Maybe I'm an audio snob. Actually, I probably am. Anyway, I have always hated the integrated audio in motherboards. I have owned Sound Blaster cards since the beginning of time. The one I have used for many years now is the Sound Blaster Audigy FX (PCIe).

That card works great. It has great sound quality and an amp of some sort since it boosts the sound level a huge amount.

Fast forward to a week ago when I bought another video card (MSI 2060 Super Gaming). Video cards like that block access to other slots on the motherboard. I had no place to install my SB card, so I bought a USB Sound Blaster X3. The sound is close the the same quality of the FX - but it is buggy as hell. Just like what has happened to Cisco, Microsoft, etc, the modern day products are released way before they are ready and just don't work right. I'm sure it is a software bug of some type, but after two years they still have not fixed the audio drop outs. I am taking the damn thing back to Microcenter this weekend.

Anyway, I ordered a PCIe riser card that supports up to 4 risers, bought 2 riser cards and will move my other video card outside the PC to the top of the case like my other one. That will free up the space I need to re-install my SB Audigy FX.

Far more difficult than it should have been, but it seems more and more that new stuff is worse than the old stuff.

- Mark

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Re: Sound cards.
By: Mark Hofmann to All on Thu Jul 22 2021 10:14 pm

Maybe I'm an audio snob. Actually, I probably am. Anyway, I have always ha the integrated audio in motherboards. I have owned Sound Blaster cards sinc the beginning of time. The one I have used for many years now is the Sound Blaster Audigy FX (PCIe).

That card works great. It has great sound quality and an amp of some sort since it boosts the sound level a huge amount.

Fast forward to a week ago when I bought another video card (MSI 2060 Super Gaming). Video cards like that block access to other slots on the motherboa I had no place to install my SB card, so I bought a USB Sound Blaster X3. T sound is close the the same quality of the FX - but it is buggy as hell. Ju like what has happened to Cisco, Microsoft, etc, the modern day products are released way before they are ready and just don't work right. I'm sure it i software bug of some type, but after two years they still have not fixed the audio drop outs. I am taking the damn thing back to Microcenter this weeken

Anyway, I ordered a PCIe riser card that supports up to 4 risers, bought 2 riser cards and will move my other video card outside the PC to the top of t case like my other one. That will free up the space I need to re-install my Audigy FX.

Far more difficult than it should have been, but it seems more and more that new stuff is worse than the old stuff.

- Mark

Nowadays, dedicated audio cards seem to be a book case of the law of diminishing returns.

I am not a hardcore audiophile when it comes to hardware, but most people will benefit more by spending 100 extra dollar in better speakers than 100 extra dollar in a dedicated card.

Sorry your card sucked. I am not a fan of USB ones but they are handy in a pitch. I have a cheapo Trust for doing audiochat with a computer whose integrated sound chip is busted.

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Nowadays, dedicated audio cards seem to be a book case of the law of diminishing returns.

I have yet to see an integrated motherboard audio to be as good as a PCIe Sound Blaster, but then again I'm picky when it comes to audio. I like to listen to lots of music and there is enough difference (especially with loudness) with a sound card.

Sorry your card sucked. I am not a fan of USB ones but they are handy in a pitch. I have a cheapo Trust for doing audiochat with a computer whose integrated sound chip is busted.

I think it was buggy software causing the issue, but unless SB wnats to send me a free unit to debug for them, I have no interest in figuring their issue out. I ended up taking it back.

Once I have the extra riser installed, I'll have the needed slot avaiable for my original Sound Blaster Audigy FX. That is the best cheap sound card money can buy ($45).

- Mark

--- WWIVToss v.1.52
* Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (618:100/12.0)

Mark Hofmann wrote to All <=-

Maybe I'm an audio snob. Actually, I probably am. Anyway, I have
always hated the integrated audio in motherboards. I have owned Sound Blaster cards since the beginning of time. The one I have used for
many years now is the Sound Blaster Audigy FX (PCIe).

I hadn't heard the name "Sound Blaster" since the 90s, when I worked at a gaming/screen saver company. Think of Flying Toasters.

I was the telecom guy and Netware guy. I was friends with a QA guy and one
of the sound engineers. We didn't like the QA lab manager, and he didn't
like us.

He would build PCs for the QA lab and for QA testers, and had his stash of install disks.

My QA friend "borrowed" the disk, and my sound engineer modified the test sounds to sound like:

"perperperperperforming irqqqqqqqqq tesssssssssssst"

Then, quietly replace the install disks, and wait for the fireworks.

And, they did, after he'd spent 20 minutes tweaking IRQs and ports on one card, assumed the card was bad and installed another one...

That card works great. It has great sound quality and an amp of some
sort since it boosts the sound level a huge amount.

Fast forward to a week ago when I bought another video card (MSI 2060 Super Gaming). Video cards like that block access to other slots on
the motherboard. I had no place to install my SB card, so I bought a
USB Sound Blaster X3. The sound is close the the same quality of the
FX - but it is buggy as hell. Just like what has happened to Cisco, Microsoft, etc, the modern day products are released way before they
are ready and just don't work right. I'm sure it is a software bug of some type, but after two years they still have not fixed the audio drop outs. I am taking the damn thing back to Microcenter this weekend.

Anyway, I ordered a PCIe riser card that supports up to 4 risers,
bought 2 riser cards and will move my other video card outside the PC
to the top of the case like my other one. That will free up the space
I need to re-install my SB Audigy FX.

Far more difficult than it should have been, but it seems more and more that new stuff is worse than the old stuff.

- Mark

--- WWIVToss v.1.52
* Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (618:100/12.0)

... Simply a matter of work
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He would build PCs for the QA lab and for QA testers, and had his stash
of install disks.

My QA friend "borrowed" the disk, and my sound engineer modified the test sounds to sound like:

"perperperperperforming irqqqqqqqqq tesssssssssssst"

Then, quietly replace the install disks, and wait for the fireworks.

lol! Yes, I have had Sound Blasters since the early days and still have one. Actually for multiple reasons at this point.

1) Far better sound quality and gain/loudness than the stock motherboard (Realtek).

2) My onboard audio (Realtek) for some reason doesn't work anymore, so I must use something else for audio.

- Mark

--- WWIVToss v.1.52
* Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (618:100/12.0)

Hello Kurt Weiske!

** On Saturday 24.07.21 - 08:02, Kurt Weiske wrote to Mark Hofmann:

I was the telecom guy and Netware guy. I was friends with
a QA guy and one of the sound engineers. We didn't like
the QA lab manager, and he didn't like us.

He would build PCs for the QA lab and for QA testers, and
had his stash of install disks.

My QA friend "borrowed" the disk, and my sound engineer
modified the test sounds to sound like:

"perperperperperforming irqqqqqqqqq tesssssssssssst"

Then, quietly replace the install disks, and wait for the
fireworks.

And, they did, after he'd spent 20 minutes tweaking IRQs
and ports on one card, assumed the card was bad and
installed another one...

LOL! And.. how did the fireworks pan out? Did that break the
ice a bit, or did it forge more animosity?





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