Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

[StevenNevets]

Originaly I was going to go with on board sound and built in speakers but that sounds to lame.. plus the less upgrades the better

So I'm looking for the best combo for under $60 (or a bit more if it has to be)

Sound Card: which ever is good and cheap
Speakers: looking for 2 speakers - NO surround sound or headphones
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Not sure if this matters but the CPU will be the Core 2 Duo E6300 and the motherboard choice is undecided atm

Any suggestions appreciated

[dannyboy0492]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

cool you have decided to go conroe :)

you could get just any sound card like a sound blaster se as any sound card is better than onboard

[StevenNevets]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

you could get just any sound card like a sound blaster se as any sound card is better than onboard

true, all/most probobly destroy on board but.. rather get the best of the better (does that make sense?)
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EDIT:

look at these!!! good price, good ratings, good reviews, look nice

Speakers:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16836121123

Sound Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102003

[dannyboy0492]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

yes go with those too you will not regret it i have the exact same speakers and they are great :) as for the sound card i was thinking about gettting one of those to replace my on board sound

[Stormy{CAN}]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

Too bad most of those reviews of the Audigy SE don't have a clue what they are talking about. The Audigy SE for the mosst part is a complete piece of crap. It is just like the SB Live 24 bit in that neither card can to hardware rendering, kind of hard to do hardware when it isn't there (no EMU10K2 like the rest of the Audigy's).

The SE may sound better than onboard (purely subjective, based on the listener), but it will have the same performance as onboard.

If you want a card that takes the load of the cpu, then you need to look at something in the Audigy 2/4 or X-Fi line.

[StevenNevets]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

Too bad most of those reviews of the Audigy SE don't have a clue what they are talking about. The Audigy SE for the mosst part is a complete piece of crap. It is just like the SB Live 24 bit in that neither card can to hardware rendering, kind of hard to do hardware when it isn't there (no EMU10K2 like the rest of the Audigy's).

The SE may sound better than onboard (purely subjective, based on the listener), but it will have the same performance as onboard.

If you want a card that takes the load of the cpu, then you need to look at something in the Audigy 2/4 or X-Fi line.

just ignore the fact that I'm spending $60 for both and not $180 for 1 piece??

[John Edmo]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

well put Stormy, You only get what you pay for. Most new motherboards have damn good sound these days.

[Stormy{CAN}]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

Not ignoring anything, just simply stating what you can expect from the Audigy SE. Let's put it this way, if you want a sound card that does hardware sound and takes the load of the cpu, then you will be disappointed in the SE. The only Audigy card that has SE in its name that I would recommend is the Audigy 4 SE.

The only difference between the Audigy 4 OEM and SE is that the OEM comes with a USB remote, and the SE doesn't. The card is the exact same for both (SB0610).

P.S. That is not a typo in my specs below. My card is an Audigy ES (not SE), which is an Audigy 1 without the firewaire port (has a game port instead).

[StevenNevets]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

You can say this is the best, this is the worst.... but what does that help?

I'm building a computer on a TIGHT budget.... I need a cheap sound card.. $25-$35

I'm not expecting the best for a $60 combo... just something to run sound on medium/high... plus I have a good proccesor, that should help

[bloodbrood]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

Not ignoring anything, just simply stating what you can expect from the Audigy SE. Let's put it this way, if you want a sound card that does hardware sound and takes the load of the cpu, then you will be disappointed in the SE.

What would be the best sound card to take the load of the CPU, completely? The X-FI xtremeMusic? Im planning on getting one.

[Stormy{CAN}]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

What would be the best sound card to take the load of the CPU, completely? The X-FI xtremeMusic? Im planning on getting one.

If you're looking to spend that much, then yes any of the X-Fi's will do. If you want to spend less, I wouldn't go any lower than the Audigy 2 Value (if you can still find them, or as I said above one of the Audigy 4 non-Pro's.

[Merlin]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

If you are going to buy a soundblaster make sure you get a Retail card as the OEM doesnot come with drivers. A few of my mates have got OEM SB's and have struggled to find the correct drivers, even from the Creative site!! So a word of warning

[Stormy{CAN}]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

If you are going to buy a soundblaster make sure you get a Retail card as the OEM doesnot come with drivers. A few of my mates have got OEM SB's and have struggled to find the correct drivers, even from the Creative site!! So a word of warning

If an OEM card doesn't come with at least the driver cd, find someplace else to buy from, even Newegg provides a driver cd with all OEM cards.

If you do happen to have a card that didn't come with the cd (or you have lost the one you had), see the link I posted in this thread,

http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83022

Oh and StevenNevets the point I am trying to get across is that you will more than likely be very dis-satisfied with the performance/sound quality of most (if not all) sounds cards in the price range you are looking at. Add in speakers to bring it up to the $60 you said you're looking to spend, and I can almost guarantee you will be unhappy with the results. All things condiering, for what you are looking for you would be better off waiting till you have a bit more money before buying.

[StevenNevets]

Re: Best sound card/speakers combo? - under $60

I HAVE to buy a sound card and speakers.... I only HAVE $60-$70 to spend on them...

What your saying is totaly true, I probobly won't get much...

But this is the situation and it won't be changing..
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Soo..... this is the way it is and its not going to change

What is the best I can do - being in this situation?