Need a decent PCI-Express Low Profile Sound card.

[Format _C:]

I got Dell Precision T1700 (SFF) that is now serving bedroom (HTPC Netflix and music) duty.
I'm using a Carver HR-722 with a pair of JBL Northridge (I forget the # but the plastic out door ones) anyway the Dell has a cheap RealTek 2-Channel on board audio chipset that sucks (Well it is a business class PC so audio is not really the main use of it).

I have a Samsung 40" TV that I have hooked to a Display Port to HDMI and the headphone out goes to the Carver (even this sounds better then the on-board RealTek) but I use it for music to fall asleep to and if I shut the TV off (this TV does have a backlight off mode but I have to do it though the menus no single press discrete key like my Sony does) the audio goes away as well.

So I need a cheap low profile PCI-Express sound card as the SFF version of the Precision T1700 has no conventional PCI slots (If it did I would be covered here LoL).
I don't know the first thing about add-in sound cards as I have not needed one since by first PC (I built that when I was 16 in the year 2000).
The Dell has 2 slots one being a PCI-e 16x Gen 3 and the other being a 4x gen 2 (but the slot looks to have no end cap EX: a longer card can fit with no modifications needed).

I think add-in sound cards are only 1x anyway?

Thank You in advance.

 

[travm]

https://www.newegg.ca/asus-xonar-se/p/N82E16829132086

Canadian storefront, but this would be my recommendation.

 

[pendragon1]

^^ that and just change the .ca to .com. it also way cheaper in US...

 

[travm]

^^ that and just change the .ca to .com. it also way cheaper in US...

rub it in why dont you.

 

[Format _C:]

https://www.newegg.ca/asus-xonar-se/p/N82E16829132086

Canadian storefront, but this would be my recommendation.

This looks like it will do the job and on the plus side it even has an optical out if I get a newer receiver in the bedroom but the Carver was a gift as the person who gave it to me said the balance pot had to be just right for both channels to be on.
That was easily fixed. I even found the original sales receipt taped to the under-side of the Carver!

^^ that and just change the .ca to .com. it also way cheaper in US...

rub it in why dont you.

LoL!
Ha ha Canada "Flapping heads so full of lies" South Park joke from the old 1999 movie I was 15 then but I had a friend get me in LoL!

 

[pendragon1]

rub it in why dont you.

in the same boat...

 

[Format _C:]

in the same boat...
View attachment 344353

LoL! Ha Ha to you both I'm in the US (Connecticut to be exact where you get taxed for existing hell my cat got taxed for saying Me-Ow as cats like to say) I'm moving to Vermont soon when my housing application get approved!

 

[B00nie]

I got Dell Precision T1700 (SFF) that is now serving bedroom (HTPC Netflix and music) duty.
I'm using a Carver HR-722 with a pair of JBL Northridge (I forget the # but the plastic out door ones) anyway the Dell has a cheap RealTek 2-Channel on board audio chipset that sucks (Well it is a business class PC so audio is not really the main use of it).

I have a Samsung 40" TV that I have hooked to a Display Port to HDMI and the headphone out goes to the Carver (even this sounds better then the on-board RealTek) but I use it for music to fall asleep to and if I shut the TV off (this TV does have a backlight off mode but I have to do it though the menus no single press discrete key like my Sony does) the audio goes away as well.

So I need a cheap low profile PCI-Express sound card as the SFF version of the Precision T1700 has no conventional PCI slots (If it did I would be covered here LoL).
I don't know the first thing about add-in sound cards as I have not needed one since by first PC (I built that when I was 16 in the year 2000).
The Dell has 2 slots one being a PCI-e 16x Gen 3 and the other being a 4x gen 2 (but the slot looks to have no end cap EX: a longer card can fit with no modifications needed).

I think add-in sound cards are only 1x anyway?

Thank You in advance.

Why not get a cheap AV amp and use the HDMI audio return channel from your tv. You'd have an option for surround also later.

 

[Format _C:]

Why not get a cheap AV amp and use the HDMI audio return channel from your tv. You'd have an option for surround also later.

2 reasons

1. I don't think my 2012 Samsung TV supports that.
2. I still want audio if the TV is turned off as I also use this as a music player I am currently using the Display Port audio VIA an Display Port to HDMI adapter and the line out on the TV to the Carver HR-722 as the RealTek is so horrible even this "kludge" of a solution has better quality then the
onboard RealTek solution on the Dell

My main PC also has RealTek audio as some others of mine but I think it is just this 2-channel (it is a PC for business use after all so audio is not it's intended use anyway, maybe communications but not music)

 

[Darunion]

Maybe get an external sound card or usb dac to do that instead of limiting yourself to low profile cards only, plus then you can move them to a regular pc later on or whatever.

 

[Format _C:]

Maybe get an external sound card or usb dac to do that instead of limiting yourself to low profile cards only, plus then you can move them to a regular pc later on or whatever.

I'd rather had an internal card as where the PC & TV and other stuff sits not much room for anything else, plus the Asus card that travm linked to has both the standard and low-profile brackets. Also $40 + the damn required internet sales tax (tax free internet shopping was fun while it lasted LoL) is not that much to spend + I can use it in another build latter as it has both brackets as I said.

 

[Format _C:]

OK Thank You all problem solved I searched Asus XONAR on eBay and I found This so I bought it I got it the other day and I can say wow a big improvement over the onboard sound card solution.
Not 100% needed but I wonder if I can find or make an adapter for the card to make the front panel microphone & headphone jacks on the Dell work?

 

[pendragon1]

Not 100% needed but I wonder if I can find or make an adapter for the card to make the front panel microphone & headphone jacks on the Dell work?

it looks like a custom header on the board, so i doubt theres an adapter. BUT, the card does have the needed header, so you could trace the wires, pull them from the cable and splice on a standard hd audio head. the wires might even be the standard color coding inside the black cover.