Anyone know a good $20 sound card?

[Tipycol]

Well I think I found my problem I listed earlier with winamp. I think it's problems on my actual sound card, the Aureal Vortex 2. Anyway, I am looking for a moderate replacement, not anything serious, just something around $20. So anyone know a good one?


Thanks

Tipycol

 

[rogue1979]

C-Media 8738 6-channel sound card can be had for under $15 shipped on pricewatch. Much better than a Vortex 2, pretty dang good sound for any price.

 

[X2sandman]

the hercules muse is 20 bucks at EB

 

[Tipycol]

K thanks guys...I'll look into those cards. Anyone else?


Tipycol

 

[Tipycol]

Are the Hercules Muse and C-Media 8738 card the same thing, just one has the label of Hercules and the other doesn't?

 

[Kosmic]

Dood, spend the extra $14 and get an SB Live 5.1 from newegg for $34. I think it's free shipping for this at newegg and you'd probably pay for shipping on the other cards, making this even more attractive for the price. It's cheap and it performs great.

K1

 

[Tipycol]

Dood, spend the extra $14 and get an SB Live 5.1 from newegg for $34. I think it's free shipping for this at newegg and you'd probably pay for shipping on the other cards, making this even more attractive for the price. It's cheap and it performs great.

K1

Why? Are the differences between the cards that big? I'm not saying I won't get it, cause the C-Media 8738 is gonna cost me more like $30.

 

[Kosmic]

I can't speak for c-media...Never used it. I just know that the sb live makes my music sound better than a lot of "real" stereos I've heard. (cheap logitech 540s, too)

 

[Tipycol]

I can't speak for c-media...Never used it. I just know that the sb live makes my music sound better than a lot of "real" stereos I've heard. (cheap logitech 540s, too)

Really? Well I'm not gonna look for one till Monday, so that'll give me some time to research them.

Anyone else with a suggestion/opinion?


Thanks

Tipycol

 

[deez]

unless you have expensive speakers just get a Soundblaster 16...its cheap, easy to find, works with everything, overclocks nice and sounds pretty good too.

 

[james.miller]

c-mediea for me. cheap as hell and performs flawlessly

 

[Silence]

if I was on a very tight budget I would get a Fortissimo III 7.1 for $37 @ newegg.com (eta 11/4)

 

[Tipycol]

if I was on a very tight budget I would get a Fortissimo III 7.1 for $37 @ newegg.com (eta 11/4)

Wow...my budget is doubling
I think I am just going to stick to the C-Media, since this will be more like a temporary replacement for now.


Thanks for your help guys

Tipycol

 

[rogue1979]

C-Media $12.99 shipped on pricewatch.

 

[Tipycol]

C-Media $12.99 shipped on pricewatch.

Thanks

 

[larva]

I've got the c-media setup integrated on my Asus motherboard, it is acceptable. I do have a $30 SbLive fitted in the machine though as the c-media tends to dissappear at 150fsb on me. The c-media is hardware and works well, but the SBLive OEM at the prices they are available at is a great value as well, and more tolerant of out of spec PCI if that is an issue for your application.

 

[JCLW]

Do you have a used computer store near you? I just picked up a SoundBlaster PCI 16 for CDN$12 the other week. That's like US$8. They had an Audigy for CDN$55 (US$36).

- JW

 

[Tipycol]

I've got the c-media setup integrated on my Asus motherboard, it is acceptable. I do have a $30 SbLive fitted in the machine though as the c-media tends to dissappear at 150fsb on me. The c-media is hardware and works well, but the SBLive OEM at the prices they are available at is a great value as well, and more tolerant of out of spec PCI if that is an issue for your application.

Hmm...so C-Media caps out at around 37MHz? That's what I have running now, so maybe I will get the SBLive.


Thanks

Tipycol

 

[@[email protected]]

I've got the c-media setup integrated on my Asus motherboard, it is acceptable. I do have a $30 SbLive fitted in the machine though as the c-media tends to dissappear at 150fsb on me. The c-media is hardware and works well, but the SBLive OEM at the prices they are available at is a great value as well, and more tolerant of out of spec PCI if that is an issue for your application.

I don´t think cmedia 8738 is hardware... It may eat just a very small percentage of the pc resources... I say this becouse i tought it was hardware and looking at some different cmedia 8738 cards i readed in one of them : HSP

Host Signal Processed

Now i´m totally confused... I didn´t buy it jus becouse of the dsp....! I´m planning a Genius 6 channel... cheaper than the Live and i spect something better, I´ve looked at them and found a different chip wich I think is DSP...