N00b question about a soundcard

[Black Panther]

:o I've never had a soundcard on any pc before.

If I buy a second hand Creative Labs Fatal1ty Pro, and the seller only has the card available with no cd or accessories.

I guess I can easily download the driver from the internet - but do I need to purchase anything else in order to have it work?

Thanks.

[Namslas90]

Yes, drivers are available online at Creative labs. You don't need anything else (except for the card to work)!

[Random Murderer]

maybe.

[DanTheBanjoman]

The card should work fine without anything, drivers can be downloaded. Even the manual can be downloaded. You will just lack accessories (not sure what comes with these cards though), if you don't mind that you're good to go. If you want to connect the card to your CD/DVD drive you can use any common cable (ie your current), speakers come with their own cables to connect.

Also, Random_Murderer, if you have nothing to add please don't reply.

[Random Murderer]

Also, Random_Murderer, if you have nothing to add please don't reply.

stupid questions beget stupid answers.
research is a person's best friend. if you don't find it by research, then ask.

[DanTheBanjoman]

stupid questions beget stupid answers.
research is a person's best friend. if you don't find it by research, then ask.

See my last suggestion, don't reply. Calling the thread stupid while the starter already states it's a n00b question isn't really social. If you don't want to read "stupid questions" don't open threads with titles like this one.

[Namslas90]

Even the manual can be downloaded.

Yes that also.

You will just lack accessories (not sure what comes with these cards though), if you don't mind that you're good to go.

Only card and drivers CD, No accessories, with this one. :toast:

[Random Murderer]

See my last suggestion, don't reply. Calling the thread stupid while the starter already states it's a n00b question isn't really social. If you don't want to read "stupid questions" don't open threads with titles like this one.

i didn't get a chance to read the title, i was sent a link by someone. if you hadn't noticed, the links don't exactly provide a good description, just a number.
so if i HAD read the title, i would have avoided this thread like the plague, but since i didn't really get a choice as to what the link brought me to, i'm not at fault.

[nora.e]

Dan is right on this one. The drivers can be downloaded and the card will work just fine. this is the rest of the crap that comes on the disk, but isn't needed to have the card work.http://img.techpowerup.org/070706/Resized_untitled.jpg

[DanTheBanjoman]

i didn't get a chance to read the title, i was sent a link by someone. if you hadn't noticed, the links don't exactly provide a good description, just a number.
so if i HAD read the title, i would have avoided this thread like the plague, but since i didn't really get a choice as to what the link brought me to, i'm not at fault.

Doesn't change the fact that you shouldn't reply with spam. Plus, it's a really crappy excuse, you are at fault. Enough of this though, back to the topic.

[Black Panther]

Thank you.

It's been on my mind to purchase this card for quite some time now, thanks to the suggestions I got from these forums.

New, in my country it costs USD 210 however on ebay I found one for USD 104, and had been wondering whether there was a catch somewhere.

[ex_reven]

Any specific reason you wanted the card?
What do you need that you cant achieve with onboard?

[Wile E]

Any specific reason you wanted the card?
What do you need that you cant achieve with onboard?Superior sound quality, EAX, and a DSP that offloads sound processing from the cpu.

[Black Panther]

Any specific reason you wanted the card?
What do you need that you cant achieve with onboard?

Onboard emits occasional 'crackles' during mp3 playing.

While playing Oblivion, I notice that the crackles increase in frequency.
Then in the more intensive parts of Oblivion where my frame rate drops to 25-30, the voices sound like a radio amateur over a VHF/UHF transmitter. Ugh.

(I am hoping that the problem IS the onboard sound).

[ex_reven]

Onboard emits occasional 'crackles' during mp3 playing.

While playing Oblivion, I notice that the crackles increase in frequency.
Then in the more intensive parts of Oblivion where my frame rate drops to 25-30, the voices sound like a radio amateur over a VHF/UHF transmitter. Ugh.

(I am hoping that the problem IS the onboard sound).

LOL I get crackling all the time too, electronic interference from downstairs because it coincides with when the garage lights turn on lol. I get a weird thing at night when I can hear really low voices coming from my speakers. I turn it up but it doesnt get any louder. Maybe its just the voices in my head telling me to KILL KILL KILL! :roll:

Well goodluck in solving your problem. It will probably help with the frame rate problem somewhat anyway.

[DanTheBanjoman]

Onboard emits occasional 'crackles' during mp3 playing.

While playing Oblivion, I notice that the crackles increase in frequency.
Then in the more intensive parts of Oblivion where my frame rate drops to 25-30, the voices sound like a radio amateur over a VHF/UHF transmitter. Ugh.

(I am hoping that the problem IS the onboard sound).

Sounds more like a driver issue.

[mullered07]

could be a driver isssue but i think youll enjoy some of the benefits if the xfi over your onboard sound anyway

[hat]

Just get drivers, it should work, If not send it back to the seller.

[3991vhtes]

The "crackeling" could be from your speakers...maybe you blew em up if they were too loud. But, if you never blew em up (I blew my up and they still work), it could be driver issues. If it's not that, it could be a short in the speaker wire.
Hope this helps you

3991

[Wile E]

Eh, I say just get the X-Fi. It's worth it in sound quality alone.

[sneekypeet]

BTW noob tip... if card has front audio hookup , Make sure jumpers are in place if you dont hook it to front wires in the case. If they arent the rear audio wont work either.

[Black Panther]

I updated my sound driver, but the problem's still there. I also installed the latest version of Directx for good measure.

3991 - I don't know if I'm using the correct words really (not native English speaker here) but most of the problem happens during Oblivion. The background music and the sounds are OK, and sometimes even when the characters talk it's OK. However, when for example I finish a quest and the quest-giver comes running to me and start speaking all of a sudden he sounds like over a really bad telephone (the crackling?). It's like the speech is dragged out and then bits are skipped otherwise he'd have to continue speaking 'after' his mouth is closed...

Then when playing normal mp3's, the music as such sounds good (not like over a bad phone). But occasionally the satellites emit a "tch" sound, almost like a click. The volume of that "tch" depends on the volume I'm playing the music (ie if it's loud then the tch is loud)

I don't think I've blown up my speakers. I bought them slightly more than a month ago and I only raised the volume half-way up once or twice.

Does anyone recommend a utility with which I can test the performance of my sound? In the same way that there is Aquamark for graphics?

[tkpenalty]

EMI interference to the max dude...

[Verikon]

I updated my sound driver, but the problem's still there. I also installed the latest version of Directx for good measure.

3991 - I don't know if I'm using the correct words really (not native English speaker here) but most of the problem happens during Oblivion. The background music and the sounds are OK, and sometimes even when the characters talk it's OK. However, when for example I finish a quest and the quest-giver comes running to me and start speaking all of a sudden he sounds like over a really bad telephone (the crackling?). It's like the speech is dragged out and then bits are skipped otherwise he'd have to continue speaking 'after' his mouth is closed...

Then when playing normal mp3's, the music as such sounds good (not like over a bad phone). But occasionally the satellites emit a "tch" sound, almost like a click. The volume of that "tch" depends on the volume I'm playing the music (ie if it's loud then the tch is loud)

I don't think I've blown up my speakers. I bought them slightly more than a month ago and I only raised the volume half-way up once or twice.

Does anyone recommend a utility with which I can test the performance of my sound? In the same way that there is Aquamark for graphics?

Depending on what version of Oblivion you have installed, it could just be a game glitch. I had a lot of sound issues with Oblivion before I patched. Does this "bad telephone" problem happen in other games, or just Oblivion?

Clicking in MP3s sounds like poorly encoded MP3 to me. If the clicks are repeatable during the MP3 (as in, they appear at the same spot every time) then that will prove/disprove that point easily. Do you get clicking while watching movies or listening to audio CDs?

[Black Panther]

Depending on what version of Oblivion you have installed, it could just be a game glitch. I had a lot of sound issues with Oblivion before I patched. Does this "bad telephone" problem happen in other games, or just Oblivion?

Clicking in MP3s sounds like poorly encoded MP3 to me. If the clicks are repeatable during the MP3 (as in, they appear at the same spot every time) then that will prove/disprove that point easily. Do you get clicking while watching movies or listening to audio CDs?

I think you're right there. :o

I checked out by playing the one same mp3 file and yes, it always makes a 'click' at the 43rd second.

I'm confused about the Oblivion issue though. I don't have any games with speech to test out whether the 'bad telephone' problem sounds in other games too. I have a couple of downloaded freeware games with music (like arkanoid) and the music sounds great.

I've got just the basic game, patched, with no mods or downloads.

[Mussels]

I get crackling on my setup even through headhpones whenever my fridge powers up.

If its repeatable (same sound screws up all the time) and not just a random occurance (EG, my crackle will occur even if no audio is playing, through the speakers) then its a problem - otherwise its just electrical interference and can be ignored.

[Dippyskoodlez]

EMI interference to the max dude...

electro magnetic interference ;)


I checked out by playing the one same mp3 file and yes, it always makes a 'click' at the 43rd second.

Player (codec), possibly even the audio file itself :ohwell:

Although if you don't notice it with any other audio, I wouldn't worry about it..

If it becomes a problem with a lot, I'd consider a sound card.. or if you want just "better audio" perhaps.

[Black Panther]

I'm guessing in the mp3 case it's the mp3 files themselves.

Otherwise, for example right now I've got my speakers on at 1/3 volume, but since I'm not playing music or games no sound is coming out of them, not one crackle and they don't hiss. I guess that rules out EMI and faulty speakers.

Apparently the issue's narrowed down to only Oblivion.

[Mediocre]

My bro gets that crackle with his onboard sound...funny thing is if he sets up a RAID 0 and re-installs, it goes away...wierd

Anyway, BE SURE TO DISABLE YOUR ONBOARD SOUND BEFORE BOOTING INTO WINDOWS. If you don't you will most likely get a conflict between the new card and the old onboard audio

[Mussels]

Mediocre: Thats an old rule and doesn't apply to modern systems. XP and vista can both coexist with two soundcards quite happily, i do it in all my systems (I use the onboard with a headset for skype, while windows/games use the dedicated card via speakers)

Of course, turning it off means only one driver needs to run at a time and less confusion (some apps may choose the wrong sound card, for example)

[Black Panther]

I posted about this same sound difficulty on the Bethseda Oblivion forums - the advantages would be that all posters there play Oblivion, but a distinct disadvantage is that probably most of them aren't into technical pc knowledge...

I'm curious as to what types of replies I'd get... Here's the link: http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=725093&st=0&gopid=10470159&#entry10470159

One reply I got for now says:
"Are you using onboard sound? Oblivion doesnt like onboard sound, you'd be better off with a sound card. But again that may not be the problem here."

:ohwell:

[Black Panther]

I'd like your comments on this advice I got, if you please:

The XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro is complete overkill and overpriced. The X-RAM won't do you any good and the game it's supposed to work in (Battlefield 2) crashes at the setting at which it's supposed to work.

Either get the Xtremegamer or the Xtrememusic. The Xtrememusic has some added functionality, while the Xtremegamer is cheaper. If you're planning on using it for gaming mainly, not watching movies or listening to music then the Xtremegamer should do fine.

So according to this guy I should be buying the XtremeMusic since I play games AND listen to music and watch movies...
That'd make a lot of difference since the XtremeMusic is way cheaper and if it'd be giving me the same result as the Fatal1ty...

I appreciate your patience here - I feel embarrassed saying this but I already pointed out I don't know sh!t on soundcards and even though I've been reading reviews I barely understand half the specifications... :o

Thanks :respect:

[Dippyskoodlez]

I'd like your comments on this advice I got, if you please:

The XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro is complete overkill and overpriced. The X-RAM won't do you any good and the game it's supposed to work in (Battlefield 2) crashes at the setting at which it's supposed to work.

Either get the Xtremegamer or the Xtrememusic. The Xtrememusic has some added functionality, while the Xtremegamer is cheaper. If you're planning on using it for gaming mainly, not watching movies or listening to music then the Xtremegamer should do fine.

So according to this guy I should be buying the XtremeMusic since I play games AND listen to music and watch movies...
That'd make a lot of difference since the XtremeMusic is way cheaper and if it'd be giving me the same result as the Fatal1ty...

I appreciate your patience here - I feel embarrassed saying this but I already pointed out I don't know sh!t on soundcards and even though I've been reading reviews I barely understand half the specifications... :o

Thanks :respect:

If you "don't know shit about soundcards", have lived with onboard for this long, the "feature" difference between the two, you WILL NOT NOTICE. ;)

Just get whichever one you want :laugh:

All 3 will be an upgrade for you, I would go with the cheapest gamer one.. ;)

[Verikon]

It all depends on how crappy your onboard sound is. I've owned 3 different s939 motherboards, and 2 have had HORRIBLE onboard sound, while my current one sounds great. I also used an old Creative Sound Blaster Live! card for a long time and I was really happy with it. I listen to a lot of music, watch a lot of movies and play a lot of games, and it did everything I wanted it to. So you'd probably be happy with a cheap Audigy value card as it will be as good, and almost for sure better, than any onboard sound you've used.

It also depends on your speaker set up. I run a 2.1 set up, so I don't really need a feature rich card. If you have, or are considering, a 5.1 or higher speaker set up, then getting a really nice card might be worth it then.

[Black Panther]

If you "don't know shit about soundcards", have lived with onboard for this long, the "feature" difference between the two, you WILL NOT NOTICE. ;)

Just get whichever one you want :laugh:

All 3 will be an upgrade for you, I would go with the cheapest gamer one.. ;)

Haha that made me smile! :D But by saying that I meant that I don't know shit about the specifications of soundcards, their technical specs and the difference between one and another. My ears recognise good music quality. ;)

Well my previous pc was a 2001 P4 1.6Ghz with 2 crappy $5 speakers! I never played music on those, and the only pc game I played was The Sims2 and with that game you have to keep the sound very low or it'd drive you crazy!

A month ago I purchased the Z5500 for my present rig... (see my system specs)

Apart from the Oblivion problem, I had been thinking that running the Z5500 onboard was like running a porsche on a tractor engine? :p

[Wile E]

Haha that made me smile! :D But by saying that I meant that I don't know shit about the specifications of soundcards, their technical specs and the difference between one and another. My ears recognise good music quality. ;)

Well my previous pc was a 2001 P4 1.6Ghz with 2 crappy $5 speakers! I never played music on those, and the only pc game I played was The Sims2 and with that game you have to keep the sound very low or it'd drive you crazy!

A month ago I purchased the Z5500 for my present rig... (see my system specs)

Apart from the Oblivion problem, I had been thinking that running the Z5500 onboard was like running a porsche on a tractor engine? :pI pretty much agree with your last sentence. lol

If you can find the Xtreme Music for cheaper, definitely get that. Your ears will thank you. I would settle for the Xtreme Gamer, but I would much rather have the Xtreme Music, if I was in your position.

[Black Panther]

If you can find the Xtreme Music for cheaper, definitely get that.


What do you think of the Xtreme Music at the price of USD 120 (shipping included)?
It's OEM though and I'd have to download the driver which is nearly 500MB.

Edit: Just for clarification, the one nearly 500MB is the ISO (what's an ISO? The complete installation CD?), the driver as such is only a normal 40-something MB.

[3991vhtes]

BTW noob tip... if card has front audio hookup , Make sure jumpers are in place if you dont hook it to front wires in the case. If they arent the rear audio wont work either.

that's not true. My soundcard has hookups for the front, and they aren't connected, and my rear ports work. unless you mean the jumpers are put in the wrong place.

[Mussels]

With a lot of onboard solutions, they have say, 7 pins - 4 are covered with jumpers that have to be removed to connect the front audio. If you then disconnect the front audio, the rear speakers wont work without recconecting the pins.

I think this is for AC97 sound cards/onboard, and the new HD ones dont do it that way.

[Fox34]

Oblivion is the most buggy game man. Sometimes it would not play the sound of my bow shooting an arrow or hitting the target, id just restart the game and it would be fine. And your mp3's, thats a common thing for mp3's They will click or pop or make weird noises at certain points everytime I got alot like that, nothing to do with your card. I although bought a SB Audigy 2 ZS. Its worth it. Sound cards have a bitrate at which they can record and play music. The SB is 24 bit music playback(im pretty sure) and when you record, as I have a studio, it can record up to 96000HZ of a default sample rate, like it takes X amount of samples a second kinda. The quality, and volume you will notice right off. I did with my onboard to the card. also like someone already said, it takes strain off your CPU. And if oyu want good sourrond, this will give you it.

[Black Panther]

If both were the same price, would you buy the ExtremeMusic http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=208&product=14066 or the Xtreme Gamer http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?product=15853 ?

[Fox34]

extreme music, as you will get the benefit of everything sound good.

[Wile E]

If both were the same price, would you buy the ExtremeMusic http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=208&product=14066 or the Xtreme Gamer http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?product=15853 ?
I second Fox34, get the Extreme Music.

[Black Panther]

The XtremeMusic is on the way :rockout: ordered from overclockers uk http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-043-CL&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

My Z5500 are currently connected with the analog cables (provided with the speakers) to the onboard sound.

Now on the logitech manual it says that for digital I can either use an optical connection or a coaxial connection - both of which must be bought separately and not provided with the speakers.

The card I ordered is OEM - I wonder if it'd come with installation cd... and it's likely that I'd not be getting any cables with it.

Would you suggest that I purchase the optical connection or the coaxial connection? Is it true that optical is better for avoiding RF interference from video and power cords etc?

[Fox34]

if you have the capability to go optical sound, definetly do it. Make sure your whole system is ready for it though, not just the card.

[Wile E]

The XtremeMusic is on the way :rockout: ordered from overclockers uk http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-043-CL&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

My Z5500 are currently connected with the analog cables (provided with the speakers) to the onboard sound.

Now on the logitech manual it says that for digital I can either use an optical connection or a coaxial connection - both of which must be bought separately and not provided with the speakers.

The card I ordered is OEM - I wonder if it'd come with installation cd... and it's likely that I'd not be getting any cables with it.

Would you suggest that I purchase the optical connection or the coaxial connection? Is it true that optical is better for avoiding RF interference from video and power cords etc?
Actually, don't commit into using the digital input of your Logitechs right away. You'll want to compare first. I can't remember exactly how Creative goes about it, but using the digital out may limit what DSP effects you can use. iirc, the Creative digital outs only work with movies, not games. It may also end up that using the Analog outs may sound better, because the Creative DSP may be superior to the Logitech's. You also have to buy a "Digital I/O Module" from Creative to use the digital outs.

Your best bet is to stick with the analog outs. Trust me, you will still be impressed.

[Fox34]

I have never used the digital cause I don't have the receiver for that. People have said its better, but with digital your sound wave or spectrum is limited to 0 or 1, with analog you have limitless possibilities kind of.

[Wile E]

I have never used the digital cause I don't have the receiver for that. People have said its better, but with digital your sound wave or spectrum is limited to 0 or 1, with analog you have limitless possibilities kind of.Truthfully, using digital outs is a crap shoot. It's only better if the DSP(could be a reciever, dedicated decoder box, or something like the Logitechs mentioned above) you hook it up to is better.

[Fox34]

Alright, good to know before I go out and get something digital. I was just being a zombie consumer and going, "new is better :laugh:"

[Black Panther]

Awesome.

A big thank you to all of you guys who helped me with your advice! :respect:

The card arrived this morning - during lunch break I went home and installed it + driver & bloat-ware (will check what's unnecessary and delete it later).

The first thing I noticed was that my speakers were 'stabilized' if that's the correct word to use. Previously, the satellites emitted a rather muffled and low volume sound. If I increased the volume they'd be totally overwhelmed by the sub and no tune would be heard.

Now it's a great difference! Heck I didn't even imagine the difference then, only now because previously I got the opinion that maybe logitech's satellites were somewhat weak or whatever! Now they're perfectly balanced. I had attempted to balance them before with the soundmax by lowering sub output and/or increasing satellite output but it was in vain.

The 24 bit crystalizer function is what really makes the difference though, in the crispiness and clarity of the sound.

Then I played Oblivion - gone were the crackles when NPC's spoke, there was far better definition of the direction where the sound was coming from (previously I used to get confused as to whether someone was approaching or speaking at me from behind or from the left or right) and... well it's difficult to put to words but I'm hearing probably twice as much sound detail in the game than I used to on onboard!

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h77/bigwideland_2006/thankyou.gif

[Fox34]

Being this thankful, there is a "thanks" button on each post =P. But yea I knew you would notice it, the most in oblivion. Get rid of the programs it came with, they really don't do anything cept bog down your cpu. Thats all you really need is the drivers and your set.

[Wile E]

Congrats, panther. I knew you would like the X-Fi.