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Sound Card Problems, How serious is it?

OrbitzXT

OrbitzXT

New Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
1,969 (0.30/day)
Location
New York City
System Specs
System Name AX-01
Processor Intel Core i5-2500K @3.7 GHz
Motherboard ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3
Cooling Zalman 9700
Memory Kingston HyperX T1 Series 8GB DDR3 1600 MHZ
Video Card(s) GTX 590
Storage Intel X25-M
Display(s) 42" Samsung LED HDTV
Case Antec Twelve Hundred
Audio Device(s) HT | OMEGA STRIKER 7.1
Power Supply Kingwin 1000W
Software Windows 7 64-Bit
The specs in my profile are accurate, I have an HT Omega Strike 7.1, Windows 7 64 Bit and all the rest you see there. Lately I've been having some odd issues that I believe are being caused by my sound card.

This started one day while I was playing Final Fantasy XIV in windowed mode and watching a show on my desktop next to the game. The sound was stuttering and seemed a bit off with the video. If I kept this going long enough, a good number of times my PC would eventually lock up completely. The same thing happened a few times, and also happened while playing a different game and using a different media player.

I've tried reinstalling the audio drivers, I've tried reseating the card. I got the idea to use the onboard optical out to my receiver to see if I had any problems and for about 2 weeks now I have no issues, so that's what led me to conclude it was the sound card. Are there any other things I can try before I go shopping for a new card? I don't think it's under warranty anymore.

Lastly, I bought a nice home sound system that I've been using as my computer speakers. Since I may be shopping for a new sound card soon, are there any premium sound cards that may boost my listening experience? Or are the mid-high end ones like my HT Striker more or less the best I can get?
 
I believe you have solved the issue yourself.

Not many of us at TPU tend to use sound cards which stray away from either onboard, ASUS, Auzentch or creative.

I can't give any suggestions for 7.1 surround audio cards as i tend to read upon Pro Audio recording sound cards.
 
Hm that's interesting to know. The onboard optical out actually doesn't sound any different to me than my sound card. Do I just have poor listening skills to hear differences or aren't there any? I didn't realize the onboard was this good, I had memories of my onboard analog that was noticeably poorer than my sound card at the time.
 
Some onboard sound solutions may work absolutely fine for what you require and the dedicated sound card has more to offer than you need.

I do recall my Brother saying the same thing with his sound card vs onboard.
I know he had a creative XFi extreme gamer at the time and uses 2.1.
So maybe all you require is onboard sound.

For me the main factors in a sound card come down to background hiss, MIDI latency then anything else afterwards.
 
does it happen repeatly? does the card pretty straight and not bent?
have you cleaned the contact area with eraser? sometimes it works
 
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