ac97 codec on a new intel 925x mobo?

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nickal78

Weaksauce
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Mar 28, 2004
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I have a dell 8400. The mobo is based on the intel 925x however but the integrated sound comes up as ac97. Isn't that the old 5.1 channel integrated and not the new intel hd sound? I poked around the mobo and I see a chip marked ADI1980 if that helps.
 
Research your chip. Although Intel put HD audio on the chipset, Dell isn't obligated to use it. AC'97 can still output 5.1 surroundsound on it's own; HD-Audio will not become real until Creative or VIA (Envy) put out solutions for it. Don't count on Realtek, ADI, or soundmax (etc) to make something worthwhile.
 
Why not? Have you seen the specs on them? Both of the companys' HD Audio offerings feature SNRs in the 100+ dB range, and a wide range of digital resolution and sampling rate options. How are Realtek and C-Media incapable of producing good sound? Their latest offerings are leaps and bounds better than the AC '97 you know and hate.
 
It's ironic that you name Analog Devices (ADI) as a company that can't produce an audiophile's chip, when in reality their op-amps and DACs not only provide the backbone to all high-end Creative consumer and professional products, but also are found in some of the best audio amplifiers, like the Gainclone and other high quality chip-amps.
 
But I'm not considering what they produce at the high end- I'm considering what get's sold as an onboard audio solution.

There is a flip side, that is not entirely dependant on the codec- the PCB layout for the codec must also be clean and well set up, or the codec will also sound like crap; this shoudl be obvious. I could give a shit what Realtek claims the SNR is on such and such codec- half of the limiting factor is that the chips have mostly checklist features (enough implementation to check it off) and the other half is that motherboard makers aren't in the business of making top end sound solutions. I know there are exceptions out there, but this is how I percieve the market today. Just so you know, I'd love to be proven wrong here- but I follow this stuff fairy closely and haven't seen much to the contrary.
 
Then maybe you should have stated your position more clearly.

This
IdiotInCharge said:
Don't count on Realtek, ADI, or soundmax (etc) to make something worthwhile.
Click to expand...
sounds like you're pointing the finger directly at these companies.

Besides, PCI implementations of these chips are not unheard-of. It just takes a good board manufacturer to take them up on it. Consider that VIA/ICEnsemble (the original designer of Envy chips) were never big, established names in the PC audio business, and I think you know how well they were received by makers of high-end consumer products, and some professional PC audio products. It speaks well for CMI/Realtek if their codecs are worthwhile this time around.
 
Sorry, I'm not sure what comparisons you are trying to draw between ICE's technology and Realtek's- they have just now approached similer markets (while at opposite ends of the spectrum) coming from totally oposite directions. Notice the "etc" in with the quote- means companies like these that cater to bottom barrel integrated solutions. I don't pretend to know all of them. Again, UNTIL Realtek ETC start pushing out real solutions, and somebody makes a viable discreet solution out of it, I do not see the possibility of them making quality products that can compare to stuff that VIA and Creative are producing. VIA has stated they are going to pursue HD-Audio with their next solution- I foresee that as being the first part to have a real viable implementation of the technology, unless Creative beats them to it (doubtful). Of course, I'd still rather have the Creative solution for the hardware sound support and impeccable game support.
 
Wait a second, comparing specs, the newest Realtek and CMI solutions are similar to or better than some Creative and VIA chips. That's my point; the chips are fine but the implementations are at fault. They aren't approaching from totally opposite directions--I don't know how you determined that.
 
ICE started with high end professional chips and worked their way down to integrated (mostly motivated by VIA), while Realtek started with shit and improved it. Let me know if that doesn't make sense; can't be any clearer to me.

In my opinion, what Realtek ETC state that the chip can do is largely irrelevent until it is implemented in a solution proving it can be done- but I have yet to see a card on the shelf with a Realtek APU on it. Maybe it could aproach the company's claims within the same margins as Creative and M-Audio achieve, but again, till I see it it don't exist. Prove me wrong if I'm wrong.
 
You have your opinions and I have mine. There's nothing to be proven here. :)
 
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