G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I recently bought a new PC, Pentium 4 3ghz, that came with integrated sound
and graphics. I sorted a graphics card out straight away but am now looking
to get a sound card. It's a family PC and apart from using it for
homework/work/internet, it's also used a lot for games, music and watching
DVD's. I'm looking at spending around £50, can anyone recommend a sound
card. I've done a little research on the net but for every good review I
find a bad one so it's not really helping!

Any recommendations and as to why would be received gratefully.

Thanks in advance

John
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Best one I've come across is the Soundblaster Audigy2 ZS. Really nice
audio. Of course, a good soundcard will be redundant if you don't have a
good speaker setup!

For those that say Soundblaster products come with a lot of bloatware, you
can just install the drivers and not all the other stuff that comes with it.
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Printing & Imaging



"John Lord" <jonlordy3@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Rl2Pe.47$%h6.6@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net...
>I recently bought a new PC, Pentium 4 3ghz, that came with integrated sound
>and graphics. I sorted a graphics card out straight away but am now looking
>to get a sound card. It's a family PC and apart from using it for
>homework/work/internet, it's also used a lot for games, music and watching
>DVD's. I'm looking at spending around £50, can anyone recommend a sound
>card. I've done a little research on the net but for every good review I
>find a bad one so it's not really helping!
>
> Any recommendations and as to why would be received gratefully.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> John
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Creative SoundBlaster Live! 24-bit
http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=206&product=10315

Installing a New Sound Card
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/games/learnmore/installsoundcard.mspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"John Lord" wrote:

| I recently bought a new PC, Pentium 4 3ghz, that came with integrated sound
| and graphics. I sorted a graphics card out straight away but am now looking
| to get a sound card. It's a family PC and apart from using it for
| homework/work/internet, it's also used a lot for games, music and watching
| DVD's. I'm looking at spending around £50, can anyone recommend a sound
| card. I've done a little research on the net but for every good review I
| find a bad one so it's not really helping!
|
| Any recommendations and as to why would be received gratefully.
|
| Thanks in advance
|
| John
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Cheers Cari, It's one of the ones I was considering, the PC is in the front
room (i like to make sure the kids are safe on the net), so will be hooking
it up to my home cinema system, so have a good speaker setup! does it have a
digital out?

Thanks

John
"Cari (MS-MVP)" <Newsgroups1@coribright.com> wrote in message
news:u9AdjaNqFHA.3204@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Best one I've come across is the Soundblaster Audigy2 ZS. Really nice
> audio. Of course, a good soundcard will be redundant if you don't have a
> good speaker setup!
>
> For those that say Soundblaster products come with a lot of bloatware, you
> can just install the drivers and not all the other stuff that comes with
> it.
> --
> Cari (MS-MVP)
> Printing & Imaging
>
>
>
> "John Lord" <jonlordy3@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
> news:Rl2Pe.47$%h6.6@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net...
>>I recently bought a new PC, Pentium 4 3ghz, that came with integrated
>>sound and graphics. I sorted a graphics card out straight away but am now
>>looking to get a sound card. It's a family PC and apart from using it for
>>homework/work/internet, it's also used a lot for games, music and watching
>>DVD's. I'm looking at spending around £50, can anyone recommend a sound
>>card. I've done a little research on the net but for every good review I
>>find a bad one so it's not really helping!
>>
>> Any recommendations and as to why would be received gratefully.
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>>
>> John
>>
>>
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I would go with at least the Audigy2 ZS, which was the next generation after
the Live card.
Does a lot more of the processing on the card's processor, which means it
eats less cpu cycles.

Don Burnette





Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
> Creative SoundBlaster Live! 24-bit
> http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=206&product=10315
>
> Installing a New Sound Card
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/games/learnmore/installsoundcard.mspx
>
>
>> I recently bought a new PC, Pentium 4 3ghz, that came with
>> integrated sound and graphics. I sorted a graphics card out straight
>> away but am now looking to get a sound card. It's a family PC and
>> apart from using it for homework/work/internet, it's also used a lot
>> for games, music and watching DVD's. I'm looking at spending around
>> £50, can anyone recommend a sound card. I've done a little research
>> on the net but for every good review I find a bad one so it's not
>> really helping!
>>
>> Any recommendations and as to why would be received gratefully.
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>>
>> John
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

cheers everyone, i think i've made my mind up on the audigy2 ZS, I found one
for £44 which i don't think is bad so will order it this weekend.

Thanks again for the useful advice

John


"Don Burnette" <d.burnette@clothes.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:u4H2ZaQqFHA.3720@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>I would go with at least the Audigy2 ZS, which was the next generation
>after the Live card.
> Does a lot more of the processing on the card's processor, which means it
> eats less cpu cycles.
>
> Don Burnette
>
>
>
>
>
> Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
>> Creative SoundBlaster Live! 24-bit
>> http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=206&product=10315
>>
>> Installing a New Sound Card
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/games/learnmore/installsoundcard.mspx
>>
>>
>>> I recently bought a new PC, Pentium 4 3ghz, that came with
>>> integrated sound and graphics. I sorted a graphics card out straight
>>> away but am now looking to get a sound card. It's a family PC and
>>> apart from using it for homework/work/internet, it's also used a lot
>>> for games, music and watching DVD's. I'm looking at spending around
>>> £50, can anyone recommend a sound card. I've done a little research
>>> on the net but for every good review I find a bad one so it's not
>>> really helping!
>>>
>>> Any recommendations and as to why would be received gratefully.
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance
>>>
>>> John
>
>
>
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Your very welcome, enjoy the new soundcard!

Don Burnette

ps: A nice kick butt 5.1 or better speaker system really shines with it :)


John Lord wrote:
> cheers everyone, i think i've made my mind up on the audigy2 ZS, I
> found one for £44 which i don't think is bad so will order it this
> weekend.
> Thanks again for the useful advice
>
> John
>
>
> "Don Burnette" <d.burnette@clothes.comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:u4H2ZaQqFHA.3720@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>> I would go with at least the Audigy2 ZS, which was the next
>> generation after the Live card.
>> Does a lot more of the processing on the card's processor, which
>> means it eats less cpu cycles.
>>
>> Don Burnette
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
>>> Creative SoundBlaster Live! 24-bit
>>> http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=206&product=10315
>>>
>>> Installing a New Sound Card
>>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/games/learnmore/installsoundcard.mspx
>>>
>>>
>>>> I recently bought a new PC, Pentium 4 3ghz, that came with
>>>> integrated sound and graphics. I sorted a graphics card out
>>>> straight away but am now looking to get a sound card. It's a
>>>> family PC and apart from using it for homework/work/internet, it's
>>>> also used a lot for games, music and watching DVD's. I'm looking
>>>> at spending around £50, can anyone recommend a sound card. I've
>>>> done a little research on the net but for every good review I find
>>>> a bad one so it's not really helping!
>>>>
>>>> Any recommendations and as to why would be received gratefully.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks in advance
>>>>
>>>> John