Re: Sound cards.
  By: Mark Hofmann to All on Thu Jul 22 2021 10:14 pm

 > Maybe I'm an audio snob.  Actually, I probably am.  Anyway, I have always ha
 > the integrated audio in motherboards.  I have owned Sound Blaster cards sinc
 > the beginning of time.  The one I have used for many years now is the Sound
 > Blaster Audigy FX (PCIe).
 > 
 > That card works great.  It has great sound quality and an amp of some sort
 > since it boosts the sound level a huge amount.
 > 
 > Fast forward to a week ago when I bought another video card (MSI 2060 Super
 > Gaming).  Video cards like that block access to other slots on the motherboa
 > I had no place to install my SB card, so I bought a USB Sound Blaster X3.  T
 > sound is close the the same quality of the FX - but it is buggy as hell.  Ju
 > like what has happened to Cisco, Microsoft, etc, the modern day products are
 > released way before they are ready and just don't work right.  I'm sure it i
 > software bug of some type, but after two years they still have not fixed the
 > audio drop outs.  I am taking the damn thing back to Microcenter this weeken
 > 
 > Anyway, I ordered a PCIe riser card that supports up to 4 risers, bought 2
 > riser cards and will move my other video card outside the PC to the top of t
 > case like my other one.  That will free up the space I need to re-install my
 > Audigy FX.
 > 
 > Far more difficult than it should have been, but it seems more and more that
 > new stuff is worse than the old stuff.
 > 
 > - Mark

Nowadays, dedicated audio cards seem to be a book case of the law of
diminishing returns.

I am not a hardcore audiophile when it comes to hardware, but most people will
benefit more by spending 100 extra dollar in better speakers than 100 extra
dollar in a dedicated card.

Sorry your card sucked. I am not a fan of USB ones but they are handy in a
pitch. I have a cheapo Trust for doing audiochat with a computer whose
integrated sound chip is busted.

--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
 * Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (618:250/24)