Thread: Sound Card Case

The case is the same for sound cards. Current mainstream and entry-level motherboards offer multi-channel sound, but they are designed for only average sound quality. Audiophiles and music lovers should either buy a good discrete sound card or a motherboard that bundles one. Motherboards from Asus' Republic of Gamers series and from Msl's Diamond series bundle discrete (low profile) sound cards. These cards use a riser slot on the motherboard and offer digital output via optical and coaxial ports.



If you aren't buying a new motherboard, you can add .a quality sound card such as Asus' Xonar and Creative's Audigy and X-Fi series. And if you want pristine sound from your laptop, use an external USB device such as the Xonar Ul or the Creative X-mod. When using discrete sound with digital output-regardless of it being internal or external-the motherboard's onboard sound doesn't matter.

Sound travels in the form of digital data from the card to the amplifier's decoder where it is converted into analog singals and is distributed to the speakers,..so a digital input provides better sound quality than an analog one. Another option is digital speakers which have built-in decoders, such as the Logitech Z-5500 set. Finally, it's worth mentioning that your speakers and sound card are equally important. A great sound card will sound awful with awful speakers, and vice versa.