External upgrades

You might not feel confident enough to open your PC, in which case an external sound card is an option. It is mandatory with laptop PCs. External sound cards are housed in their own boxes that plug into the PC or laptop using the USB port. They are easy to install and when you are heading out with your laptop, you can unplug it and leave it behind. There are also sound cards that plug into a laptop’s PC Card expansion slot.

Improving access

Even if you are content with the sound that your PC produces, you may not be so happy about the location of the sockets. Sound cards frequently have all their sockets at the back of the computer where they are very difficult to reach. A few sound card upgrades provide a special unit that slots into a drive bay at the front of the PC, providing sockets for the microphone, line in and out, and so on.

Updating drivers

Stereo to surround sound

The simplest audio set-up is a pair of stereo speakers. By adding a subwoofer or bass unit we get what’s called a 2.1 sound system – two speakers and one subwoofer. It is possible to surround yourself with speakers and this leads to 5.1 and 7.1 sound systems. You don’t have to use this many speakers and 7.1 sound cards can be configured as a 2.1 system if you pefer.

Buying a sound card

Creative has a popular range of sound cards called SoundBlaster. At the bottom end, the SoundBlaster Live! 24-bit offers 7.1 surround sound for £25, but prices rise to £250 for the Sound Blaster Xi-Fi Elite Pro. TerraTec and Trust can provide internal and external options from stereo to 7.1. Budget models are unlikely to be much better than your PC’s current sound card though.