I'm really stupid when it comes to computer hardware, and I don't know what it really does. And I'm currently using the soundcard that came with my pc, I don't really like the sound it gives out, but I'm not sure if it's my soundcard or speakers. thanks in advnace.

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good question...did a little research myself:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_card

onboard soundcards with decent speakers should sound OK. definitely not production quality sound, but you should have an enjoyable listening experience i suppose. if you think it sounds like shit, id try different speakers...

what are you using now

Hey. The biggest difference between soundcards when it comes to production is the type of DACs (digital to analog converter) they use. If they use a really cheap converter then the sound quality will be crappy. Pretty much all newer 24bit capable cards should sound pretty much the same because 24bit is such a high audio resolution that its hard to distinguish tiny nuances of a crap signal. Since that is true, the real remaining thing to look at is its latency. The best I've heard so far is the still unreleased Creative X-FI that is supposedly able to give you a latency of 1ms. I'll wait to test it out myself :P. Back to your question though, a DAC basicly takes a digital signal and fluctuates a function generator (like a synth) and outputs the sound as fluctuations in power, which in turn fluctuate the power given to the electro-magnet in a speaker. The electro-magnet, every time powered, is repelled from the solid state magnet in the speaker, which when done fast enough, moves the air around the cone and you get sound .

Cheers,
Zac

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x-fi is unreleased? i think ive seen it in stores!

quote:

Originally posted by qiushiming x-fi is unreleased? i think ive seen it in stores!

Ok, so it is lol... sorry for offending you.

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DarkSword - Turn On
DarkSword - Hell Bound
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DarkSword - Turning Forward
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Pacific Mint vs DarkSword - Climax Zone 2005
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---FL Studio 9 User---

X-Fi is released, but it isn't the best on the market. There's already the Emu 1010 PCI card, MOTU PCI424, etc...

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So what is the best quality 2in2out sound card these days? Am I better off staying with my audiophile 24/96 and just getting a high quality A/D converter like the TC electronics M One or is there something better?

^ If it does what you need it to do then you don't need to upgrade. Simple as that!

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My party schedule:
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9999-45-81 - Tweaker Gimp ☼ I Probably Won't Even Go To This But I Have To Make Sure I Fill Up All The Available Space Here

quote:

Originally posted by FuzzyGreen So what is the best quality 2in2out sound card these days? Am I better off staying with my audiophile 24/96 and just getting a high quality A/D converter like the TC electronics M One or is there something better?

the M one is an effects unit.
some of you people are so fucking clueless.

Actually, the X-FI looks really enticing.

Creative X-Fi

quote:

Originally posted by RichieV the M one is an effects unit. some of you people are so fucking clueless.

You seem to be the clueless one. The M-One *is* an effects unit, but it also has 24 bit A/D with spdif out and happens to be a great way to get a cheap high quality A/D converter. Next time you shouldn't judge others unless you are sure about yourself.

If you think that your sound is muffled / lacking "oomph" / not clear then you need new speakers (and if you're using some 10$ Creative computer speakers then that's most definately the case). Speakers have the most effect on your (outputted) sound quality. If, however you are experiencing clicks, pops and distortion then that might be your soundcard. You might need to increase the latency on your sound card.

Your choice of soundcard does not influence general listening quality (playing cd's in your computer and so forth). If you decide to get a new soundcard then this is what you might expect to gain: Lower latency, better DACs (digital-analog converters, better DACs mean somewhat better audio quality, but as has been said before, most modern soundcards have such high bitrate that you can't even hear the difference) and better inputs (less static in the mic input and so forth).