Sound card/speaker help

rocket9 · Aug 29, 2004, 06:08 AM

Hi there, i just had a few questions maybe you guys can answer..

I currently have an on board VIA AC'97 Enchanced Audio(WAVE) as my sound device at the moment. Im planning on getting a 5 piece system (sub with 4 satallite speakers) For speakers im looking at either these for $95 canadian http://www.activewin.com/reviews/har...io/index.shtml or these http://www.gamers-depot.com/hardware...h/z540/002.htm for $54 canadian, then for a sound card, im looking to get this http://www.soundblaster.com/products/sblive/ for $40 canadian....So which speakers should i get? i would use them for music, some games, dvds, tv tuner. Also Id like to know if the AC'97 audio i have is good or bad or if it will support any good speakers...Well thanks alot --Any help would be great--

**dj_stick** · Aug 29, 2004, 06:31 AM

getting a PCI soundcard will most likely greatly help your sound quality - sound blaster audigy ES would be a good choice - the live cards are slightly out of date nowadays

as for speakers - the z540s i thinl are decent speakers

No_Style · Aug 29, 2004, 06:34 AM

I'm no sound card buff, but if you want to spend an additional $59 CAD for a Sound Blaster Audigy 2, it's well worth it.

It was a real bargain when I got my SB Audigy 2 for a mere $99 CAD

rocket9 · Aug 29, 2004, 06:42 AM

well im not going to be using it alot for games, only a few here and there, but mainly for music and some movies and tv, so is the card im planning to get good, and for the speakers the xtrusion is alot more powerful though, so shouldnt i get those.?

No_Style · Aug 29, 2004, 06:47 AM

It's decent, but dated. It is better than your onboard though. So if you just want to upgrade from the onboard it's a decent step. If you really want kick ass sound, you should pair it your sound card and speakers accordingly. I personally would shell out the money for an Audigy 2, unless DJ_Stick says otherwise, he's more of a sound card buff.

P.S - Welcome to DH!

**dj_stick** · Aug 29, 2004, 08:05 AM

true - an Audigy 2 woulf be a kickass card… but for a price.

that's why i recommended the audigy es

rocket9 · Aug 29, 2004, 08:32 AM

well how about the speakers...the xtrusio is much more powerful, alot more watts, so why do u say the Z540's?

**dj_stick** · Aug 29, 2004, 10:15 AM

xtrusio 100W RMS Power (52W Subwoofer, 12W per satellite)
Z540 Total power output: 40 watts RMS

you won't notice much difference at all… to our ears, we cannot hear a difference of 3dB between to sounds, and to increase the sound by 3dB you need to double the output power
as the xtrusio are just over double the power output of the Z540 - the difference is most likely around 3.5dB - not much at all

rocket9 · Aug 29, 2004, 06:02 PM

how about the 5 watt per satallite, as compared to the xtrusios 12 watts? thats seems weird

**dj_stick** · Aug 29, 2004, 08:20 PM

if you listen to them in store, i don't think you will hear much difference - and by the time you reach the maximum volume for each set, they will most likely distort and you wouldn't want to listen to them like that (don't quote me on this i don't know how good the quality of the speakers are)

Necrosis · Aug 29, 2004, 08:32 PM

Where are you planning on purchasing your speakers/sound card from? Reason I'm asking if you're not dead set on a Creative card, especially since you won't be doing much gaming. For movies, tv, and music there are much better choices out there.

**dj_stick** · Aug 29, 2004, 08:41 PM

for music the M-Audio and turtlebeach cards are quite nice… i think the hercules are pretty good aswell

rocket9 · Aug 29, 2004, 09:24 PM

uhh most probably a computer shop in my city, im only going to play a few games, like mainly sports, maybe some GTA, Id use it mainly for music as i said, dvds, etc...I dont want to get something spectacular. should i maybe go wit an audigy 2 zs and the Z540s..i dunno

rocket9 · Aug 31, 2004, 02:06 AM

anyone?

Malus · Aug 31, 2004, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Necrosis

Where are you planning on purchasing your speakers/sound card from? Reason I'm asking if you're not dead set on a Creative card, especially since you won't be doing much gaming. For movies, tv, and music there are much better choices out there.

Cards from Creative's professional line, E-mu, blow all those away too.

How much are you looking to spend on a card? All the Envy24 based solutions are excellent. Emu cards tend to have much better quality, but have no real gaming capabilities.

For $30, you can get the Chaintech card. If you get speakers with an optical in, you can bypass the crappy analog out and have almost bit-perfect sound reproduction.

rocket9 · Aug 31, 2004, 08:28 AM

Im thinking of going with an Audigy 2 ZS and the Logitech Z540 speakers, would that be a good choice? I wasnt the card and speakers to last me for a while

**dj_stick** · Aug 31, 2004, 10:18 AM

they should last you for quite a while

Aug 29, 2004, 06:08 AM	#1
rocket9 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	Sound card/speaker help Hi there, i just had a few questions maybe you guys can answer.. I currently have an on board VIA AC'97 Enchanced Audio(WAVE) as my sound device at the moment. Im planning on getting a 5 piece system (sub with 4 satallite speakers) For speakers im looking at either these for $95 canadian http://www.activewin.com/reviews/har...io/index.shtml or these http://www.gamers-depot.com/hardware...h/z540/002.htm for $54 canadian, then for a sound card, im looking to get this http://www.soundblaster.com/products/sblive/ for $40 canadian....So which speakers should i get? i would use them for music, some games, dvds, tv tuner. Also Id like to know if the AC'97 audio i have is good or bad or if it will support any good speakers...Well thanks alot --Any help would be great--

Aug 29, 2004, 06:34 AM	#3
No_Style Styleless Wonder Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 6,034 Rep Power: 0	I'm no sound card buff, but if you want to spend an additional $59 CAD for a Sound Blaster Audigy 2, it's well worth it. It was a real bargain when I got my SB Audigy 2 for a mere $99 CAD __________________ "The Best Style Is No Style" Specifications Here

Aug 29, 2004, 06:47 AM	#5
No_Style Styleless Wonder Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 6,034 Rep Power: 0	It's decent, but dated. It is better than your onboard though. So if you just want to upgrade from the onboard it's a decent step. If you really want kick ass sound, you should pair it your sound card and speakers accordingly. I personally would shell out the money for an Audigy 2, unless DJ_Stick says otherwise, he's more of a sound card buff. P.S - Welcome to DH! __________________ "The Best Style Is No Style" Specifications Here

Aug 29, 2004, 06:42 AM	Thread Starter #4
rocket9 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	well im not going to be using it alot for games, only a few here and there, but mainly for music and some movies and tv, so is the card im planning to get good, and for the speakers the xtrusion is alot more powerful though, so shouldnt i get those.?

Aug 29, 2004, 08:32 AM	Thread Starter #7
rocket9 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	well how about the speakers...the xtrusio is much more powerful, alot more watts, so why do u say the Z540's?

Aug 29, 2004, 06:02 PM	Thread Starter #9
rocket9 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	how about the 5 watt per satallite, as compared to the xtrusios 12 watts? thats seems weird

Aug 29, 2004, 08:32 PM	#11
Necrosis HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,838 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Where are you planning on purchasing your speakers/sound card from? Reason I'm asking if you're not dead set on a Creative card, especially since you won't be doing much gaming. For movies, tv, and music there are much better choices out there.

Aug 29, 2004, 09:24 PM	Thread Starter #13
rocket9 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	uhh most probably a computer shop in my city, im only going to play a few games, like mainly sports, maybe some GTA, Id use it mainly for music as i said, dvds, etc...I dont want to get something spectacular. should i maybe go wit an audigy 2 zs and the Z540s..i dunno

Aug 31, 2004, 02:06 AM	Thread Starter #14
rocket9 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	anyone?

Aug 31, 2004, 08:28 AM	Thread Starter #16
rocket9 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	Im thinking of going with an Audigy 2 ZS and the Logitech Z540 speakers, would that be a good choice? I wasnt the card and speakers to last me for a while