If I remember right, all that does is go to the front panel jacks. None of those cards will have the header for it, they're too old. I generally only see that connector on newer motherboards. (newer as in post 2005)

Yes, they can be adapted and are interchangeable. I took the lazy route and just ordered a header adapter from Ebay for $0.99. I think ModDIY and PerformancePC's also sell them. I used one to adapt the AC97 audio of my VIA C7 motherboard to a Silverstone Raven case with HD audio. Some motherboards have a BIOS option to switch from AC97 to HD Audio as well.

wiretap wrote:

Yes, they can be adapted and are interchangeable. I took the lazy route and just ordered a header adapter from Ebay for $0.99. I think ModDIY and PerformancePC's also sell them. I used one to adapt the AC97 audio of my VIA C7 motherboard to a Silverstone Raven case with HD audio. Some motherboards have a BIOS option to switch from AC97 to HD Audio as well.

I am a little confused... If I plug in the header into my motherboard. wouldn't that only give me front panel audio for my integrated audio? How does my sound card route to the front panel?

I’m sorry to say but if it doesn’t have a connector then you can’t. You can check the manuals to be sure. Most are available online if you search. Some sound blasters had the facility to connect a 5.25” bay module for front panel connections but nothing that connected to built in connections on cases. Most people would just keave them. If you’re determined, you could make up a hd audio connector block to 3.5mm jacks, route the cable out the back of the machine and plug them into the jacks on the back of the sound card.

Ugh I hate typing on iPhones.

mothergoose729 wrote:

wiretap wrote:

Yes, they can be adapted and are interchangeable. I took the lazy route and just ordered a header adapter from Ebay for $0.99. I think ModDIY and PerformancePC's also sell them. I used one to adapt the AC97 audio of my VIA C7 motherboard to a Silverstone Raven case with HD audio. Some motherboards have a BIOS option to switch from AC97 to HD Audio as well.

I am a little confused... If I plug in the header into my motherboard. wouldn't that only give me front panel audio for my integrated audio? How does my sound card route to the front panel?

I was just speaking in terms of AC97 vs HD Audio. Don't know what specific pin headers your sound cards have available. If the Sound Blaster has the large 40-something pin header, you could rig that up to work. It has the speaker channels available. If you don't know what any of it means and it looks foreign to you, don't do it because you can burn out portions of the card if you hook up the cables incorrectly..

The X-Fi has a hack you can try
https://hardforum.com/threads/x-fi-xtrememusi … le-mod.1355715/

the other 2 predate the AC97 header, or any other front panel connector. You may be able to hack something to connect to speaker out on the card but would be exactly that a hack and not really worth it IMHO