Can´t see what sound card my Dell Dimension 9150 uses

Tobiax · 06-27-2009, 08:49 PM

I´ve been wanting to get a new sound card to my Dell Dimension for a while. I´d like to compare my current sound card with the ones I´m looking at but I cant figure out what sound card is on my computer right now.

When I look at the specifications it just sais internal 7.1 channel or PCI option cards. If I go to my Device Manager and look under System Devices or Sound it sais High Definition Audio Device.

Is there any way I can find out what specifications my card has?

Bodaggit23 · 06-27-2009, 09:05 PM

The Audio is integrated onto the motherboard, so there's no card
to look up specs on.

It does say that it's 7 channel audio, nothing about High Def though.

Any hardware based audio card should sound better than what you have.

The cheaper audio cards are software based apparently and you probably
wouldn't notice a difference.

**bomberboysk** · 06-27-2009, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodaggit23

The Audio is integrated onto the motherboard, so there's no card
to look up specs on.

It does say that it's 7 channel audio, nothing about High Def though.

Any hardware based audio card should sound better than what you have.

The cheaper audio cards are software based apparently and you probably
wouldn't notice a difference.

Exactly, the biggest rip off out there right now is the "x-fi" xtreme audio, its just an audigy se with software based xfi. Same with the audigy se, se=software edition.

Tobiax · 06-28-2009, 03:18 PM

Thanks!

I keep getting confused when I look at sound cards cause I´m not really sure what kind I need.
For example lets say that I have these speakers with a Frequency response at 40Hz ~ 20kHz.

Then is a sound card with a sampling rate at 96 kHz going to be enough, or does these not have to do with each other?

And btw that does it mean that a sound card has "100 dB"?

TFT · 06-28-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobiax

Thanks!

I keep getting confused when I look at sound cards cause I´m not really sure what kind I need.
For example lets say that I have these speakers with a Frequency response at 40Hz ~ 20kHz.

Then is a sound card with a sampling rate at 96 kHz going to be enough, or does these not have to do with each other?

And btw that does it mean that a sound card has "100 dB"?

If you're talking about SNR 100db then it's the "Signal to Noise Ratio", the higher the figure the better.
If the card said SNR 40db then you would probably hear the hiss and crackle of the electronics through the speakers but at 100db and above this interference would be inaudible.

Frequency response in simple terms describes what musical tones the speaker can give out. The range of human hearing is roughly from 20Hz, very low bass to 20kHz the very high treble so those speakers would probably give good base although quite not there. Although you would be hard pressed to notice.

Tobiax · 06-28-2009, 04:09 PM

Ok, but is it the same with sound cards and sampling rates?

The ones I´m looking at has either up to 96 kHz or 192 kHz. But if we only can hear up to 20kHz the why does this matter?

TFT · 06-28-2009, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobiax

Ok, but is it the same with sound cards and sampling rates?

The ones I´m looking at has either up to 96 kHz or 192 kHz. But if we only can hear up to 20kHz the why does this matter?

No, completely different, sampling rates is how many times a second it will sample the music. A music CD has a sampling rate around 44 KHz (takes a sample 40,000 times a second), so the sound card of 96 KHz will easily get the best out of a CD.

Tobiax · 06-29-2009, 03:12 AM

Okay, I think I´m starting to get this now...

So what do you think about the Creative X-fi XtremeGamer?

Looks good to me but as you might have noticed I´m new to this.
The only thing that looks wierd to me is this:
Frequency Response (-3dB, 24-bit/96kHz input ): 10Hz to 46kHz
Frequency Response (-3dB, 24-bit/192kHz input): 10Hz to 88kHz (Stereo only)

I mean it just doesnt make sense that you only get the better Frequency Response with Stereo sound (in my world a 7.1 or 5.1 sound should get better quality)

Also, is it sure that my motherboard can handle this just cause my computer has the right PCI connection?

06-27-2009, 08:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tobiax New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4	Can´t see what sound card my Dell Dimension 9150 uses I´ve been wanting to get a new sound card to my Dell Dimension for a while. I´d like to compare my current sound card with the ones I´m looking at but I cant figure out what sound card is on my computer right now. When I look at the specifications it just sais internal 7.1 channel or PCI option cards. If I go to my Device Manager and look under System Devices or Sound it sais High Definition Audio Device. Is there any way I can find out what specifications my card has?

06-27-2009, 09:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bodaggit23 Diamond Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Aperture Science Posts: 4,311	The Audio is integrated onto the motherboard, so there's no card to look up specs on. It does say that it's 7 channel audio, nothing about High Def though. Any hardware based audio card should sound better than what you have. The cheaper audio cards are software based apparently and you probably wouldn't notice a difference. __________________ Team Stats @ ExtremeOverclocking.com Team Stats FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND :F@H Team 44358 CPU: i7 920 Batch#3841A525 (@3.43Ghz) Board: EVGA X58 3X SLI RAM: Dominator 3x2GB DDR3 1600 Hard Drive: 300GB VelociRaptor GPU: EVGA GTX260 SC Core 216 Optical: Sony Optiarc 22x DVD/CD Burner PSU: Corsair TX850W CPU Cooling: Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 Primary OS: Windows Vista x64 SP2 Case: Coolermaster HAF 932

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06-28-2009, 03:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tobiax New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4	Thanks! I keep getting confused when I look at sound cards cause I´m not really sure what kind I need. For example lets say that I have these speakers with a Frequency response at 40Hz ~ 20kHz. Then is a sound card with a sampling rate at 96 kHz going to be enough, or does these not have to do with each other? And btw that does it mean that a sound card has "100 dB"?

06-28-2009, 04:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tobiax New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4	Ok, but is it the same with sound cards and sampling rates? The ones I´m looking at has either up to 96 kHz or 192 kHz. But if we only can hear up to 20kHz the why does this matter?

06-29-2009, 03:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
Tobiax New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4	Okay, I think I´m starting to get this now... So what do you think about the Creative X-fi XtremeGamer? Looks good to me but as you might have noticed I´m new to this. The only thing that looks wierd to me is this: Frequency Response (-3dB, 24-bit/96kHz input ): 10Hz to 46kHz Frequency Response (-3dB, 24-bit/192kHz input): 10Hz to 88kHz (Stereo only) I mean it just doesnt make sense that you only get the better Frequency Response with Stereo sound (in my world a 7.1 or 5.1 sound should get better quality) Also, is it sure that my motherboard can handle this just cause my computer has the right PCI connection?