DFI NF4 SLi-DR Onboard sound

[ZaX]

I need to free up a PCI slot for the forth coming AGEIA physics chip, which means I'm going to have to get rid of my Audigy 2 sound card and use the onboard sound. How does this compare with the audigy 2 sound card? I've got 5.1 speakers at the moment.

By the way check out the movie entitled Airtight (12 Mb) in this link;

http://www.ageia.com/physxInAction/demos.html

...it's totally amazing especially the plane crash, imagine FPSs with totally destructable enviroments. Worth sacraficing some sound quality for.

 

[maverik-sg1]

You lose some EAX and the quality is not as good and you take a 5fps performance hit.

How important is that when ur kicking ass?? To me in comparison to the Physics not very - but audiophiles or movie watchers may (will) have a differing opinion.

The Expert board frees up some more space (maybe enought to use both PCI slots if cards are watercooled with slim blocks) and the new MSI Diamond plus has audigy on board (but needs new BIOS to suit our needs).

Mav

 

[ZaX]

I suppose what you loose in performance for using the onboard sound you will gain for using the physics card as this will free up the CPU and GPU (theoretically).

 

[maverik-sg1]

I suppose what you loose in performance for using the onboard sound you will gain for using the physics card as this will free up the CPU and GPU (theoretically).

For sure - The next gen boards will have PCI-X connectors in suitable places for sound and physix - it's possible that I will live with onboard solution until that time.

Probs a 20% FPS increase from Physix with a 5% drop from using onboard sound - the nett gain is better not worse than where we are now (IMHO).

Mav

 

[scorchio]

You can allways buy an expert mate that has an extra slot!!

 

[ZaX]

My heart's there with you guys but my wallet's suffering from some serrious lllaaaaaggg

 

[maverik-sg1]

I think Zax mate - if/when u decide to upgrade, the SLIx16 boards will have matured by then and be a much better route than what we have now (which is essentially the pinnacle of what's required).

Hopefully your wallet will have buffered enough for that mate, the final upgrades before AM2 takes pride and place for me is:

Physix Chip

G71 (aka 7900GTX)

Probs G80 (aka 8800GTX??)

2GB of low latency PC4400 RAM (not out yet but hoping)

Thats my upgrade path for this year sorted - of course if the new socket AM2 motherbaord comes in overclocking friendly in it's first release then I'll be diving in, but I hope it needs a bit of work on it first - meaning I dont have to invest this year lol.

Mav

 

[SAS91]

Try ur onboard sound and see if u like it, also can i recommend that if u have a hifi around, preferably small that u could use that with some phono leads from the pc if u was using headfones, you will see a big increase in quality, minimizing the loss

James.

 

[ZaX]

Well when the Physics chip does finally turn up I'll have no choice but to use the onboard sound, I just wanted to know how it compared before I actually start using it. Its a bit of a hassle getting the Audigy card out at the moment because of the water cooling pipes which cross it.​

 

[SAS91]

ok m8, tell us how those physics chips fair when you recieve it, and as mentioned i wouldnt worry about the loss in quality unless your using a high quality hifi in conjuction nor the performance hit because afaik your rig is mighty impressive and should handle a 5 fps drop

 

[Matt_Hirst]

Must admit I'd hate going back to onboard sound...but then again if it was a case of getting the AGEIA physics chip and putting up with slightly inferior or just having good sound, I know what I'd do.

regards,

Matt