Sound Card and Speakers suggestions

I'm building myself a new setup and would like people to recommend a sound card and speakers to go for.

This is what I've chosen to go for so far:
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600, 2.40Ghz, 1066Mhz FSB, Conroe Core, 4M Cache
Motherboard: Asus P5B-E iP965
Hard Drive: 400Gb Samsung HD400LJ, SATA300, 7200 rpm, 8MB Cache, 9.0 ms, NCQ
Graphics Card: 512MB EVGA e-GeForce 7600GS
Memory: Corsair® 2GB (2X1GB) Value Select, DDR2 PC5400 (667), Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 5
Case: ePower EPC-523 warrior w/ 450W Power Suply (in black)


I'll be ordering all this at the end of the month then the sound card, speakers, and all the other extras in the following months ;)

I'll mostly be listening to music on it, probably start gaming (since it is a way better setup that I'm on the now), soo...

anyone got any suggestions for sound card & speakers? I'm looking at spending about £150 ($300) for a sound card and maybe £250 ($500) for a speaker setup, the amounts can be played with...


Thanks for any suggestions...

get the soublaster fatal1ty soundcard, its a great soundcard I have it myself, no complaints,,, and plus its built for gaming, comes with a 24 bit crystalizer,,,, a remote all the goodies, you cant go wrong with it.

for speaker get the Logitech X-530 (surround) or the
Logitech® X-230 ( regular speakers) it has awesome sound and a kick ass woofer

for a audio card u can just get a on-motherboard one cuz really if ur not using it for recording all is good (u got surround on ur motherboard)

rest looks good except if ur gonna start gaming amd is better (no really , i'm not just saying this cuz of the whole AMD vs. intel but really amd is just better for gaming.

( :D*HINT* BUY CounterStrike: Source *HINT*:D)

oh and by the way get 2*250Gig HD's cuz it's cheaper as 1*400gig on (really it is cuz) and if one crashes u still got the other one.

(k wtf it was loading like 10 mins so i press "go advanced" then i press sumbit reply and it does it in like 0.0000000000000000000000001 milliseconds)

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDP get the soublaster fatal1ty soundcard, its a great soundcard I have it myself, no complaints,,, and plus its built for gaming, comes with a 24 bit crystalizer,,,, a remote all the goodies, you cant go wrong with it.

i'll look into that, any suggestion for speakers?

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrome for speaker get the Logitech X-530 (surround) or the Logitech® X-230 ( regular speakers) it has awsome sound and a kick ass woofer for a audio card u can just get a on-motherboard one cuz really if ur not using it for recording all is good (u got surround on ur motherboard) rest looks good except if ur gonna start gaming amd is better (no really , i'm not just saying this cuz of the whole AMD vs. intel but really amd is just better for gaming. ( :D*HINT* BUY CounterStrike: Source *HINT*:D) oh and by the way get 2*250Gig HD's cuz it's cheaper as 1*400gig on (really it is cuz) and if one crashes u still got the other one.

I'm looking for a surround sound system (guess I should've mentioned that)... yeh I've heard good things about the Logitech X-530 speakers, might consider them (i'll wait for more suggestions)

I was going to wait to see if the onboard sound was good enough, using a card also takes some work away from the processor...

I'm not going to get into the whole amd vs. intel... take a look at these charts Tom's Hardware Guide Processors: CPU Charts 2005/2006 ;)

The 400GB HD is actually only about £80, I see what you're saying about getting 2*250GB incase one crashes, I'll look into it,

thanks

lol i looked at the comparison between ur card and mine and mine preforms better in games (like i said)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrome lol i looked at the comparison between ur card and mine and mine preforms better in games (like i said)

we are both looking at the same charts right? all the game charts they have core 2 wins...

Call of Duty 2 chart:
Core 2 Duo E6600: 180.0 FPS
Athlon 64 FX-62: 153.0 FPS

F.E.A.R chart:
Core 2 Duo E6600: 67 FPS
Athlon 64 FX-62: 62 FPS

Quake IV chart:
Core 2 Duo E6600: 174.0 FPS
Athlon 64 FX-62: 167.0 FPS

Serious Sam 2 chart:
Core 2 Duo E6600: 107.0 FPS
Athlon 64 FX-62: 101.0 FPS

Unreal Tournament 2004 chart:
Core 2 Duo E6600: 114.0 FPS
Athlon 64 FX-62: 111.0 FPS

Core 2 Duo wins
...

anyway this thread wasn't for processors it was sound card and speakers (or anything other than processors cos it'll turn into and intel vs. amd debate)...

^^ i apperently looked at the wrong intel card

Anyways be sure to get a good monitor (screen) too, 8ms or lower.

k...

yeh I will be getting a good monitor, not sure which one yet ;)

I've took your advice on the hard drive, I've decided to go for:

2* 160 GB Samsung HD160JJ SpinPoint P80, SATA300, 7200 rpm, 8MB Cache, NCQ, 8.9 ms

it's not 400GB but I'm sure 320GB will do me for a good while, easily upgrade it if I need to...

isn't 2*200Gig cheaper as 1*400Gig? cuz here 2*250 is cheaper as 1*400

The cheapest 250GB HD I found is £47.00 (2* would be £94.00), the cheapest 200GB HD I found is £51.70 (2* would be £103.40), the 400GB HD is £78.73 and the 160GB HD is £37.60 (2* is £75.20)... I'm trying to order all the required things from the same place so they all arrive around about the same time...


for the sound card I've been hearing good things about the Auzen X-Meridian 7.1, anyone got this card and can share their experience?

I'm still looking for speakers...

I think I've picked my speakers: Creative® GigaWorks™ S750 7.1

not cheap, but in my price range, and I bet they'll sound amazing :D can't wait till I start ordering everything and putting it all together :D


would still like feedback... cos it'll be a month or longer before I order the sound card and speakers...

i would take the logitech speakers

For the soundcard I would suggest you get the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 -
M-AUDIO - Revolution 7.1 - High-Definition 7.1 Surround Sound PCI Card

I don't have that particular card, but I have the Audiophile 2496. It's in and outs are clear, and they make high quality stuff.

As far as speakers go I'll tell you what I tell everyone who asks me about monitors (high end studio speakers). You need to go give them a listen. The last thing you want is a set of speakers which make everything sound either really good or really bad. Even worse is a set that give terrible ear fatigue. However I can vouch for Logitech as high quality, and Creative as a cheaper (yet just as good) alternative.

^ what ever in dent said

also AMD heats up quicker
I would go with Core 2 Duo

i got a 320 gig Digital Research External HD for $149CDN which is $127USD sold out in a day from bestbuy
i also have a 200 Maxtor internal $99
and 160 gig Western Digital internal came with pc

u should get a media center edition set up, that way u can play games and watch tv on a 60" LCD

Quote:

Originally Posted by In-Dent For the soundcard I would suggest you get the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 - M-AUDIO - Revolution 7.1 - High-Definition 7.1 Surround Sound PCI Card I don't have that particular card, but I have the Audiophile 2496. It's in and outs are clear, and they make high quality stuff. As far as speakers go I'll tell you what I tell everyone who asks me about monitors (high end studio speakers). You need to go give them a listen. The last thing you want is a set of speakers which make everything sound either really good or really bad. Even worse is a set that give terrible ear fatigue. However I can vouch for Logitech as high quality, and Creative as a cheaper (yet just as good) alternative.

The card looks good, I'll read up on it... as for the speakers I have decided on the Creative® GigaWorks™ S750 7.1, I've read alot of reviews about them and everyone loves them (that has them)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThugLife ^ what ever in dent said also AMD heats up quicker I would go with Core 2 Duo i got a 320 gig Digital Research External HD for $149CDN which is $127USD sold out in a day from bestbuy i also have a 200 Maxtor internal $99 and 160 gig Western Digital internal came with pc u should get a media center edition set up, that way u can play games and watch tv on a 60" LCD

I am going with the Core 2 Duo