Computer Hope

Hello,

I am using music production software like Ableton and Reason and want to see about getting a good sound card. I am using the sound that's built into my motherboard. I have a Sound Blaster Audigy but I have had a lot of problems with it. It keeps garbling the sound on sites like YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. I am looking at two cards right now, Creative Labs Sound Blaster X AE-5 Plus and Creative Labs Sound Blaster Z SE. What other cards would be good for music?

Thanks

Hi
You don't say what version of windows you are running as the  Sound Blaster Audigy was only supported to windows 7 so any version of windows after this could have problems.

The other 2 cards you listed are not supported under Windows 11. You would need to get an  Sound Blaster AE7 or similar if you intend or are running windows 11.

Is the card for playing or recording music or both if just playing then the motherboard audio should be ok as it would be very hard to hear a difference between a sound card and the motherboard audio.

I have Windows 10 on my computer.

I am considering an external usb audio interface. I am wouldn't be plugging any instruments through it. I am using usb keyboards. I just want to have better control of the sound output. I use headphones for my sound. I have seen cards and devices with head phone amps.

You said you had issues with an Audigy card, but have you otherwise had issues with your motherboard audio?

The utility of an actual sound card has faded away over the past few decades or so simply because integrated audio solutions have frankly made them obsolete for the most part. Some might even argue they are even something of a scam at this point. You might consider waiting and seeing how well the on-board audio works for you, rather than getting a sound card.

And I say that despite having a Sound Blaster ZXR ("bigger brother" of the Z, which is the previous version of the Z SE you mentioned) as well as an ASUS Xonar DG in another system; both systems have motherboard audio and I'm not entirely convinced either one improves upon it in any discernable way. Both sound cards work fine, mind you; I just suspect other than physical differences (ZXR provides many input/output options, but if you are using USB Midi devices anyway not sure that matters so much) the differences in "quality" of either input or output I might think I notice is almost certainly just wishful thinking on my part because it cost $600.

Thanks for the info. I noticed there weren't many sound cards to choose from. The onboard sound on my computer isn't giving me any problems, I wanted to see about a more "professional' music production setup.