Replacing a Broken Sound Card

Reader Ed Levy writes: I used to enjoy sound on my computer. Now I have no sound at all. I was told it would cost $300 to replace the sound card inside my computer. Someone else tells me an external sound card can return my sound at lower cost. What to do?

Considering you can replace the entire computer for $300, believe me, you can get a new sound card for much cheaper than that. Since many computers have sound functions integrated with the motherboard, sound cards are not the major product that they were five years ago, but there are still plenty of products on the market for both budget consumers and high-end enthusiasts.

If you want to pay as little as possible, generic sound cards are readily available that should support your basic sound needs for less than 10 bucks. Here's an AOpen card that retails for a whopping $5.99.

Now you obviously realize that you get what you pay for, and six dollars isn't going to get you cutting-edge sound. You may instead opt for a brand-name product and a little more money. Creative Labs' Sound Blaster line is the industry standard. You can find Sound Blaster products starting at $11, but I'd recommend something from the Audigy line. Depending on how much you want to spend, you can get cards for $23.99 to $100 for a very high-end card.

Finally, let's talk external. So-called "external" sound cards are not really sound cards at all, but USB devices that bypass your motherboard's usual sound system and use USB to create audio instead. There are a few on the market, including a Sound Blaster Live! External, which starts at $42.97. I've tested this product and it works fine, but audio via USB is never as good as audio via internal card, in my opinion. It does have one huge advantage, of course: Being a USB device, you need only plug it in and possibly install a driver, and your audio will work. If you're afraid of opening your computer case to install an internal card, this is a great solution.

So, whichever way you decide to go, trust me, you don't need to spend $300, or even $50 to get quality sound restored to your PC. Tell your friend I said he's nuts.