# Do all sound cards work separate from the CPU??



## ADE (Sep 10, 2006)

OK, I just got some 5.1 surround sound headphones and am getting a 5.1 surround sound speakers. Of course I want the best gaming experience possible, but I don't want the sound to put stress on my CPU (it has to deal enough all ready).  Which boils down to the question, Do all sound cards work solo as in works separate from the CPU?


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## Impr3ssiv3 (Sep 10, 2006)

no not all of them

not all sound cards have their own DSP(digital sound processor) which is like the cpu for sound how the GPU is what processes the graphics


just get a nice high quality one from Creative and you'll be good

i would suggest a X-Fi series


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## ADE (Sep 10, 2006)

Hmm.... I got a MIDI 32bit 5.1 sound card....only paid $1 for it on ebay brand new.


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## ADE (Sep 10, 2006)

Is this one any good?
http://www.refurbcomputer.com/shop/product.php?productid=16206


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## magicman (Sep 10, 2006)

Not really, plus the item description doesn't fill me with confidence:


They are all different OEM models

No drivers, card only

Will not look exactly like photo

Possibly new but will sell as Used/Not tested

You'd be looking at a lot more than $8.95 if you want to take stress from the cpu. If you're a fan of eBay, look for used X-Fi XtremeMusic cards going cheap. I found this one you could follow. Not sure if that link will work, I can't access the US site from the UK.


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## ADE (Sep 10, 2006)

Well, I saw many like this in the USA site for cheep, but had a few days left. Sadly by the end of the action it gets well over $100.


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## ADE (Sep 10, 2006)

Are there any other sound cards that don't cost as much that will take the load off of the CPU?


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## magicman (Sep 10, 2006)

Well it's a case of whether you value quality sound, and whether you have the money for something worthwhile. A card like the one you linked would be no better than onboard sound, and would still make work for the cpu. So in all fairness, if your mobo supports 5.1, a card like that would be a waste of 9 dollars.

I just witnessed a Buy It Now go for exactly $75 plus $25 postage, you probably won't get any better than that, if that's too much for you, look for something like the Audigy 4 series.


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## ADE (Sep 10, 2006)

Does that one work separate from the CPU???


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## magicman (Sep 10, 2006)

Yup, it'll take plenty of load from the cpu.


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## ADE (Sep 10, 2006)

I was out bid.


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## magicman (Sep 10, 2006)

Lol, I wasn't expecting you to have time to bid for that one at all - there's plenty more where that came from, I just posted that item to give you an idea of a price range for a used Audigy 4. Keep looking - the next one down the line is this, only it's new, so will probably fetch more.


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## ADE (Sep 10, 2006)

Should I get this one? Since its a 4 series it will take the load off right???
https://usm.channelonline.com/magnumpc/storesite/Products/Specifications/?id=M002981601


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## magicman (Sep 10, 2006)

Yes if you want, it's the same card as the ones in the above 2 auctions, and that's a very decent price by the looks of it. I somehow doubt they have 999 in stock, though... 

This is the chip that takes the load off the cpu:


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## ADE (Sep 10, 2006)

sweet. Computer parts at a bargain are like candy to an overweight child.


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## ADE (Sep 10, 2006)

Is there any difference between the 4 and the 4 SE?
http://www.axiontech.com/prdt.php?src=FG&item=75244


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## ADE (Sep 11, 2006)

I bought the one listed above in the link. That one cost less overall with shipping. It has 100% positive reviews, so that one is just like the other. Both 4 and the 4 SE are the same right?


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## Impr3ssiv3 (Sep 11, 2006)

actually the SE one is not as high tech as the other one

the SE only gets up to 96 kHz while the other goes up to 192 kHz

and the Audigy4 is cheaper so id get it


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## ADE (Sep 11, 2006)

S**t. So I got the wrong one. So I wont get as good sound quality huh? I was hoping you'd reply sooner, but I thought they'd be the same. Curse my impatient ways. Is it worth calling off the buy and getting the non SE. And why the heck would they call it special edition if its less special than the original???? AAAHHHH!!! I should have waited for you reply!


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## ADE (Sep 11, 2006)

Specifications: Audigy 4 Processor: Advanced hardware accelerated digital effects processing. Patented 8-point interpolation that reduces distortion to inaudible levels. 64-voice hardware wavetable synthesizer. Professional quality digital mixing and equalization. High Definition Audio Quality for Playback and Recording: 64 audio channel playback with independent sample rates. 24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion during playback with sampling rates of 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96kHz in 7.1 mode and up to 192kHz in stereo mode.

Wait! Read that last sentence!! Does that mean its as good as the non SE?


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## Impr3ssiv3 (Sep 11, 2006)

ummm


i dont know


i would just keep it since it still a nice one


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## ADE (Sep 11, 2006)

I will not settle for the most I can get for my money. I'm canceling the order and getting the other one.


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## magicman (Sep 11, 2006)

I guess I picked the wrong time to go to bed...


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## ADE (Sep 11, 2006)

magicman said:


> I guess I picked the wrong time to go to bed...



Huh?


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## magicman (Sep 11, 2006)

magicman said:


> I guess I picked the wrong time to go to bed...





ADE said:


> Huh?


I called it a night just before you ordered the SE by mistake. I could have told you the SE wasn't as good before you ordered it. 

Never mind.


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## Archangel (Sep 11, 2006)

Impr3ssiv3 said:


> no not all of them
> 
> not all sound cards have their own DSP(digital sound processor) which is like the cpu for sound how the GPU is what processes the graphics
> 
> ...



How's the Audigy 4?  i mean,  it does have a DSP,.. so, does it 'unload' the CPU just as much as a x-Fi card?


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## Impr3ssiv3 (Sep 12, 2006)

Archangel said:


> How's the Audigy 4?  i mean,  it does have a DSP,.. so, does it 'unload' the CPU just as much as a x-Fi card?




yeah those are nice ones too but the X-Fi meant to be for gamign and such but a good Audigy4 will do too

i have an Audigy2 and so far i think it works


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## ADE (Sep 12, 2006)

Will I notice a difference between the too? It might be too late to call of the recall  . There goes $50.


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## Impr3ssiv3 (Sep 12, 2006)

ADE said:


> Will I notice a difference between the too? It might be too late to call of the recall  . There goes $50.



you can always return it


and im not sure be usually the SE seems to be worse i think


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## ADE (Sep 13, 2006)

Is the sound quality bad on the SE? I mean does it suck like a bucket of ticks? Or is that better than the sound card I use (from eBay for $1 brand new-32bit)


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## magicman (Sep 13, 2006)

In order of sound quality, your $1 one will be so much at the bottom of the list you won't believe. Then comes the SE, which relatively close to the standard Audigy 4 but has its differences. Then comes the standard Audigy 4, then comes the X-Fi series, in the order Xtreme Music, Platinum, Fatal1ty & Elite Pro, although the differences in the last three are just with the add-ons.

I've lost track, which one do you have on order at the moment, the SE or the normal Audigy 4?


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## Archangel (Sep 13, 2006)

If you have the normal Audigy 4 incomming.. keep it,.. its a really nice Card


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## ADE (Sep 13, 2006)

se..........Do I have to pay for the return shipping???


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## magicman (Sep 13, 2006)

Probably. My feelings are if you've got the SE coming, check the returns policy, if you can try it before sending it back, then do so, and see whether you feel it's worth the money to return it and get the standard.


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## ADE (Sep 13, 2006)

To be honest the regular and SE cost about the same cost with shipping over all. I just wanted a way to pay with paypal and I didn't know there was a difference between the 2. What do you think the sample rate is on the one I already currently own?


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## Clutch (Sep 13, 2006)

Impr3ssiv3 said:


> not all sound cards have their own DSP(digital sound processor)


DSP does not stand for *Digital Sound Processor*, it stands for *Digital Signal Processor*.


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## ADE (Sep 13, 2006)

Clutch said:


> DSP does not stand for *Digital Sound Processor*, it stands for *Digital Signal Processor*.



So what does that mean? Is it any different if it was called sound instead of signal or either way would it mean the same thing?


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## Impr3ssiv3 (Sep 14, 2006)

Clutch said:


> DSP does not stand for *Digital Sound Processor*, it stands for *Digital Signal Processor*.





oh well details but i was close

that was just off the top of my head


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## ADE (Sep 14, 2006)

This is the sound card I got. on a scale of 1-10, when does this card stand, and where does the 4 SE stand and the non- SE?
http://cgi.ebay.com/6-channel-5-1-3...oryZ3701QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
What do you think the bit rate is on this?


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