Onboard sound or sb extreme x-fi sound? and which speaker system

[pnico]

hi guys,

wanted to upgrade my sound system.

first of all, for gaming and dvd/blue ray movie watching..which is a better sound card..
the sound blaster x-fi extreme sound card OR the onboard onboard 8-channel HD audio (High Definition Audio, previously codenamed Azalia) CODEC enables high-quality 192KHz/24-bit audio output on the asus p6t deluxe version 2?

Also as far as speakers go, which are the best..

I was looking at the sb gigaworks 7.1 or the bose companion 5?

problem is that I dont have a ton of space..

Im running eyefinity with 3 lcd's and it might be tought to setup 7 speakers..

just not sure which way to go with either speakers or the sound card..

thanks for any input

 

[pnico]

or is the pci express sb x-fi the best sound?

 

[skora]

You'll know if you're an audiophile or not. If so, you may notice a difference. If not, I'd say buy the speakers first. (can't help you there.) Try the onboard sound and see what you think. If you don't like it, a sound card is easy enough to drop on after the fact. Don't spend the money if you don't need too. For most users except those with a very finely tuned ear, you're not going to notice the difference.

 

[astrallite]

If you don't have space why don't you just buy 2 high quality speakers? What is your budget?

 

[skora]

Or a high quality pair of surround headphones unless you need the option for more than one person viewing the movies.

 

[pnico]

I was thihnking about getting the bose companion 5..but that doesnt even use my sound card, does it? considering its usb

 

[saaiello]

I use this bose system for my setup. I use my x fi optical output and let the bose do the audio processing.

http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/home_theater/51channel_systems/component_systems/lifestyle_v30/index.jsp

 

[astrallite]

Unless you have a pressing need for small speakers, Bose is in the business of making lifestyle products, not loudspeakers. Bose stopped making real speakers back in the 80s with their x01 series. Right now they make tiny cubes with $2 untreated paper drivers and sell it off as a luxury product.

The Gigaworks 7.1 is better, although you've already stated you would have trouble with 7 speakers.

If you are interested in a pair of high quality speakers, I would take a look at these:

http://tweakcityaudio.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=6&flypage=flypage-ask.tpl&product_id=24&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

It's $309 delivered for a custom product designed by high end audio engineer Danny Ritchie. You can google his name, he is world famous with affordable speaker kits (A/V-1s), X-LS series, competitive mid-level offerings (AV123 Rockets), Line Source speakers (Lsi series), and Usher's high end ($3000+) Dancer series. These speakers perform well out of it's price range.

They are a fantastic product and compare very well to my Ascend Sierra-1s, which cost $900. They also cost less than the Bose Companion 5s. If you listened to them side by side, you would probably choke in laughter at the Boses. For this very reason, Bose does not sell their speakers side by side with competitors. At your local Frys or Best Buy, you may notice they are sold in a completely separate area from the rest of the HT speakers. This is to prevent you from making the obvious conclusion--Bose is by far the worst speakers they sell; except maybe those $150 home-theater-in-a-box setups.

 

[pnico]

with the gigaworks.. I could use my sb card to do the digital output right?

 

[saaiello]

Unless you have a pressing need for small speakers, Bose is in the business of making lifestyle products, not loudspeakers. Bose stopped making real speakers back in the 80s with their x01 series. Right now they make tiny cubes with $2 untreated paper drivers and sell it off as a luxury product.

The Gigaworks 7.1 is better, although you've already stated you would have trouble with 7 speakers.

If you are interested in a pair of high quality speakers, I would take a look at these:

http://tweakcityaudio.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=6&flypage=flypage-ask.tpl&product_id=24&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

It's $309 delivered for a custom product designed by high end audio engineer Danny Ritchie. You can google his name, he is world famous with affordable speaker kits (A/V-1s), X-LS series, competitive mid-level offerings (AV123 Rockets), Line Source speakers (Lsi series), and Usher's high end ($3000+) Dancer series. These speakers perform well out of it's price range.

They are a fantastic product and compare very well to my Ascend Sierra-1s, which cost $900. They also cost less than the Bose Companion 5s. If you listened to them side by side, you would probably choke in laughter at the Boses. For this very reason, Bose does not sell their speakers side by side with competitors. At your local Frys or Best Buy, you may notice they are sold in a completely separate area from the rest of the HT speakers. This is to prevent you from making the obvious conclusion--Bose is by far the worst speakers they sell; except maybe those $150 home-theater-in-a-box setups.

Wow trashing bose that much i can admit they are not as good as they used to be but they are far from garbage they still have far superior sound than alot out there. Small design huge sound yo cant deny that.

 

[skora]

Bose has a good product with a GREAT marketing team. IMO, not worth the price premium for the name. You can get much more speakers for the same money or comparable products for less. But speakers are a very personal decision and you can't be told which is better. My ear doesn't hear the same as yours. If you have some local outlets that display the models you're looking at, take an MP3 player with some music you know very well and give each a listen. Shop online and find the best price. Click Checkout.

 

[astrallite]

Wow trashing bose that much i can admit they are not as good as they used to be but they are far from garbage they still have far superior sound than alot out there. Small design huge sound yo cant deny that.

I know they make great lifestyle products. They aren't white van speakers. But they aren't as good at reproducing sound as competing products (home theater in a boxes).

http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html

The thing is, Bose does NOT make a product in the traditional audio market, and friends always tell me how they don't skimp on quality and show off their Bose system, confusing hifi with a lifestyle product. Then I show them how just my computer setup blows theirs away, the first thing they do is get rid of Bose as fast as they can.

Bose makes some incredible line source speakers for professional concerts. They aren't bad at making speakers and they have the resources to make amazing products. But their home line are just decor products, and they found it incredibly profitable to sell cheap little cubes as hifi products.

This would be the same thing as the Four Seasons restaurant going out back to grab some McDonalds cheeseburgers and selling them for $50, and then paying for an ad campaign about their new elite burgers. And after a few years, it becomes your primary income source.

But like the previous poster wrote, listen to speakers yourself. Once you have first hand comparisons its easy to weed out the chafe.