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Motherboard audio codecs - please recommend

P

Peat Moss

Gawd
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
645
So I'm looking at various mobos and part of my decision will be based on the audio codec. Would like to get the best onboard sound quality without going to an external DAC (which I might get later). I'm not up on the latest codecs and could use help determining which is better.

- Realtek ALC 897 (Asus ProArt B650 Creator)
- ALC 4082 (AsRock B650 taichi. This board also has a ESS SABRE9218 DAC for Front Panel Audio)
- Realtek ALC 4080 (Asus ROG Strix B650-A Gaming)
 
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The codec itself doesn't matter as much as the implementation on board, meaning proper analog components, shielding, etc. You can have the world's best DAC chip and the pair it with a bad analog implementation and get noisy sound, or you can take a fairly run of the mill one and implement it right and things will be pretty good. For headphones in particular having an amp that can give your phones what they need, but what phones need varies on the particular headphone.

That said on paper the 4080 is better than the 897, but that is specs in a vacuum, not actual measurements.
 
^ What Sycraft said.
I have no idea about the respective codecs' driver quality, which honestly might be the only concern.

The Strix one also has integrated Wi-Fi, which, if implemented just badly enough, could actually maybe affect audio.

The middle one has also the front panel "proper" DAC, but similarly, no idea if it's implemented well. It's fun to have 2 audio devices to compare, though.
If you look at the specs of that Sabre chip, it's of course amazing, including 2 volts on the output.
However, pair it with the wrong GPU or PSU and bzzzzzz
 
michalrz said:
^ What Sycraft said.
I have no idea about the respective codecs' driver quality, which honestly might be the only concern.

The Strix one also has integrated Wi-Fi, which, if implemented just badly enough, could actually maybe affect audio.

The middle one has also the front panel "proper" DAC, but similarly, no idea if it's implemented well. It's fun to have 2 audio devices to compare, though.
If you look at the specs of that Sabre chip, it's of course amazing, including 2 volts on the output.
However, pair it with the wrong GPU or PSU and bzzzzzzThe AsRock mobo with the sabre DAC
Click to expand...

For the AsRock mobo with the Sabre DAC, what would be the "wrong" GPU or PSU to pair it with?
 
Peat Moss said:
For the AsRock mobo with the Sabre DAC, what would be the "wrong" GPU or PSU to pair it with?
Click to expand...
I was alluding to electrical 'noise' issues that like to rear their head in computer audio, especially when the soundcard lives inside the case.

For example, I could hear a faint buzzing noise whenever moving the mouse cursor back when I had a Prodigy 7.1 HiFi soundcard and a specific Gigabyte board.
Now I have a FiiO external DAC, and have to keep the keyboard RGB lights off because they cause a slight whine in the headphones.

Often times a combination of specific GPU/PSU/etc. makes such problems worse, but sadly we won't find these characteristics in reviews.
 
Peat Moss said:
- Realtek ALC 897 (Asus ProArt B650 Creator)
Click to expand...
I specifically went for this mobo (besides it meeting my other needs exactly) for the SPDIF out and the older codec, although on ASUS' site the exact chip model is not specified. Where did you get the info, and which one did you end up buying? I bought it but haven't opened it yet (waiting for other parts). Would be nice if I didn't have to return it due to a 4080 chip being on it (which would be an internal USB implementation that is inferior for digital out).
 
Firsh said:
I specifically went for this mobo (besides it meeting my other needs exactly) for the SPDIF out and the older codec, although on ASUS' site the exact chip model is not specified. Where did you get the info, and which one did you end up buying? I bought it but haven't opened it yet (waiting for other parts). Would be nice if I didn't have to return it due to a 4080 chip being on it (which would be an internal USB implementation that is inferior for digital out).
Click to expand...
the info is on their site in the spec list.
there are still a lot of boards that support spdif too, you just have to pay attention for a header if its not on the io panel.
 
pendragon1 said:
the info is on their site in the spec list.
there are still a lot of boards that support spdif too, you just have to pay attention for a header if its not on the io panel.
Click to expand...
That just says Realtek 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC, not the exact variant :/

I would have preferred the X670E, but it doesn't have SPDIF even as a header, just 1 x Front Panel Audio header (AAFP)
 
Based on recent experiences, all motherboard audio sucks. Get a portable DAC and a good headphone instead. Or go wireless with HyperX Cloud 3 S or something.
 
KickAssCop said:
Based on recent experiences, all motherboard audio sucks. Get a portable DAC and a good headphone instead. Or go wireless with HyperX Cloud 3 S or something.
Click to expand...
Already have FiiO DAC and Audio-Technica headphones, also iFi Bluetooth DAC with Alternative A2DP Driver for LDAC, but this is for getting DTS 5.1 out to sound system that I use most of the time. Can't use HDMI-based solutions.
 
Firsh said:
Already have FiiO DAC and Audio-Technica headphones, also iFi Bluetooth DAC with Alternative A2DP Driver for LDAC, but this is for getting DTS 5.1 out to sound system that I use most of the time. Can't use HDMI-based solutions.
Click to expand...
I see. Then I am not the best person to comment for speaker and 5.1 setups. Sorry.
 
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