PC Peripherals Onboard vs SB live 24bit

Trajan · Dec 21, 2005

My mobo is MSI KT4AV-L featuring KT400A chipset.

the mobo features Realtek ALC650 6 channel audio and the southbridge is VIA VT8235(not soundstorm). CPU usage when playing 3D audio and 3D + EAX shoots up to 16% which seems to be high.

My question is will there be any difference in sund quality and CPU usage if i get a SB live 24bit?

Chaos · Dec 21, 2005

Sound Quality yes, CPU usage marginal.

Trajan · Dec 21, 2005

CPU usage of 16% with an external card seems to be high right? what else can be done to reduce the CPU usage?

I have a GF4 Ti4400 gfx card and so even 2 or 3 fps increase wud have a lot of diff during gaming new games... so i really want to reduce the CPU usage so that i get more fps...

puns · Dec 21, 2005

buy the live 24 bit card ... you wont regret it

its lesser than 2k now.

Freaky · Dec 21, 2005

Yep. Its just 1.7K when I enquired last abt 3 weeks back.

NinByChoice · Dec 23, 2005

Yup and the SBlive mods to the audigy. Most of the features and performance is available except for some. I had made a post of the guide earlier. Just search around.

Raghu.

ashr · Dec 23, 2005

that mod doesn't really work afaik. it only lets you install the audigy drivers or something like that.

NinByChoice · Dec 24, 2005

Letting us install the audigy drivers IS the mod!!

There is perceptible improvement in quality and reduced CPU usage, besides the extra options that become available for configuring the sound card (options present in the Audigy but not in the Live). The mod is an installation of the Audigy drivers, fooling it to think that you have one. Drivers have a lot of influence on how things work, especially when there is little difference in hardware.

Raghu.