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integrated audio, soundstorm or the latest athlon64 mobo offerings?

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Better than what? If you mean in comparision to onboard offerings from a few years back, then I would definatly say so in most cases.
 
He means are the new Nvidia intergrated audio parts on the NF3-250 and other new chipsets better than the soundstorm on the NF2 boards :rolleyes:

I don't have much experince with the newer NF3 boards, so someone else will have to clue you in :)
 
SoundStorm will be a tough act to follow. There's no guarentee that the newer nVidia onboard sound will be better or even as good. The new Chaintech CT-AV710 7.1 sound card is only $23 shipped at Newegg and as good as the soundstorm for music. I don't know about gaming performance.
 
Soundstorm when used with the full digital optical out is on a level on it's own, currently no onboard sound comes close. The newer onboard sounds might sound better due to the newer codecs but can't match the Soundstorm in CPU usage. Closest thing to it would be the Audigy 2 and high end sound cards.
 
The $23.50 Chaintech CT-AV710 7.1 sound card is ~95% of the $89 M-AUDIO "Revolution 7.1 card's quality.
 
Some Chaintech's A64 mobos utilizing Nvidia chipset also have an Envy24PT + Wolfson WM8728 DAC which is almost the same as the praised Chaintech AV-710 (AV-710 has Envy24HT-S though, but those are almost identical chips AFAIK). I'm just not sure if the integrated solution is implemented as well as the external card (caps 'n resistors 'n stuff :))
 
I think the Chaintech will beat the Envy24PT + Wolfson WM8728 DAC combo but only for high quality audio reproduction equipment and source material such as CD and DVD music. I don't think most mp3 or OGG Vorbis files would benefit much.

I don't know how Envy24PT + Wolfson WM8728 DAC stacks up against SoundStorm.
 
Depends on what kind of speakers you have. If there semi high quality at all then forget it because onboard to me on the newer motherboard's "While it does sound much better then before" still sounds pretty bad in my opinion. This is a comparion to let's say even a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz soundcard.
 
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