Looking for a new, good soundcard

[Karl Viklund]

Hello wonderful people!
I want, if you have, some advice to give in which new soundcard I should by to one of my computers.

After years and years of carppy sound when it comes to both home stero players and computers have have slow but steady starting to change things around me. A while a go I bought a Audigy 2 card to one of my computers because I hade read alot of good about it and it's a purchase I don't regret. It's not before you realy get one of these better sound cards you realy hear what a ****ty sound you have been "enjoying" for years on your computer. Even the Windows Logon sound sounds better! Hehe kidding :)

Anyway. I'm realy happy with my Audigy 2 card and now, or soon it's time to upgrade my other computer because the sound card I have in that computer have realy starting to behave strange and have done so for the last, well 6-7 months or so. I can hear my harddrive working in my headset. It's like small noises that comes from the headset everytime the HDD read or write, pretty funny. And before that, it made noises when ever I moved my mouse around which became kinda iritating after a while. It stopped after a while though and moved over to this HDD sound hehe. It's like small Biiiip and radio-niose. Very quite but you hear it. Anyway. So I just wonder, what sound cards is there out today and which should i pick? The new X-Fi-cards looks pretty amazing. What I'm looking for is just great quality sound like the Audogy 2. I don't need alot of extras and recording features and so. Just the best sound possible.

What should I buy? :P

[Ioman]

This is a question I hate to answer for a couple reasons. I think you should probably get a new Audigy card. Unfortunately Creative really has a handle on the market here leaving little choice for alternatives. I have heard Philips makes a great soundcard, but support is probably weak for it.

If I had to buy one, I would get an Audigy. I am also not impressed with Creative's lack of tech support either.

[ECA]

REALLY,
there are alot of reasons to purchase a good sound card...
But, for what uses... If this other machine is only a server, you wont NEEd a GREAT sound card.
Creative makes a good card, but they are REALLY a hog, on the rescources.

Other things to look at. BETTER, Bigger speakers. I use a BOOM box with AUDIO input.. works great, and also works as an AMP.
ALWAYS use a good UPS(uninterruptable power supply with noise suppression). AS older systems can take hits from the electrical system, EVEN from the refrigerator tirning off/on, SPIKE protection ISNT ENOUGH. and these little Jolts, can Kill your power supply or Mother board over time. You can be getting little jolts from as far away as 1 mile, from ANY/ALL heavy equipment, or be picking up EMP from EVERYTHING, from battery operated drills to Lawn mowers.
CLEAN up your hard drive...DEFRAGMENT the HD, and you MAY clean up some background sounds.

DEPENDING on what you use the system for, you MAY wish to look at other cards, and there are LOTS...