Sound advice

I'm looking for a better option for sound output on my acer aspire 5024. Currently I'm using the inbuilt speakers, so employnig a small cat to shreak in time to any music playing would be an improvement, but still somewhat short of what I would like.

The usual recommendation is the Audigy 2 ZS, but this is expensive over in the UK - £70+p&p is as cheap as I have hunted it down. So I want to see what other options there are out there before I buy something I may not need.

I currently have a middle of the range creative 4.1 speaker set that is about 3 years old now. Nothing special, but it does me nicely. I'm perfectly happy to trade these in for superior models, and am considering doing so in the future, but it's not erally on the cards just now.

I listen to music nearly non-stop when at home, and I also watch a lot of DVDs, and want sound to be up to scratch in these. I don't really need high quality sound when travelling around - a pair of headphones does me nicely then.

Thus, the Audigy 2 ZS is nice, but is probagbly more than my needs require. What other solutions are there? I have no problems with USB solutions, but are they any good and which ones are there worth getting?

 

You mention your Creative speakers but you also say that you're using the built-in speakers. So I don't understand whether your problem is the sound card of the laptop or its internal speakers.

 

Any internal speakers on notebooks are bad.

 

ANY? My HP has the best notebook speakers around Harmon-Kardon...Acer has laptops with subwoofers....Please check your facts .

Though yes most are bad. I suggest a PCMCIA card or external speakers (with a subwoofer).

 

Most are bad, though I find mines really good, almost identical to my x530's, but without a bass. The x530's aren't that great neither but still Very loud compared to others.

As for sound cards, if you want a good budget one, try the Philips Aurilium.