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Topic: sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound (Read 4827 times) previous topic - next topic
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sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Hi all,
I was wondering what would give me better sound quality between my soundblaster 5.1 mp3+ and my motherboard Asys A7V8X digital 6 way.

does anyone know about it?

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #1 –
It's difficult to say without actually comparing the two side by side.
The Live! is not the worlds finest sound card and the ALC650 Realtek CODEC used by the A7V8X is not the worlds finest CODEC.

  Compare the two side by side (try using the newest drviers for each direct from Realtek and Creative) when connected to your hi-fi to see which one you prefer. If you're using analog out to multiple channels, be aware that the CODEC is not capable of hardware 3D audio and may drop a few frames relative to the Live!.

  If you're interested in purchasing a newer higher quality sound card, you might try one of the Envy24 cards, the cheapest being the Chaintech CT-AV710 (uses 20 bit DAC), which looks good for $27, but which I've never heard.

edit: this seems like an audio hardware question

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #2 –
i've got a A7N8X Dlx and because of problems with the onboard sound i ended up buying a SB Audigy.
Apart from the fact that the audigy didn't have all the distortion that the on board sound was giving me I was just happy with the sound for that reason. I think in my travels I did come across a site that had a comparison of the asus sound and an audigy and they weren't too different. I guess the 5.1 would be a bit lower.

My guess is that unless you have some pretty good speakers or very good ears that you will not notice the difference on regular computer speakers, maybe if you are talking SPDif it might be something else
I guess also since you have the onboard sound you might as well use it - seems like a waste having it sit there collecting cobwebs in your box

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #3 –
The A7V8X uses the Via KT400 chipset and so does not benefit from the hardware HRTF capabilities of, and does not suffer the flaws of the nVidia NForce2 APU.
 
  The ALC650 can range (from my experience) in implementation from respectable  quality to rather mediocre quality, much like the %CPU used for Dsound streams.
  Decent headphones should be sufficient to test the quality of both possibilities.

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #4 –
Quote
I think in my travels I did come across a site that had a comparison of the asus sound and an audigy and they weren't too different.

I remember that too, I think it was that done by the firingsquad:
http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/audigy...ce2/default.asp
Nothing but a Heartache - Since I found my Baby ;)

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #5 –
ExtremeTech also did a review that may be of interest.  It can be found at:

  The State of Motherboard Audio

Keep in mind that there are a number of different ASUS boards with different sound implementations.  This article and the one referred to above refer to ASUS boards with the NVIDIA nForce2 chipset

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #6 –
look at my signature, that where my pc is hooked!
thats why i want somethig good..

should I buy audigy?

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #7 –
Quote
should I buy audigy?

Audigy 2 if you game, Envy24 card like the M-Audio Revolution (or the Chaintech card above) if you don't.

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #8 –
Quote
Hi all,
I was wondering what would give me better sound quality between my soundblaster 5.1 mp3+ and my motherboard Asys A7V8X digital 6 way.

does anyone know about it?

If u want serious sound from your PC, you shoud look for add-on PCI soundcard, whether an Audigy 2 or M-Audio Revo.
Break The Rules!!!

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #9 –
Quote
If u want serious sound from your PC, you shoud look for add-on PCI soundcard, whether an Audigy 2 or M-Audio Revo.

I woudn't agree to that without hesitation. the soundstorm onboard sound realy isn't that bad, rather good instead (though there has been talk of problems concerning this, there also are many satisfied users like myself).
Nothing but a Heartache - Since I found my Baby ;)

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #10 –
Will you using the SPDif?

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #11 –
Quote
Will you using the SPDif?


That's a good question.
If you're strictly using a digital-output there's no good reason to buy a new card at all, the Live! should work just fine (and the ALC650 should too, assuming the board included a digital output header).

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #12 –
Do you all think all SPDIF Out are built equally quality? I am afraid not.
Break The Rules!!!
 

sb live 5.1 vs Asus a7v8x built in sound

Reply #13 –
Quote
Do you all think all SPDIF Out are built equally quality? I am afraid not.


  Nope, I don't think so.
But in the absence of evidence to show that these particular S/PDIF solutions have jitter problems not seen (or more audible than) in the newer solutions you and I recommended, I have no good reason to recommend more expensive solutions.

  I would anticipate, for example, that the SB Live! SPDIF out would be very similar to the Audigy as well as the TBSC and the Hercules Fortissimo and Game Theater devices.

  They all will probably reample the digital out, and the Live! will probably do the worst job of it. I'm not altogether sure that the ALC650 would do so, but given that it's an AC97 solution, I wouldn't doubt it.
 
  Do you have evidence to suggest that jitter is more endemic to the Live! SPDIF than the Audigy and that this is audible?

->  If the poster wants a card to do straight-through 44.1 without resampling, I'd say his best bet is an Envy24-based solution and not an EMU (Creative) or Crystal (Turtle Beach, Hercules) based-solution at all.
    The problem is, we don't know whether he want to use digital or analog out.