GTX 580 question for a pro :)

[apachehavok]

Hey everyone. I cant for the life of me find an answer to this question so im asking the Nvidia pros.

I have a Sabertooth x58 motherboard. It has 3 pcie slots.

2 of them claim they are x16.

My issue is that the regular PCI slot, which I need, gets covered up when using a video card on the top slot.

When my GTX 580 comes in, can I install it on the second lower PCIe16 slot and see no performance degrade? The only reason I ask is because the manual states that a single GPU should be in the first slot only but other have said that its ok to use the lower one as well.

Thanks for the help!

[Kemo]

I've never heard/seen a GPU working in anything below the first PCIE x16 slot. But try it. If your mobo says no, it will let you know via beeps and/or on-screen messages.

[Redeemed]

I think it really depends on your mobo. I've used the bottome PCI-e slot before as they cooler air is towards the bottom of your case, so I figured putting my video card as close to that as possible would help it run cooler. Worked fine.

But again, think it depends on your mobo. Give it a go. It'll either work or it wont. One thing to check is that most mobo's give you the option to choose which video to boot from; i.e PCI-e 1 --> PCI-e 2 --->PCI-e 3, etc. If you're using PCI-e 2 make sure that's where the system looks first for a video output.

[apachehavok]

I there are people that say that it will post on the second pcix16 slot no problem. My question is if I will get the same performance.

[lduguay]

PCI-E 8x or 16x makes very little or no differences on a GTX 580.
I use 2 GTX 480 one, at 16x top slot, and the other @ the bottom slot at 8x. The benchies shows zero gain/loss, but makes a huge diff on temps.

[apachehavok]

Cool. Thanks for the info guys. I contacted asus and they said it would work at full x16 speed.

Thanks!

Now the question is this. What is better, the audigy 1 or the onboard realtek on the sabertooth x58?

[lduguay]

For serious audio, i would use the GTX 580 with HDMI audio pass-through. For desktop speakers, I would use the onboard realtek and I would get rid of that Audigy.

[apachehavok]

Can you please elaborate on why you would prefer the on board realtek vs's a dedicated card?

[musman]

Originally Posted by lduguay

For serious audio, i would use the GTX 580 with HDMI audio pass-through. For desktop speakers, I would use the onboard realtek and I would get rid of that Audigy.

This is very interesting. Being a 2 channel audiophile for many years I kind of ignored computer audio & just don't know much about it. I have three stereo systems at home ranging from huge 7foot tall B&W tower speakers with a tube pre-amp and solid state amp, that I listen to mostly vinyl on. To electrostatic speakers, ribbon/planar magnetic hybrid speakers and also one of a kind custom built single driver, no crossover high efficiency speakers driven by all tube electronics. So I have a very open mind about they type of sound I like, depends on what I am listing to and also my mood.

I have (I will post links) a DFI LANPARTY JR X58-T3H6 MB that uses Realtek ALC889 audio chip. My speakers are KRK Rokit 8 studio monitors, these are the original version without the curved baffle, AKA Generation #1.

My video card is an EVGA GTX-285. I was told I can get audio through that card to my two speakers. Remember I will not be doing multi channel, just stereo, no sub at this point either.

My questions are:

#1 Is using the 285 GPU better that my MB audio?

#2 How do I hook it up that way?

#3 Is this better than a high quality dedicated audio card?

#4 Is it better or worse than getting a separate DAC and use my MB to send a signal to it and have the DAC decode the audio?

So basically, what is my best choice for fidelity?


My MB: http://lp.lanparty.com.tw/portal/CM/...rmal&mode=view

My Speakers: http://www.krksys.com/manuals/ROKITGRPManual.pdf

Thank You

[apachehavok]

Mind started a new thread to answer your question seeing as its completely different then what we are trying to get answered on this one?

THanks


Question still stands.

Onboard realtek (latest version) vs a dedicated audigy 1.

Any reasons why I would use the onboard over the audigy?

[musman]

Originally Posted by apachehavok

Mind started a new thread to answer your question seeing as its completely different then what we are trying to get answered on this one?

THanks


Question still stands.

Onboard realtek (latest version) vs a dedicated audigy 1.

Any reasons why I would use the onboard over the audigy?

Sorry about that. I didn't mean to hijack your thread.