Should I get another soundcard?

panzerkwpanzerkw New York City
edited March 2007 in Hardware
Right now I have the Fatility AN8-Ultra motherboard, which comes with a small audio daughter card (Realteak AC97).

While that works well enough, and I can plug my cases headphone/mic ports into it, I get a slight feedback and hiss through the headphones when the hard disk is running (which means almost all the time). I installed the latest drivers from the realtek website for this card (version 3.98 dated feb 07).

I also have a creative audigy card which gives clear sound with no hiss, but it doesn't have the connection which allows me to plug the case's headphone and mic jack. So I really don't want to go back to using it.

So my options are 1. maybe there's an older but better realtek AC97 driver for my board's daughter card or 2. get another sound card. I ONLY use headphones, so I need a card which gives no hiss, and I need a card that will have the connection to plug my case's headphone and mic jack. X.1 capability is meaningless to me because I only use headphones. Something like that small audio daughter card would be nice, but I'll settle with a PCI card too.

Any ideas? The ABIT forums are down so this is why I'm posting this here.

Comments

  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited February 2007
    I know this wouldn't be very visually appealing, but you could just use your Audigy and use an extension cable so that your headphones can plug into the back of the case.
  • panzerkwpanzerkw New York City
    edited February 2007
    Well I've put the audigy back in there cause I couldn't stand the feedback. My headphoes actually have a cable long enough to reach all the way back there. I just wanted to use the convenient front panel on my pimpin new case. Ah well. I'll save up for a Xi-Fi then since it has the front panel connections. Too bad there isn't any real competition for Creative
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited February 2007
    The hiss could actually be coming from the wires that are connecting the front panel to the onboard sound. Try moving them around and seeing if the noise changes.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited February 2007
    panzerkw wrote:
    Well I've put the audigy back in there cause I couldn't stand the feedback. My headphoes actually have a cable long enough to reach all the way back there. I just wanted to use the convenient front panel on my pimpin new case. Ah well. I'll save up for a Xi-Fi then since it has the front panel connections. Too bad there isn't any real competition for Creative

    Terratec, mAudio and Auzentech all provide fitting competition to creative. None of them have EAX3 or EAX advanced, but even as an audiophile who can earnestly tell the difference between OGG or MP3, I can appreciate not giving Creative money for awful drivers.
  • panzerkwpanzerkw New York City
    edited March 2007
    Just as an update to this, I bought a X-Fi extremegamer from a CompUSA that's closing down here for 20% off. It had the front panel audio connector which is just what I needed.

    No feedback coming out of the front audio ports now...cruddy audio daughter card.
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