• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Creative Soundblaster 128 PCI

Casheti

New Member
Joined
May 3, 2006
Messages
4,421 (0.67/day)
Is the Creative Soundblaster 128 PCI better than my integrated Realtek HD Audio?

Please reply, as I really want a dedicated soundcard to help my performance in games, and I already have this card, but I'm not sure if this will help my perfomance any better than my Realtek HD audio. I really hope it is better than my integrated Realtek sound, because having a dedicated sound card would make me cool to all my lesser friends with worse computers, seeing as I'm only 15. PLEASE POST, ANY OPINIONS WELCOME!!

Casheti. :)
 

Darren

New Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
1,936 (0.28/day)
System Name Cheap yet powerful gaming and entertainment rig!
Processor AMD Athlon 3800+ X2 Windsor, 1 MB L2 Cache (512k L2 Per Core), 65W Energy efficient, 2GHz @ 2.78 Ghz
Motherboard Asrock ALiveNF7G-HD720p Rev v5.0
Cooling Freezer 64, 2x120mm, 1x92mm
Memory 8 GB DDRII PC6400 @ 929 MHz OCZ (2GBx4) timing: 5-5-5-5-16-2T
Video Card(s) XFX ATI4830
Storage Seagate 320 GB SATA (16 MB Cache)
Display(s) 19' HannsG (1440x900 @ 75hz)
Case Coolermaster Elite 330 Black Case
Audio Device(s) Auzentech X-Meridian, Pioneer VSX-516 Receiver 7.1 with DD/DD EX/Prologic II/DTS/DTS-ES//DTS: Neo
Power Supply Cool Master eXtreme Power 460W PSU
Software Vista Ultimate X64 Corporate Edition
I wouldn't bother with the Creative soundblaster 128, that card is like almost 6/7years old.

However integrated cards are equally as bad. You need a card that supports a minimum of EAX 3.0/4.0

I advise that you get the Audigy 4 because it supports EAX 4.0 @ £34.02 inc VAT http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/98937


Or you can get the Audigy SE but it only supports EAX 3.0 but it is slightly cheaper @ £15.91inc VAT

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/98938
 

Casheti

New Member
Joined
May 3, 2006
Messages
4,421 (0.67/day)
Nice, but I was looking more for an answer to my question, as I'm really not in the position to spend any money, as I owe a lot. But I may consider saving for the Creative Soundblaster X-Fi, and should hopefully have it by christmas :)
 

AceFactor

New Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2005
Messages
234 (0.03/day)
Location
Suffolk, UK
Processor Athlon 64 3700+ Clawhammer :D @ stock speeds :(
Motherboard Gigabyte K8 Triton K8NS Pro
Cooling Stock CPU, 2x 120mm-1xfront & 1xrear, 1x 80mm-top
Memory 1.5Gb DDR 400 - 2x 512Mb Kingston KVR Value, 1x 512Mb KData
Video Card(s) Sapphire X850XTPE 256Mb- XT >> XTPE :D AC ATi 5 Rev2 cooler
Storage 2x 40Gb ATA, still in process of setting up 160Gb Sata for Gaming
Display(s) Compaq S710
Case Modded Martian Case
Audio Device(s) Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro
Power Supply Enermax 600w
Software XP Pro
Main point is that you are best off sticking with your current on-borad sound set-up till you hopefully get that X-FI upgrade. Ive used a SB 128 PCI before, and they sound ok, but it just wont be any better than your current sound is :)

-Adam
 

Darren

New Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
1,936 (0.28/day)
System Name Cheap yet powerful gaming and entertainment rig!
Processor AMD Athlon 3800+ X2 Windsor, 1 MB L2 Cache (512k L2 Per Core), 65W Energy efficient, 2GHz @ 2.78 Ghz
Motherboard Asrock ALiveNF7G-HD720p Rev v5.0
Cooling Freezer 64, 2x120mm, 1x92mm
Memory 8 GB DDRII PC6400 @ 929 MHz OCZ (2GBx4) timing: 5-5-5-5-16-2T
Video Card(s) XFX ATI4830
Storage Seagate 320 GB SATA (16 MB Cache)
Display(s) 19' HannsG (1440x900 @ 75hz)
Case Coolermaster Elite 330 Black Case
Audio Device(s) Auzentech X-Meridian, Pioneer VSX-516 Receiver 7.1 with DD/DD EX/Prologic II/DTS/DTS-ES//DTS: Neo
Power Supply Cool Master eXtreme Power 460W PSU
Software Vista Ultimate X64 Corporate Edition
Probably better off sticking with your onboard, you wont see any improvements.

Also sound quality depends on the speakers as well, I dont recommend getting a X-FI or a Audigy card unless you had descent 5.1 speakers.

AceFactor's advice is probably worth a listen
 

Specsaver

New Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
126 (0.02/day)
Location
Planet Earth, The North Part of It
I think SB 128 supported some 3D positional audio. This was in fact Ensoniq high quality chip, at that time...
So unless you need 5.1 or 7.1 and your integrated audio supports 5.1 or 7.1 I'd use SB 128 instead. Motherboard audio is usually crap. And when you eventually switch to X-Fi you'll notice the difference for sure.
 
Top