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Upgrade Guide: Revamp Your PC's Sound System

Steps for expanding your audio dimensions.

Stan Miastkowski

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If your PC has a basic sound card that's a couple of years old and produces only standard, two-channel stereo, it may be time to expand your audio dimensions. Today's sound cards not only deliver ultrahigh fidelity, but they also offer a raft of features, including 3D sound. Using a technique called psychoacoustics, most of today's cards can fool your ears with a realistic illusion of Surround Sound--even if you're using just two speakers.

The latest cards include Dolby 5.1 processing, which will give you true digital surround if you invest in a good PC surround speaker set or hook up your computer to your home theater system. That's especially useful if your PC has a DVD drive. The cards also synthesize 3D sound from standard stereo material (such as .mp3 files or tracks on an audio CD).

Even today's basic sound cards ($50 to $75) include some surround capabilities. If you're willing to invest a bit more, about $100 will buy a card with true surround that's optimized for serious game playing or for ripping audio CDs to MP3 or WMA format. Game-focused cards include support for 3D sound effects, which offer a new level of realism. And MP3 cards come with extras that make creating MP3s or audio compilation CDs a breeze.

If you want all the extras, consider a card like the Sound Blaster Live Platinum 5.1 shown here (about $200), which includes all the latest Dolby 5.1, game, and MP3 features. The card also comes with a central connection box (called LiveDrive) that installs in a free external drive bay to provide advanced digital and analog audio connections and extra MIDI ports.

But a new sound card can be a waste unless you also upgrade your speakers. Most off-the-shelf PCs come with speakers that produce tinny, AM radio-like sound. Figure on spending $100 to $200 for a good-quality set of speakers; the higher-priced systems include rear speakers and even a center-channel "dialog" speaker for true 3D sound. Of course, you can spend more for audiophile favorites like the Klipsch ProMedia ($250), or hook up your PC to your home theater system.

And if your PC doesn't have a DVD drive, adding one when you upgrade your sound system is a logical step. (See April's Upgrade Guide for details.)

As always, perform a full backup of your PC before you do a major system upgrade.

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