Why buy a sound card?

[Blackmoore]

I was looking over a few magazines I bought a few days ago and I noticed that most new games coming out don't reley on a sound card's hardware to make the sounds. In fact they said ir was the CPU, and software, among other things that was doing all the work and processing the sound. So my question is, what is the point in buying a 24bit sound card if nothing uses it. Most songs you play back, only play in 16 Bit so you would be perfectly fine with a standard Sound Blaster Live Card for $30. Some of the games mentioned were Doom3 and Half-Life 2. They said neither of them require a high-end sound card to get he full effect out of their games. Are high end sound cards becoming a thing of the past for a gamer. Reason I ask is cause I spent $200 on my Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum card, and so far none of the new games that are out, and that are coming out are using it, the way it was meant to be used.

 

[ohGrFreak]

i'm not a audiophile when it comes to the computer, i think the 8 channel onboard sound on my mobo is good enough.

on my old AMD machine, the sound was slop, so i got a soundblaster 5.1 cheapy for $30 and it did just fine.

it's just my personal preference, i keep the high end audio for my theater.

 

[beedubaya]

I did buy a little too much of a sound card, but I do notice quite a richer, fuller sound than I did with my onboard.

 

[Blackmoore]

it's just my personal preference, i keep the high end audio for my theater.

Thats the way I think too. Im not going to spend $200 on a new sound card just so I can watch DVD's in Dolby Digital on my puny 17" LCD. I bought the sound card thinking there would be an audible difference in sound on games over the $30 cards.

 

[Alex81388]

If you're are using more than a 2.1 system maybe get a sound card. But a lot of the new boards have 6,7 or even 8 channel audio. It really isn't needed unless you setting up an entire room with suround speakers, in my opinion.

 

[SNiPeRViRuS]

amen brothers

 

[Nubius]

You don't buy a $200 sound card to play games. You buy that when you do heavy sound editing, producing, mixing, stuff like that. If you purchased it to hear clearer MP3s and are upset that the games don't need such a card then thats your fault for not knowing what hardware suits your needs. That's why I don't judge what I buy by price, but rather 'Do I really need it?' I have a $30 Philips Audigy soundcard which I bet produces just as good as sound.

Like I said the only people who need expensive cards like that, are those people who are plugging in midi controllers, mixing tables, using software like Cakewalk (which is a basic sound creation tool), sound forge, stuff like that. That's the only time when you need an expensive sound card. Just like if you're a gamer you need an expensive graphics card.

 

[YourPrinter]

ive never had a good sound card so i have no idea but i liek onboard just fine. i Use head phones so i cant really notice

 

[jolancer]

not that i care, of if its worth it, but...

i think it was mentioned somewere that having a sound card is just slightly better then onbourd sound, cause it takes away a little bit of overhead off the cpu(or whatever). better as in, a slightly faster system, not better sound. but i wouldnt know if it applys to new systems now, since there fast enough.

not talking about any particular card, just 'a' card in general.

 

[AND_YOU_ARE]

My computer is my entertainment center. My sound card works nicely with my speakers. You can find them for good prices. The on board stuff really has it limits once you stop using head phones. You dont have to be an audiophyle to appreciate good sound, and more games utalize surround sound. Until mb makers start incorperating a sb chip on the board for sound, i will have an seperate card.