# What makes a good sound card?



## jonskijet (May 19, 2005)

i know my fair share about video crads...but i know absolutly nothing about its sister...the sound card. i have an extremely crappy sound card in my comp right now... what is a nice card i should buy?


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## 20gig (May 19, 2005)

creative sound cards are good try going for a sound card that is THX certified like audigy 2 Zs ive got it great


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## Geoff (May 19, 2005)

if your on a tight budget, go with the Creative Sound Blaster Live!, but if you want to get an audigy, get one on eBay.  There is a seller that sells directly from Creative Labs that sells cards very cheap.  About $70-$90 for an Audigy 2ZS.


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## jonskijet (May 20, 2005)

o... i have the budget alright... 
do i need good speakers to compliment the good sound crad? i currently have some cheap creative 5.1 system...cost me 80 bucks.


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## randruff (May 23, 2005)

In your situation i recommend the SB Audigy 2ZS. It is the card I currently have, I stand behind it 100%. It is cheap, for what you are receiving, as it is loaded with features (THX cert, EAX, etc.) Look at it like this, you can purchase this card, which will last you a long time, and eventually pickup some speakers to match and utilize the THX certification. I personally have the Cambridge Soundworks THX 550 to compliment this card and it produces phenominal sound. Before I bought these speakers I had a set of $80 Creative 5.1 (prolly the same as you) running on this card and the difference between those cheap spkrs and the THX cert spkrs was incredible. If budget is a big issue, just take one thing at a time but dont waste your money investing in a good sound card if you dont plan on buying good spkrs as well.


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