Help required - Echo soundcards and Abit mobos.

[Alchemist3k]

I have an ABit K7A RAID mobo with an AMD athlon 1333mhz. I have been told that Athlon processors are not a problem but I read on the echo website that they don't recommend abit mobos.

My mobo has a VIA chipset.

I need to know because I am thinking strongly about buying an Echo Mona soundcard and want to know if any of you good folks have had any problems with this combination of soundcard and mobo (or any other echo soundcard for that reason)?

Thanks,
Neil Jordan

 

[Emeric]

I hit the magic key and my post vanished... what is that??


Anyway. What I was saying.

The motherboard manufacturer is not your #1 concern (damn close though). If it's a generic POS then you may have problems.

Your real concern is the chipset. ABIT are good boards as are ASUS. I find these companies go in cycles though, 4 months, ABIT rocks, 4 months ABIT sucks, ASUS rocks etc.

Ask echo, 'are there any known compatability problems with XXX motherboard and XXX chipset?' They should be able to answer that, if not. I'd look at another soundcard.

VIA is generally problematic. Intel is a safer bet. Just the way it is.

I'm very tempted myself to get an AMD system together. The MHz are way up there but doesn't help much if your system is freaking out all the time.

So - Chipset, that represents the biggest factor. Quality of the board itself is second. These are complicated devices, they either work or don't. Special applications like Audio recording fall into a different set of requirements.

Research it. But, VIA would not be my first choice for a chipset.

Ask the manufacture of your soundcard about chipsets. There may be many soundcards that will work with your particuliar chipset. What VIA chipset is it? Should be in your manual, or take the case off and look at the chipset. I've seen some weird shit with ASUS boards and certain programs. The possibilities for problems are endless with computers and 'anything' that has a chip in it. So, give the soundcard manufacturers exact info, if they can't help or give you info, f**k them, look elsewhere.