do i really need a sound card for a 5.1 speaker system

so im planning to get the logitech Z506 and I want to know if i should a pick up a sound card as well. does it really make a difference if I either use the motherboards onboard sound(dont know the proper term) or a sound card?

it would be a nice positive if you did and if your really into your audio then a sound card would also be benefitial or if you audio edit. if none of the above applies and you didnt really want to spend the money in the first place. dont.

I doubt it will make an enormous difference on those speakers. They're more for audio editing/recording and headphone use.

Although i got my Xonar DG for only £25.

so im planning to get the logitech Z506 and I want to know if i should a pick up a sound card as well. does it really make a difference if I either use the motherboards onboard sound(dont know the proper term) or a sound card?

TheShadowLord07

It depends. Certain features like EAX, Dolby Digital and DTS usually neccesitate a dedicated sound card. I've been rolling with an X-fi Fatality for a few years and it has performed very well in giving me great sound for games and movies. My PC is plugged into my TV and a Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speaker set. Since the PC doubles in a Home Theatre role I've needed the dedicated sound card, particularly if I'm watching DVD or Blu-Ray with DTS or Dolby Digital audio. For gaming the need for the card has been mixed; when games support EAX it's been great but not a lot of titles seem to require it for the higher end audio quality. Additionally many motherboards now have on-board 5.1 that's pretty good in it's own right. In fact a few of the ASUS Rampage line have an X-fi card integrated into the board. In the end if you plan on watching a lot of movies,using your PC as a stereo, and wanting to exploit higher-end audio features when available, a good sound card can be a worthy investment. I would highly recommend checking the sound capabilities of your motherboard before looking to buy a card, and then by heavily researching the cards you're interested in. Some X-fi users have had nightmarish results, same with ASUS Xonar users. Just do your homework and you'll be fine.