vampgirl

I have an ASUS P4G8X Deluxe Motherboard that comes with Onboard sound.
I just looked in the User Guide and it says: Audio:ReealTek ALC650 6 Channel Audio Codec.
Its an 18bit, full duplex AC '97 2.2 Stereo audio Codec onboard with 6 channel audio capability.

Now my question is:
Can I enable it from bios (right now desabled) and use my audigy2 with Cubase and other music apps and use the onboard sound for my games?

Do you know about this sound card?
Is it any good?
Will it be better for 3D gaming then Audigy with KX?

And is there any special things i should do (settings) to use them both?
Oh, almost forgot, is there any other advantages using them both that i could not think of OR disadvantages?

Sorry this is too many questions!
But I really need to know


Asus P4G8X Duluxe
Cpu: P4 Intel @ 3200Mhz
Ram:Kingmax pc 3200 (512MB X 2)
VGA:ATI Radeon 8500 (128MB)
HDD:Maxtor 80 GIG (7200 rpm)
Sound (Creative Audigy2 +KX)

vampgirl

Ok. I actualy enabled the "REALTEK AC'97 SOUND" On my mainboard and Installed its drivers and everything seems to be working just fine!
But now I am really lost and need your help! The question is:

If under: "Sound and audio device properties" From "control panel" I choose:"KX Wave SB0240 10k2 [a800] 0/1" the sound comes out of the Audigy2 soundcard and if I choose:"REALTEK AC'97" then the sound is coming out of the onboard soundcard.
But I have to change the cable that goes from my soundcard to the AMP each time I change the playback sound card.
I wonder if there is anyway to link the 2 cards so one output could be used for both>?!

For example I got my "digital satellite reciever" connected to the Audigy2 "Line In"
Is it possible to hear that when using the REALTEK AC'97 ?

AND would it be possible to play and use cubase SX while SX uses the Audigy2 Asio with KX drivers but to get the output sound come from the REALTEK AC'97 ?

I hope I am not asking stupid questions! but anyway please tell me what is possible and what is not and how to do it if possible.

Thanx guys and sorry for the long question!

Al_Vampyre

Ok, I'm not a soundcard expert, and I can only make one suggestion about your post but I hope it helps! Why would you want to use the onboard sound for games?? The Audigy 2 will handle it much better and will use less system resources than the onboard sound so you'll get faster framerates etc in your games by using the Audigy 2...

I'll leave the kX questions to someone that has a clue!!!

__________________
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vampgirl

Well I want to use the onboard sound simply for one reason!
It supports full D3D wich is not yet supported corrwectly by kx.

Now maybe there could be other advantages!???
Or maybe its simply not a good idea to use the onboard sound at all! ???
Thats also somthing i would love to figure out.

Necrosis

Honestly...

I don't know why you're even using the Audigy 2 at all in your music apps. Do you do anything with Midi? It would cost you a bit more but having a true sound card for your music editing, and one for gaming would give you all you need.

M-Audio Revolution, and the Prodigy card that is (sorry can't remember model #) similar I think would do nicely. Wouldn't you like to have true 24/196 support?

Daniel Drummond

Necrosis, this forum is about people who wish to use their creative hardware to make music, because they like it or because they don't want or don't have money to upgrade... Check the "powered by KX" forum and you'll see how professional KX drivers + creative can sound...

__________________
www.palcomp3.com.br/ed

vampgirl

Well too bad I didn't get even one answer!

I know, If i had a porche as a car or even a privet jet I could get to places much faster and easier!
But for now I don't have the possibilitie to have one!

For now I have an Audigy2 and trying despretly to get the best out of it!

Necrosis

I understand the whole viewpoint behind using these drivers. Yes, and I have also this drivers successfully in the past too. I'm just a little biased against using this type of card for professional audio.

Um, in theory what you're asking for is plausible. However, I don't see the point in making it so complicated so you can have simple DirectX sound in games. You could buy an adapter (Radio Shack) that would let you use both at the sametime. I do think it would just be better to use one or the another and not try to use both at the same time.

NightBreed

I dont think the question was what kind of sound card is for what job. and maybe you should look up the word professional.
As far as your Question Vampgirl, I have been using multiple sound cards of different types in one machine without any issues. So I don't really believe you would have a problem with using your on board card.

Necrosis

Huh, didn't I say this person could use both? Maybe you should take your head out of your ass. I was expressing an opinion that is all.

vampgirl

How did you use them? did have them both enabled at the same time? were they somehow linked?
Or did you desabled one in device manager and used only one depending on what you was doing?


I am putting some moeny asiad and will hopefully soon buy a good soundcard. But for now I am stuck with the Audigy2 and its not that bad after all.
Btw what is your advice for good sound card. I don't want to make a mistake again!

Daniel Drummond

Does your onboard audio have a digital out connector? If it does, connect it digitally into the CD DIGITAL IN of your Audigy 2 and you'll hear both sounds through the Audigy's line out... If it doesn't, connect it's output to one of the line in of the Audigy 2 and connect your satelite receiver to the onboard line in, so it will also be redirect to audigy2 line out... This way you could use both cards and have the sound coming out only in audigy 2....

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Necrosis

How much is your budget?

vampgirl

Well I am not rich enough to buy something cheep!
but again something arround 300US$ could be good.
but don't be restricted by the price! if I don't have the money I prefere wait till I get it then
buy another card that would not need to be changed!

Necrosis

Here is what I recommend for around your price range.

http://m-audio.com/products/m-audio/1010lt.php

Here is it's bigger brother.

http://m-audio.com/products/m-audio/delt1010.php

Here is a price listing from Musician's Friend & Sam Ash

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/.../base_id/58266

http://www.samash.com/catalog/showit...onetodaythanks

P.S. AS you can see by my specs. I'm running the A2 in this computer but previously was running the M-Audio Revolution 7.1. Which is a very good card but doesn't offer midi support (hardware). The issue with this card is with it's drivers/gaming. It seems to be hit or miss with most people on the quality of direct sound and Sensaura in games. I never had any problems with it, but installed it in another computer of mine that is soley built/tweaked for music editing. Driver improvements have made the card better but it's still leaning more towards other uses than gaming. However, there is it's cousin the Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 which I've also heard mixed reviews on. Matter of fact both of these cards use the same Envy24HT chip. Here is a review for it.

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/...rak-prodigy71/

I still personally think you'd be happier having a card dedicated to both of your main goals.

1. Gaming - Audigy 2

2. Music - Delta 1010 LT

You'd have the best of both worlds, and honestly wouldn't have to worry about upgrading your audio for a very long time. Heck, you could use them together as well to give you more options and freedom too!

vampgirl

Necrosis,
thanx for the great advice and links.

I just have one last question left!
What do you think about "Audiophile 2496 PCI Digital Audio Card" 149 US $

Daniel Drummond

Vampgirl, have you tried my suggestions above?

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vampgirl

thanx Daniel Drummond ,
I actualy set the onboard soundcard to be the main out and connected the Audigy2 rare line out to the onboard sound line in and all is working perfect.

The thing that I am not sure and makes me hesitate to use this setting is that I am not sure if using 2 soundcards this way would effect my pc performance and if I get the best possible sound result!

thats why i was thinking about getting an Audiophile 2496 PCI Digital Audio Card .
But again I am newbie and little confused and lost here!

Necrosis

I know it's a good card, and has rave reviews. However, I don't have a clue how it will do for production. You might to do a little searching and see what you can come up with.

sleamey

Hey, I got another suggestion: why don't install multiple OSes - one for gaming (with original creative drivers installed) & one for musicmaking (with kx). I'm sure you can find additional 3-4GB on your 80GB HDD for that. So u can forget about your onboard shit.

btw, I have 4 OSes installed.

thomasabarnes

Hi VampGiril:

I see youre still trying to get your gaming and music to sound the best that u can get it to sound. Well, to get the card that suites your individual needs and wants, you wont be unhappy if you do the research.

It appears you know that you need 2 cards to get the ultimate performance for your music production endeavors and your gaming interests.

Well, to help you out with a research resource, here's an article you can read to kinda pinpoint what u may want in a soundcard: http://www.borg.com/~jglatt/tutr/midicard.htm

I'm stressing especially the What's Best For Me section: If you opt to use just one soundcard you might have to compromise some features you want. I'm just wondering, do u really want or need a card with 10 ins and 10 outs?

The Audiophile you mentioned seems good enough to me, but I dont know. I cant afford it at the time. I like gaming too, and I dont know a card that's better for gaming than the Audigy and Audigy2 series of cards.

It's hard to get a card that's good for gaming and music production, hence the need for a compromise in performace if you want just one card. However, the Audigy 2 card can be Excellent for gaming and music performance! The Creative drivers makes the gaming experience excellent and the KX drivers makes the music production excellent! The downside is that we have to keep uninstalling and reinstalling the Creative and KX drivers to get that excellent performance from the soundcard in both the Gaming and music production areas.

Like Daniel D said, some of us are people who for some reason cant upgrade our SoundBlaster soundcard, so we try to get the best performance out of what we now have. Well, I'm in that boat.

You might not be satisfied with your Audigy2 performance in the music production area, or you dont want to be switching the drivers all the time, so go for it and get you a professional card. But, since u sound like u want to get one to use for a long time to come without having to purchase another one, you might as well research what will be the best card for you! And, I can see youre doing it already by asking around here. But, in the end it's you who have to make the decision, so research, so you can say to youeself, I did my best to make the decision to buy this card, and you can feel good about your decision and not feel bad if something is not what you expect with the card you decide to buy.

As for me, it looks like I'm gona be with my Audigy for a while. But I'm OK with that, because I know how the Creative drivers Rock for my Game Playing! and listienng to some of the songs in The Powered by KX forum section, I know how the Audigy can perform with the KX drivers! Professional sounding work! there in the powered by KX forum section. That Powered by KX sound is good enough for me. So, I'll have to keep switching between the Creative and KX drivers for now.

Good luck to you VampGirl: Let us know what you decide?