Audio issues/choices: card vs motherboard for HD audio

[Jonathan Jewell]

I have a Creative Soundblaster S and an Gigabyte X99p-SLI motherboard. There's a slot on the motherboard for the HD audio and one in the back of the Creative sound card.

First of all, the Creative Card is quite old and I can't find anything to compare the two. I'm guessing that if that's the case, in all likelihood, the board is going to be so good by comparison (Realtek seems to be the driver) no-one is bothering comparing them anymore and I might as well chuck the soundcard.

Also, I wondered whether, by having the sound card in place, does it actually turns off the motherboard HD thing anyway (i.e. have I've got to actually remove it if it's rubbish, or is it okay just sitting there as a component). What I don't understand though, is that the Creative card was in my old computer, and I slotted it in and it seemed to work fine, but I didn't ever try to set up the computer like I did this time. So I'm wondering what difference sticking the connector in the back of it would make anyway. After all, in the past, I didn't even notice that it was there but it still worked (I'm only just getting into the making of things. And it's in the slot right now, not plugged in at the back but illuminated.

Thanks for any help you can give here...

 

[RobCrezz]

I would just use the on board sound, unless you are massively into audio/music.

I think the main benefit of the sound cards these days is that they are shielded from interference to give better sound quality. In the old days you needed a sound card because it wasnt on board.

 

[mbilal2]

24-bit/96kHz audio resolution is what your card produces.
24-bit/192kHz is what your mobo produces.

Ditch the sound card. Usually I recommend to install the graphics card in the x16 slot and the sound card in the x8 slot. But since you have two x16 slots (PCIE_1/PCIE_2), install the graphics card in one and the sound card in other (if you would still want it). Installing the card won't turn your hard disk off. The bandwidth isn't shared with your SATA slots.

Not sure what slots you are talking about in the last part. The audio jacks in the back or the PCI slots?