SB Live! or Realtek's ALC861?

[Foxbat Kannan]

What's a better sound card? I don't care too much for sound, but I have a SB Live! classic (you know, standard issue 4.1) PCI card and the motherboard's onboard Realtek ALC861.

The SB Live! is giving issues that I've noticed others report with their Creative Audigy and newer cards(namely a bit into the game, I lose audio, and then quitting the game results in a reboot, but if I don't, I still don't have sound and the system eventually hangs). This problem happens at different overclocking settings and happens at particular points so I doubt it's heat from the overclock...

I'd like to bother troubleshooting it, but it occurred to me that the EMU10K1 is about five years old, and maybe the onboard 861 might actually be better?

At the very least for the extra channels, but I was wondering which to keep using.

[imposter]

Go for the on board stuff. SB live is a bad card. IMO. which mobo is this?

[Enablingwolf]

I have one of the SB Live 4.12 cards. Least I used to. If I still have it, I am in no hurry to look for it. It was kind of crappy and the drivers for it were terrible. I felt kind of jipped buying the card. It gave me issues even when it ran 'good'.

At least try for yourself if you like the onboard versus the card. Then if it suites, keep[ using it, or look for another card if need be. See if the issue persists and if so, you have other problems besides that card. If it goes away, see if you like it and works for your needs. If it does not, look for another card.