Sound Blaster Audigy SE or Internal MSI P45 Platinum Sound?

[Conciente]

Hello,

I have yet to try the internal sound of the MSI P45 Platinum sound but I'd like to hear opinions on whether to keep my sound blaster audigy SE sound card or try the internal sound of the MB. I have a 5.1 system(Logitech x-530), if that even matters.

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

can't you try yourself? I can't hear what your different things sound like..

[+Mud W1ggle Subscriber²]

can't you try yourself? I can't hear what your different things sound like..

Thanks for the useful comments. </sarcasm>

But to answer the question. I would think that the SB would give better sound quality all up. My Audigy 2 ZS definitely sounds better than the sound on my Asus P35. Just an all-round cleaner sound

[RAID 0]

I would use the external sound card.

[+shift. MVC]

I say just keep integrated sound. Personally I hear no difference, but for others it could be like night and day.

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

Discrete sound cards will always be better than onboard solutions. Keep using the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SE and don't even bother with the internal Intel HD Audio.

[hawker1986]

Yup using onboard is never as good as a discrete solution for all sorts of reasons as people have said.

Hawker

[-T- Member]

The Audigy will sound better, I have a similar setup with the P35 version of the board. I stopped using the Audigy though as I wanted to run OSX and afaik it wasn't supported.

Both work just fine, with the audigy having cleaner sound, at the expense of having to use creative drivers

[White Cuban]

it would sound better, but i dont like things connected to my computer that aren't necessary , sure it would sound better.

[karokx]

yeah stick with the sb audigy se..for now... :p

[majortom1981]

Hmm i would actually go for onboard sound. The se has no hardware acceleration and the drivers stink. I hade a sound blaster live 24 bit and took mit out and used onboard sound because of the bad drivers.

[ToneKnee]

The Audigy will sound better, I have a similar setup with the P35 version of the board. I stopped using the Audigy though as I wanted to run OSX and afaik it wasn't supported.

Both work just fine, with the audigy having cleaner sound, at the expense of having to use creative drivers

Hmm i would actually go for onboard sound. The se has no hardware acceleration and the drivers stink. I hade a sound blaster live 24 bit and took mit out and used onboard sound because of the bad drivers.

http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/

Enough said. The Creative drivers are a disgrace, but the Kx Project make excellent drivers, better all round sound quality! :)

[Conciente]

http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/

Enough said. The Creative drivers are a disgrace, but the Kx Project make excellent drivers, better all round sound quality! :)

I'm always scared to use anything but official drivers. Give me a reason to try the Kx Project.

[ToneKnee]

I'm always scared to use anything but official drivers. Give me a reason to try the Kx Project.

I'm curious to why you are scared? Afterall, if something did go wrong, Creative wouldn't help you. As for the actual kX drivers, they work great, though, they are aimed more towards music in general as it doesn't support EAX (Actually, to correct myself, I think it supports some versions of EAX). But either way, the sound quality is superb, and I haven't had any compatibility issues with them either. Been using them since Windows 2000 was released. :)

I say you try them, if you don't like them, just uninstall and roll back to your original drivers.

[Conciente]

I'm curious to why you are scared? Afterall, if something did go wrong, Creative wouldn't help you. As for the actual kX drivers, they work great, though, they are aimed more towards music in general as it doesn't support EAX (Actually, to correct myself, I think it supports some versions of EAX). But either way, the sound quality is superb, and I haven't had any compatibility issues with them either. Been using them since Windows 2000 was released. :)

I say you try them, if you don't like them, just uninstall and roll back to your original drivers.

Because it says Creative on the box and there are Creative drivers.

[ToneKnee]

Because it says Creative on the box and there are Creative drivers.

That's a reason not to use Creative drivers then. But seriously, try them out, they are great! :)

[Aquafox]

dude stick with the audigy...I had the same dilemma a while back, and I was debating against whether to keep the audigy SE or Realtek ALC888. Audigy is far far better, less noise in signals (more cleaner at high volumes), a higher bit-rate (24bit v 16bit), it takes the load off the CPU (except for EAX, but still good), and has better bass control and you can boost the bass range between a specified area (e.g. 0-60Hz) plus a subwoofer boost of 15db makes it kickass (without any distortion, though this also depends on you subwoofer).

PLUS, you have creative alchemy which thrashes vista's own 5.1 surround application for old games and music upmixing, and combined with Creative's stereo surround...music that's 2.1 will sound brilliant on your 5.1 when upmixed using your audigy.

Oh and the drivers arent sucky,

you dont need to use the vista drivers for SB Audigy from their website to use your audigy in vista...

i'm using my XP drivers in vista...and it works fine :) (just a slight mod needed)...rock solid and better controls/functionality

just ask here if you want to know how...i'll show it step-by-step...