Sound card help

[Androidpk]

So apparently I bought a motherboard that doesn't have a PCI slot and my sound card needs one. It's an HT Omega claro halo and I'd rather not return it, but I didn't even know people still used PCI slots. If I were to buy one of those PCI to PCI-express slot adapters would I lose any sound quality?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158165

If that wouldn't work does anyone know of some good high quality pci-e sound cards? Matching it up with some sennheiser pc350s.

[Stanley Burrell]

I think soundblaster 2.0 is enough because then you can get enough out of your DMI channels, even if you have to press the turbo button, to hear at least four or five wave files at once as the DooM Guy lays waste to cacodemons.

IDCHOPPERS.

[Rinualdo]

I find onboard audio to be quite good enough and haven't messed with a sound card in years.

[Androidpk]

I think soundblaster 2.0 is enough because then you can get enough out of your DMI channels, even if you have to press the turbo button, to hear at least four or five wave files at once as the DooM Guy lays waste to cacodemons.

IDCHOPPERS.

Where is my turbo button?!?!?

[Androidpk]

I find onboard audio to be quite good enough and haven't messed with a sound card in years.

Onboard audio still pales in comparison to a dedicated sound card.

[Stanley Burrell]

Where is my turbo button?!?!?

Hmmmmm. Having worked in TCA we can probably buy about ... an hour or two after bodying luddites for their 386s. You get your people, I'll set myself up for a promotion.

[Androidpk]

Wut

[Stanley Burrell]

Wut

My apologies, I was just implying that we would somehow obtain older versions of personal computers with the turbo function (button) and use methods that society frowns on as a method to obtain them. I also used an acronym associated with a unit I've worked for and gave a hypothetical timetable based on using IZE method and thinking criminally, bunch of other 101 shit. Anyway, IDSPISPOPD, they'll never see you coming.

Oh right, then I threw in a sort-of-understandable-reference-if-you're-not-too-high about framing you and taking credit based on my work. I think that's about it.

[Androidpk]

I received a telepathic vision from the stanley burrell of the future, showing me what I needed to do to get this sound card to work, should have it up and running by tomorrow. He told me to tell you to buy yourself a drink.

[Stanley Burrell]

Hahaha! Stanley Burrell of the past was responding to your telegram with some barely legible note about his new phonograph. But that things is actually a white noise time bender that summoned the me, from five minutes from now, to. Drink. IPA.

A transient thank you.

[Nuc]

Are you planning on using the soundcard with a sound system ever or just headphones? If just headphones, get an Asus Essence STX or Auzentech Forte. Those are probably best in class headphone cards for gaming.

If you need to power a sound system also, get the Forte because the STX only has S/PDIF support while the Forte has analog support as well. If you plan on using it with your home theatre system and need an HDMI solution or watch Blu-Ray DVDs on your PC, upgrade to the Auzentech HTHD (I used to have the Forte but upgraded).

It sucks that PCI isn't supported by your machine or you could get an Asus Xonar Essence ST and add on the Xonar H6 if you ever needed to hook up a sound system so you don't have to shell out for features you don't need up front.

One more note: careful with the Auzentech cards. There are two versions. The first production model had major problems due to a missing heat sink. If you buy it on ebay from someone on the cheap make sure its V2.0 (says it right on the card and you can see the giant heat sink on it).

Oh and as far as PCI-E to PCI converters go, you will lose sound quality. Whether or not your ears can tell the difference will be hard to say though. Everyone is different and your headphones probably aren't high end enough to hear it. If you're upgrading from on-board audio to sound card it won't matter. Also, the Claro doesn't support DirectSound or EAX, which will alter your gaming experience, particularly if you're an FPS gamer. Dolby Headphone sucks for FPS. Dolby Headphone is great if you want to be amazed at how large a game space is, but it sucks for hearing someone sneaking up on you because it can't recreate echoes in a game environment properly.