	#4
IvanV HH Assassin Guild Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,908 Rep Power: 333 System Specs	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice Why not use the first white slot? __________________ If anyone has Portal 2 and hasn't played the co-op and wants to do me a favour, let me know (PM me or whatever). Last edited by IvanV; Apr 3, 2011 at 03:13 PM.

Apr 3, 2011, 03:14 PM	#5
IvanV HH Assassin Guild Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,908 Rep Power: 333 System Specs	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice Sorry about the double post, but is there really no way rotating the heatsink would help? If this orientation is possible on your motherboard, it looks like it makes the heatsink stay away from the first slot. __________________ If anyone has Portal 2 and hasn't played the co-op and wants to do me a favour, let me know (PM me or whatever). Last edited by IvanV; Apr 3, 2011 at 04:55 PM.

Apr 3, 2011, 04:08 PM	Thread Starter #6
kelston HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bayside, NY USA Posts: 360 Rep Power: 0	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice That is the way I currently have it, with the heatpipes over the ram. That was the most room I could get but with still no way of gaining access to the first PCI slot. /sad __________________ Pants are a dangerous foe!

Apr 3, 2011, 04:53 PM	#8
IvanV HH Assassin Guild Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 5,908 Rep Power: 333 System Specs	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice Wow, that's a ridiculously large heatsink in that case. In hindsight, I think that the board is a victim of its designers' ambition and that it suffers from having so many long PCI-E slots. Many boards, even cheaper ones, put a PCI-E 1x slot on top, so even with a gargantuan heatsink the first GPU slot remains free as it is positioned one place lower. It also keeps long cards away from the RAM slots. EDIT: But I think that you'll find the on-board sound on it quite adequate. __________________ If anyone has Portal 2 and hasn't played the co-op and wants to do me a favour, let me know (PM me or whatever).

Apr 3, 2011, 04:54 PM	Thread Starter #9
kelston HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bayside, NY USA Posts: 360 Rep Power: 0	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice You are spot on. I have one of the X-Fi Titaniums that I had intended to use. Maybe I have fat fingers or maybe i'm doing something wrong, but when I attempted to put the sound card in either of the slots that I also thought appeared to be open, the video card told me no. ;x __________________ Pants are a dangerous foe!

Apr 3, 2011, 04:58 PM	#10
blibbax What does this do? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 4,215 Rep Power: 251 System Specs	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice Is my diagram an accurate depiction? If so, there's no way that you should be unable to use the slots that I've marked as free. I'm also thinking that you might find it easier using only dual slot cards, and that your case must be huge to house a triple slot card in the bottom slot, if that is indeed what you're doing. __________________ Donate the spare computing power of your PC to help to cure Alzheimer's, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease and cancer: Fold for HH!

Apr 3, 2011, 06:04 PM	#11
*Veridian3* Administrator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cloaked Posts: 5,026 Rep Power: 181	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice A pic of the inside of your system would probably help at this point... as well as one of the audio card you tried.

Apr 3, 2011, 08:14 PM	#13
Tipstaff HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Real capital of Canada: Torauna Posts: 6,773 Rep Power: 190 System Specs	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice Here's food for thought. Switch out the C14 for the D14, and sell the C14. At the very least you can get some money back to pay for the switch. Personally, I would either stick with the onboard, which as mentioned is a very decent chip, or switch out the cooler to get those slots back. At the moment, the only good USB card (one better than the Realtek HD on your motherboard that is) is the Creative X-Fi Pro External USB one, and to me, paying $50-60+ for that card when you can pay that to switch the cooler and gain back slots so that you can use your internal X-Fi, doesn't feel right. It feels like a band-aid solution. You'd be throwing more money into the machine yet gaining little in return, plus you're still not dealing with a setup that is obviously bugging you. __________________ Portal: The Flash Version _________________________________ Brain: So, you sacked the cocky khaki Kicky Sack sock plucker? Mr. Sackett: The second cocky khaki Kicky Sack sock plucker I've sacked since the sixth sitting sheet slitter got sick. Last edited by Tipstaff; Apr 3, 2011 at 10:30 PM.

Apr 4, 2011, 05:11 AM	Thread Starter #14
kelston HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Bayside, NY USA Posts: 360 Rep Power: 0	Re: How important is a sound card? Looking for advice Well, an update, which is probably not the most ideal at least for me. Turns out I can run the sound card at least for now. However, it's not in the most ideal circumstances. Apparently running SLI is taking a dump all over my new system (had to take out the 2nd video card for the time being) so perhaps you'd have some ideas on that front lols: Running into major problems on my first attempt at SLI __________________ Pants are a dangerous foe!