Need cheap audio card

[gamingaccess]

Hello guys

I would like to buy a relatively cheap ($20-$90) sound card compatible with Mountain Lion

Hopefully form a company that created the card to be compatible with Mac in the first place

I appreciate responses. I know Realtek audio works great, would be awesome to have a card with that chipset.

I don't care about fancy features, but Optical Audio out would be nice

I don't want USB, and PCI is too old, I would prefer PCI-E

Thanks in advance

 

[Kraken]

If you want cheap and something that works great then it's hard to beat USB. Creative, for example, makes several Mac products but they are all USB.

PCIe Mac-compatible audio interfaces are above your listed price range starting around $500. They are meant more for recording studios than for general home use.

Consider that the only Mac with a PCIe slot is the Mac Pro. It already has sound so there is little market for what you're asking for in the non-Hackintosh world. On the other hand, plenty of recording studios use Mac Pro computers so there is a plethora of high-end options.

Here is a PCI (not PCIe) card that is in your price range at $85: M-Audio Audiophile 2496.

As for USB, you might want to consider the Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D THX USB ($64.99). The Creative Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Alpha gaming headset ($40) can be used both as a headset and as a stand-alone sound card because the headset unplugs from the USB interface. Even a cheap Syba SD-CM-UAUD USB ($9) works great. Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Amigo II USB ($23) also works well. All of these USB adapters and the PCI card are compatible with Mac or PC so you can dual boot.

 

[beelzebozo]

You can get some cheap-o USB compatible sound cards, around $20 for a line in and out. Otherwise, you'll need to get a PCI card.

There are no Realtek PCI cards available on the market unfortunately.