The sound in a high-end desktop PC is usually produced by a sound card (also known as an audio card) that is installed on the computer's motherboard in an adapter slot, an example of which is shown in the image above. The sound card, in turn, is attached to other peripheral devices such as a CD/DVD drive in order to produce sound via the operating system, which uses the card's software driver and a sound player, such as the Windows Media Player (WMP), or a third-party sound player such as a Winamp, Real Player, or Apple's QuickTime.
It is also possible for the sound chip to be incorporated into the desktop or laptop/notebook PC's motherboard. If that is the case, it is called integrated sound. Most of the devices in a laptop/notebook PC are usually integrated on the motherboard, including the sound chip. However, laptop PCs are evolving into upgradable computers that have separate, removable graphics cards and processors. The hard disk drives have always been upgradable.
A sound card can be supplied to a laptop PC/computer via a PC card via a CardBus/PCMCIA slot (old technolody), or via an ExpressCard/54 slot (current technology).
External USB or FireWire sound devices, sometimes called a sound card, that plug into a USB or FireWire port on the computer, are available. They work externally to the computer in the same way as an internal sound card. You can enter the search terms usb sound cards or firewire sound cards in the Google search box at the top of this page to find examples of these sound peripheral devices.
Sound card reviews
There are UK and US several websites that provide reviews of the latest sound cards and the sound devices that provide a PC with sound, such as USB sticks. You can find those websites by entering the words sound card reviews in the Google search box provided at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled). Here is a good UK website:
Test Freaks - Sound card reviews -
http://www.testfreaks.co.uk/sound-cards/
USB stick sound cards
If you don't have a high-end sound card installed in your desktop or laptop PC, you can add a sophisticated sound capability by using a USB stick sound card from around only £17. Here are a few examples:
Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! [£40] -
"Ultra-realistic gaming audio with headphone surround. Creative's Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! brings incredible gaming audio to any computer, anywhere! Designed just like a USB stick it plugs into a PC to bring you incredible X-Fi headphone surround and maximum realism, thanks to its EAX Advanced HD support. Its 1GB memory stores the installation software and lets you save your game settings and levels. Ideal for LAN parties, it supports hundreds of titles under Windows XP and Vista - and even fits on your key ring for maximum portability! The Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! is the fast and easy upgrade to Xtreme Fidelity." - http://uk.store.creative.com/products/product.aspx?catid=1&pid=17872
Terratec Aureon Dual USB Sound Card for PC and Notebook [£17] -
Read the purchaser reviews.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Terratec-Aureon-Dual-USB-Notebook/dp/B000WL23KC
Sound Blaster How-to Guide
The Sound Blaster How-to Guide provides comprehensive information on getting the best from a Sound Blaster device. It is broken down into a Gaming Mode, an Entertainment Mode and an Audio Creation Mode. -
http://www.creative.com/products/soundblaster/howto/
(For complete article go to PC Buyer Beware)
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