Is this a good sound card?

[mercer95]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/prosound-7.1-pci-sound-card-with-coaxial-digital-out-226543

i was wondering if this will be any good as a budget sound card and if it will be better than most onboard sound cards.

 

[sk1939]

Depending on your computer, probably not. If you have HD Audio it will probably be about the same, but if your running an AC '97 codec then yes.

 

[mercer95]

can you recommend any 5.1 surround sound cards (or better) for under £30?

thanks for your reply.

 

[gamerk316]

Can't comment, as I've never heard of them. And unless you have a halfway decent set of speakers/headphones, you could spend hundreds on a soundcard and not know the difference.

 

[mercer95]

i have a cm storm headset, you can use it with usb or with a sound card and i hear that to get the best out of the true hd i need to use audio jacks.

 

[sk1939]

can you recommend any 5.1 surround sound cards (or better) for under £30?

thanks for your reply.

None that I know of that would be an improvement over the built in audio card. If your board only has 2 channel audio, then that card would work nicely. As far as the CM Storm goes, I would use it with USB personally.

 

[gamerk316]

^^ Why? So it can be crippled by a poor built it DAC?

Anyways, at the $20-$30 range, I'd go with the ASUS Xonar DG or ASUS Xonar DS, as I'd expect a bit more support from ASUS...

 

[Murissokah]

^

Second that. I have a Xonar myself and its a helluva card.

 

[sk1939]

As opposed to the built in sound card.

Not $20-30, 20-30 GBP, which makes parts availability somewhat limited. Although that is a good recommendation in terms of cards:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003ZXDOL6/ref=asc_df_B003ZXDOL67561506?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B003ZXDOL6

 

[mercer95]

this is a super noob question but will it fit on this mobo, looking at it, it looks as if it has an extra section on the pci.

 

[sk1939]

Yes it should, in either of the two red slots, although if you have a graphics card, only put the card in the slot closest to the edge.

 

[mercer95]

ok cheers i thought i would, and it has to go in the bottem pci slot die to my graphics card over hanging.