The ASUS P4PE Pentium 4 motherboard has an integrated sound chip called the Analog Devices AD1980 SoundMAX. The AD1980 SoundMAX features support for 20-bit audio and sample rates up to 96 kHz, has six digital sound channels and features analog and digital output connections. If you are unhappy with the quality or capabilities of the AD1980 SoundMAX, the P4PE also supports several types of third-party sound cards.
Internal Devices
The P4PE has six slots for conventional PCI add-on cards; it does not support the newer PCI Express form factor. Internal sound cards make cable management simpler, as you can run your speaker cables through the same conduit that you use for your computer's other input/output devices. PCI sound cards may also be preferable in performance-sensitive applications such as recording and gaming; the PCI bus has a maximum transfer rate of 133MB per second, while USB 2.0 -- the only option available on the P4PE for external sound cards -- can transfer data only up to 60MB per second.
External Devices
The P4PE can support an external sound card via one of its USB 2.0 ports. External sound cards are convenient; if you frequently connect items such as headphones and microphones, an external sound card puts these connections at your fingertips. An external sound card gives you a physical control for volume adjustment and is portable; you can easily remove an external sound card and connect it to another computer.
Compatible Sound Cards
Some of the sound cards compatible with the P4PE include the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Extreme Audio and Turtle Beach Riviera -- both PCI cards -- and the M-Audio Fast Track Pro, an external USB device. The Sound Blaster X-Fi Extreme Audio has the ability to convert 16-bit MP3 files to 24-bit during playback for enhanced sound quality, while the Turtle Beach Riviera supports Dolby Digital and DTS home theater receivers. The M-Audio Fast Track Pro is marketed to recording enthusiasts. It features multiple connections for microphones, musical instruments and MIDI synthesizers. It also has the ability to deliver "phantom power" to microphones that require it.
Disabling Onboard Audio With the BIOS
The P4PE is designed to detect when you have installed a new sound card and disable the integrated audio chip automatically. If this feature fails, you may notice system instability after installing a sound card. You can disable the integrated audio chip of the P4PE to prevent a system resource conflict from the BIOS setup utility. To enter the setup utility, press the "Delete" key after turning your computer on. Locate the "Onboard AC97 Audio Controller" option under the "I/O Device Configuration" heading and set it to "Disabled."
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