USB or PCMCIA sound card?

Hi guys, first post here. I'm looking to buy a decent 2.1 speaker set for use with my Sager 9890 and since the onboard sound is pretty bad i'm also looking to buy a sound card too.

So my question is this. Should i buy a USB or a PCMCIA sound card? Any advantages or disadvantages of either that i should know? I'm not looking for anything fancy just good quality sound and maybe 5.1 capability if i choose to buy a suround set of speakers later on.

I noticed the Audigy 2 NX (USB) and the Audigy 2 ZS (PCMCIA) so far.

Thanks!

 

Well, PCMIA has a faster connection speed, so therefore it will be able to pass more info quicker, which means you can have high qualilty audio. Whereas, with USB the advantage is you proably have 3+ USB ports so, you can still use other USB devices. Whereas, with the PCMIA (I presume that the laptop only has one), you will not be able to use any other PCMIA devices when you are using the sound card.

 

I would go with the PCMCIA because, yes it faster-- but also more sturdy. A USB can be knocked out by accident, wheras a pc card has to be intetionally pulled out, but thts just my opinion, hope i could help

 

Well the USB is a separate unit while the PCMCIA card is integrated into your laptop. I don't think the connection would matter as much because from what I know USB is plenty to pass a full audio connection with.

I personally have the USB and im happy with it

 

Isn't PCMCIA being phased out for the new ExpressCard format? I've had my laptop for 3 years now and i plan on keeping it for at least another 2 but what if by the time i buy a new one it wont have a pcmcia slot? Oh and i also dont plan on using any other pcmcia devices except maybe a 802.11n wireless adapter but thats long way off.

A USB solution sounds more flexible... @spikester_05: Are you sure about the benefits you said. I read another similar thread here that said the aren't really any difference in sound quality. But on the other had im concerned for the fact that i lose a USB port...

Decisions, decisions....

More advice?

edit: i just saw the other posts. hmm still cant decide.

Any specific recommendations for either format?

 

I had the usb card and it worked pretty good and was half the price. However, my laptop was a desktop replacement and if I used it in a more mobile sense then I definitely would have went PCMCIA.

 

what i meant was. PCMCIA does have a faster data transfer rate, but as said above a USB will do just fine...

What you might want to consider do you travel alot or move your laptop around with you.... cause if so, the PCMCIA will be better as they are generally smaller than USB sound cards

 

If you want compatibility for the long run then it is definately USB..
PCMCIA is starting to die and ExpressCard is the new standard.

 

Yea that's what i was thinking too. Also i don't really move my laptop around. Only from the UK and back because i study there and the occasional lan party.

Ok then any good USB sound cards? So far i only know the Audigy 2 NX but it's like 3 years old now. Any other good ones? Not too expensive though... Around 100-120 USD?

 

See my post here

As for data transfer speed, I promise you USB is more than fast enough. I don't know for sure, but a lot of sound cards are only usb 1.1 - such as my Edirol UA-25

btw, a cheap usb port can be had for <£20 (depending on how many extra usb slots you want)

 

Wow you kinda lost me with the DAC's and amps and so on I just need a decent sound card for mostly watching movies and playing games. I'll use mostly with a 2.1 set and maybe get a 5.1 or 7.1 later on.

 

I have a 5.1 one from creative. I got the Live one and that set me back by $50....

http://www.creative.com/products/welcome.asp?category=1

 

I've decided on the Audigy 2 NX as it has slightly better features. I'm in the process of finding somewhere to actualy buy it! Not many places ship to Europe and the European ones are expensive at around 135 dollars!

I'm now looking at a US ebay store that sells refurbished ones for about 55 without shipping... I can't find anyone in ebay that sells new ones and ships to Europe.

 

If you want an alternate PCMCIA solution, check out the Echo Indigo line. I have the basic Indigo (2 identical outputs, discontinued) from ebay, about $40. Sounds MUCH better than creative labs, but will not support surround. Will drive most headphones perfectly.

They now have the Indigo I/O (1 input, 1output) or DJ (2 independent outputs. These cost a little more, but I haven't followed eBay prices for a while. Definitely worth a look if you are into sound quality, at the expense of surround sound.

 

Most of the USB sound cards on the market only support the USB 1.1 specifications, and that means, especially for the musicians, there will be a "latency" problem. Otherwise USB sound cards are just fine, the speed doesn't affect sound quality at all, it only has drastic effects on real-time audio processing, which is only needed in studio environments.

If the latency thing is not a problem, just go and buy a USB sound card.

 

I saw the Indigo ones but to be honest i'd prefer surround sound than just better sound quality..

Well i made a purchase last night and got the sound blaster Audigy 2 NX from eBay which according to the creative website is USB 2.0 so i think im good on the latency issue. Besides i have no intention whatsoever in dealing with any studio applications, simply gaming and movies.

Thanks for the help people you've all been very helpful!

 

You guys may want to read up on Audigy and Vista, if the PCMCIA version is anything like the desktop you would need to pay Creative for it to work under games in Vista.

I mean for it to work as in EAX effects, I don't know how important it would be with a 2.1 setup though.

 

ok that i did not know. What do you mean pay? Do they charge you for downloading drivers?

I don't have Vista right now and i'm not really planning on installing them anytime soon but still...

 

I'll second the previous post that commented how the USB selection was more flexible. PCMCIA is being phased out and the majority of newer laptops have an ExpressCard slot. So, should you get a new laptop you will most likely not be able to carry over the sound card. However if you get a USB sound card you won't have any problem doing that because everything has USB.

 

Yes you guys are right. A PCMCIA solution might be better regarding packaging, ie less desk clatter etc, but in the long run i think USB is better. Which is why i've just bought one! It should be here in a few days.