Ever since adding a second video card, my X-Fi sound card has been acting up--and getting worse. Around 30-60 minutes into a session, the audio will just break up and sound pretty much like a shocked Discman.

My motherboard (Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe) has a bad slot arrangement. Because the video cards both eat up two slots, I had to move the X-Fi to the PCI slot in between the two PCIe slots. Being wedged between two large video cards, the X-fi has little room to breath.

Do you think that the card is getting too hot in there, or that my problem is being caused by something else? I have a large Antec P182 case with four 120mm fans installed (and one fan fires directly on the expansion cards). I wouldn't think that it's getting too hot in there, but then again, before installing the second video card I rarely had this problem. Everything else is completely stable. Thank you, thank you very much.

3.2GHz on S939--E.T. no need phone home.
Opty 185 @ 3.2GHz
Dual 8800GTS-640, both flashed to 625/1458/1950
4GB PC3200
HD-DVD/Blu-Ray combo
A8N32-SLI Deluxe
Big Typhoon HSF

i wouldn't think it was overheating becuase sound cards aren't to sensitive, but, the symtems sound like over heat. I would get one of those laser temp gadges that they sell at pepboys for 20 bucks and see if the card gets hotter after an hour. somehow u gotta see if the card is actualy heating up. The card being in between 2 video cards though might be a problem, they both crank alot of heat. Personaly i would not build system with 2 video cards without water cooling, but thats kinda expencive. How much CFM are each of your 120mm fans. I've seen some quiet ons pump as littes as 10 cfm which wouldn't cool a system well enough. I only have one video card but I have 2 that pump 70 cfm. If you only have like 20 cfm each that only 80 total and you might not be cooling enough. Best buy sells some dynex that pump more air then any others i've seen. I can't imagin ur over heatign with 4 120mm, but your sytoms say you are.

Ultra Gladiator Blk Mid-Tower w/500w V-Series
Intel DP35DPM Socket 775 Motherboard
Intel Quad Core Kentsfield 2.4Ghz Q6600 CPU
Ultra 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz Dual Channel 2X1024
GeCub

Hey Cody, thanks for the reply. All four of my fans have three speeds, switcheable from small switches at the back of the case. At high speed, they pump quite a bit of air, but this doesn't seem to make a difference in the X-Fi's performance.

I did make an interesting discovery today. I installed my other computer's X-Fi card in the troubled computer. Guess what? It worked fine! And the troubled X-Fi is working fine in the other computer. For now, the problem seems to be solved. I'm not sure if the heat will eventually wear out this other X-Fi card or not (if heat is/was the actual problem). Hopefully not.

3.2GHz on S939--E.T. no need phone home.
Opty 185 @ 3.2GHz
Dual 8800GTS-640, both flashed to 625/1458/1950
4GB PC3200
HD-DVD/Blu-Ray combo
A8N32-SLI Deluxe
Big Typhoon HSF