Intel(r) AC'97 Audio Controller - SigmaTel Codec

[Oleg]

Hi

I'm planning to buy a laptop that has Intel(r) AC'97 Audio Controller
- SigmaTel Codec. One of the reviews mentioned poor sound on this
laptop. I do not know if they were referring to the built-in speakers
or to the sound chip.

My question is: should the audio chip make any difference in the sound
quality? AFAIK this sound chip relies on the CPU for all computation.

If anyone has used this audio controller (Intel(r) AC'97 Audio
Controller - SigmaTel Codec), could you please comment on its quality?

This is really important to me because I won't be able to return that
laptop without a hefty restocking fee.

Thank you in advance for your time.

Oleg

[Grasso]

Hi!

>My question is: should the audio chip make any difference in the sound
>quality? AFAIK this sound chip relies on the CPU for all computation.
>
>If anyone has used this audio controller (Intel(r) AC'97 Audio
>Controller - SigmaTel Codec), could you please comment on its quality?

Probably not this one but Sigmatel codecs wear the tag of "cheap and
dirty". Maybe an outdated experience, anyway.

The PCB layout and some external components add to the sound, this can
degrade the performance much more than the worst codec could.

>This is really important to me because I won't be able to return that
>laptop without a hefty restocking fee.

So be prepaired to have to buy a PCMIA soundcard. AFAIK Apple
notebooks have fine audio, and hasn´t Apple recently reintroduced line
inputs, but most PC notebook manufacturers leave us in the cold.

Better watch out that you get a good basic notebook (good chipset,
good CPU choice and cooling design, mechanical reliability, comfort,
and last but not least compatibility with open-source OSes: Some day
not too soon away you might need it). Then, you can still add
components via PCMIA.

Uli

--
------- http://grassomusic.de -------

[Trevor]

"Grasso" <gras...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sf6jqu8t4gchbpdeo...@4ax.com...

> So be prepaired to have to buy a PCMIA soundcard. AFAIK Apple
> notebooks have fine audio, and hasn´t Apple recently reintroduced line
> inputs, but most PC notebook manufacturers leave us in the cold.
>
> Better watch out that you get a good basic notebook (good chipset,
> good CPU choice and cooling design, mechanical reliability, comfort,
> and last but not least compatibility with open-source OSes: Some day
> not too soon away you might need it). Then, you can still add
> components via PCMIA.

Or better still, there are a number of good external USB solutions starting
with the Creative Extigy and moving up to the multi-channel 24/96 pro sound
boxes.

Trevor.

[Arny Krueger]

"Trevor" <trevor@home> wrote in message
news:3dad161d$0$12760$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au

BTW Trevor, I solved the problem of making "smooth" frequency
response curves with high accuracy and in a reasonable amount of time
using Spectra. I believe that smooth curves were a concern to you.

Please see http://www.pcavtech.com/soundcards/LynxTWO/index.htm

[Trevor]

"Arny Krueger" <ar...@hotpop.com> wrote in message
news:cwdr9.2228$jL5....@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com...

> "Trevor" <trevor@home> wrote in message
> news:3dad161d$0$12760$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au
>
> BTW Trevor, I solved the problem of making "smooth" frequency
> response curves with high accuracy and in a reasonable amount of time
> using Spectra. I believe that smooth curves were a concern to you.

Yes I solved that problem ages ago. Simply use the "Real Transfer Function"
as described in the manual.

Your new graphs are much nicer. I hope you do a test on the new Audigy2
sometime soon.

Trevor.