Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

[bloodbrood]

Topic title says it all. (im looking for a sound card from my onboard crap) Im looking for maybe a 5.1 sound card because I can only afford 5.1 speakers. Or should I get a 7.1 card and 5.1 speakers? Thanks for your help!

Edit: Should a Logitech X-230 (2.1) setup be OK with an XFI xtreme music?

[mlkmnz]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

I'd get a slighter better card and good quality 2.1 speakers over a crappy card and cheap 5.1 speakers. Basically, if you're not going to spend over $120-odd on 5.1 speakers, dont bother.

[bloodbrood]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

I'd get a slighter better card and good quality 2.1 speakers over a crappy card and cheap 5.1 speakers. Basically, if you're not going to spend over $120-odd on 5.1 speakers, dont bother.

ok how about this then?

Creative SB X-FI Xtreme music (7.1)
Logitech X-530 Speakers (5.1)

[mlkmnz]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

Your version of cheap must be a lot more expensive than mine :) The X-fi is cool. The speakers are OK, what you have to ask yourself is your deskspace a feasable environment for 5 speakers, or would you rather have a high end 2.1 setup. Each to their own I guess.

[bloodbrood]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

Your version of cheap must be a lot more expensive than mine :) The X-fi is cool. The speakers are OK, what you have to ask yourself is your deskspace a feasable environment for 5 speakers, or would you rather have a high end 2.1 setup. Each to their own I guess.

My desk space is very limited and small. I would like to go for a 2.1 setup but I feel like Im wasting my card. Can you recommend a nice 2.1 setup for me?

[mlkmnz]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

My desk space is very limited and small. I would like to go for a 2.1 setup but I feel like Im wasting my card. Can you recommend a nice 2.1 setup for me?

No you wont be wasting the card, the card gives you a lot more clarity and depth. Cheap tinny onboard sound can delivery 5.1, but its quality I prefer over quantity. I've had 2 5.1 speaker sets, but the environment I used them in just wasnt condusive to having them set up properly, so I made the switch to high quality 2.1 and never looked back.

The best examples of great 2.1s would be

http://www.denguru.com/2004/11/11/logitech_z/index.html

or any of the higher end Creative I-trigue range. I have a pair of the latter but I haven't heard the logitechs to compare - reviews usually favour the logitechs.

[bloodbrood]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

Ok. Those speakers seem to be good for someone playing loud music which isnt really me. What do you think about the Logitech X-230 speakers (smaller version of x-530)?

[mlkmnz]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

Yes they'd be fine. My brother has a pair and he likes to give me hassles that his sound better than my creative ones which were 3 times the price :)

[Talus]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

As to your original question...

An Audigy (and I'm talking the original Audigy 1) can run BF2 on HIGH settings. So if you could find one of those for like $20 you'd be ok.

Otherwise, the X-Fi XM is your best bet...that way, you can actually run the X-Fi Mode and Ultra settings.

You should also see an FPS boost either way going from on-board to a dedicated card.

[Stormy{CAN}]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

Just a slight addition to what Talus said.

Avoid at all costs the Audigy LS/SE/DE/Value, as none of them can do hardware and high. They might be able to do high but it will be in software mode, as none of them have the hardware (EMU10K1/2).

The Value part does not apply to the Audigy 2 Value or the Audigy 4 (have seen this card listed three ways, Value/non-Pro/OEM, and the only difference is whether it comes with the remote, other than that it is the same card for all three).

[bloodbrood]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

Yes they'd be fine. My brother has a pair and he likes to give me hassles that his sound better than my creative ones which were 3 times the price :)

Thanks this is what I wanted to hear! thanks Talus too for reminding me about the FPS boost. =)

[Roger Smith]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

is the jump from audigy to x-fi major with a high quality 2.1 speaker setup?
and by major jump i mean, ill i be able to hear more of the battlefield than with just audigy?

[knghtwhosaysni]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

You should be able to hear more, as the audigy series can only put out 64 3D voices whereas the X-Fi series can do 128. But I have only used onboard and the X-Fi, so I can't really compare with an audigy.

[mlkmnz]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

is the jump from audigy to x-fi major with a high quality 2.1 speaker setup?
and by major jump i mean, ill i be able to hear more of the battlefield than with just audigy?

Your sound experience all round is better with an x-fi than an Audigy. If you're not an audiofile you probably dont have an issue either way.

[Roger Smith]

Re: Which is the cheapest Sound Card capable of HIGH sound settings?

ic, anyone specificly made the jump from audigy to x-fi?