Understanding PC Audio - Expert Advice Welcome!

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Syric

Weaksauce
Joined
Mar 4, 2009
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114
Hey Guys (Gals),

It seems like every time I start researching computer audio, my brain starts to hurt, I get frustrated with conflicting info, and after about 1-2hrs I'm no longer looking at my computer with...happy eyes. Sledgehammer perhaps....

Seriously though, I really would like to understand some basics, and for some reason my research on the google train isn't turning up the right kind of info. So, naturally it's time to turn to HardForum (god, I love this place/forum!). Expert advice/knowledge appreciated! Here's my questions:

1. I've a GA-EX58-UD4P (Gigabyte) motherboard. I'm using the on-board sound option (Realtek ALC889A codec). Is this really the best solution vs. a dedicated sound card? (Please support your reasoning...all I tend to find across the web is YES, NO, DOESNT MATTER. Everyone seems to have an opinion, but I'm not really finding any VALID supporting LOGICAL info to decipher which "mode" of thinking is..."more" legitimate. (Perhaps there isn't one? :confused: )

2. In the PC game, Empire: Total War, they offer some very odd/unique sound settings, and two of them have me confused on how they work: sound channels and memory. It breaks down:

Sound Channels (options are): 32, 64, 128, 256
Memory (options are): 50MB, 100MB, 200MB, 300MB
Sound Variation (options are): Small, Medium, Large

Ok....well, what the hell is what?! Sound Channels?! Memory....is that referring to the graphic card, the CPU, the page file, or the actual RAM usage? Sound variation...I'm going to go w/ it's just a straight-forward setting/option...right? *scratches noggin*

Maybe I'm just looking Waaaayyyyyyy into things at this point, but moving on....

Here's my setup:

PC >>> HDMI connection from GTX 670 GC to Denon AVR-1912 >> HDMI from receiver to 47" Phillips flat screen

PC Speaker config: 5.1 @ 24-bit 48000 Hz w/ the receiver set to "Multi-In Movie Surround" option (vs. stereo or multichannel stereo options / virtual and mono movie options should not even be a consideration!)

Speakers: 5.1 w/ all speakers set to "small" settings ( sides/center set to cross-over at 80 Hz , the 2 large front set to cross-over at 60 Hz) ....I've read from multiple good sources that recommend setting your large speakers to small, regardless of defaults....

So....how many channels is that? 5 right? the .1 is the sub ......

so where does the 32, 64, 128, 256 come back into play?

Is HDMI the better solution for sound quality, or sound I consider using the OPTIC/COAXIAL route?

Honestly, in my random quick testing....I didn't seem to catch a difference in sound output.

I've more questions, but stopping here. Any feedback/knowledge/info/etc. would be much appreciated! Thank you in advance!
 
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so basically blah blah blah...oh wait hold on basically

If you have you computer hooked up to a decent (your is) receiver w/ a decent DAC then you don't need a add on sound card (if you are using HDMI you basically aren't using the onboard sound anyways)


now onboard sound has gotten better and for people with multimedia computer speakers there is not much reason to get a better dedicated card...for people with better setups (decent bookshelf speakers and t-amps or receivers (lacking optical / coax dig options)) getting a external usb dac or decent dedicated sound card starts making sense (in that you can hear the difference.... or at least i can... and this is part of why your head probably starts hurting audio is sooo subjective and people's hearing and preferences very wildly.... so what sounds awesome to me might sound like dog food to you and vice verse and all.


now it is my experience that hdmi audio from pc to receiver is great for movies / tv (video) and dog food for music.

so what i would do if i was you is order a $5~ or so optical cable from monoprice and hook that up to the receiver from the optical port on your motherboard...

and try it.... when you want music switch over to optical (on pc and receiver) and when you want your movies/games switch to the hdmi. Now maybe you won't think there is any difference between hdmi audio w/ your music vs. optical (try it yourself) in which case you are out $5~ or so for the optical cable and oh well. But i wouldn't probably go out and buy a Xonar STX in your case not much point say.



oh yeah for the games yeah 5.1 (memory ?? probably more (highest) if you have 4GB plus ram) ... oh and HDMI for games also


stereo music = optical (imho)

multichannel stuff (video / games) = hdmi audio (imho)

This is my experience with my pc hooked up to my Yamaha RX-V573 music is better with optical and it makes more sense to use HDMI audio for Movies and whatnot.
 
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Syric said:
2. In the PC game, Empire: Total War, they offer some very odd/unique sound settings, and two of them have me confused on how they work: sound channels and memory. It breaks down:

Sound Channels (options are): 32, 64, 128, 256
Memory (options are): 50MB, 100MB, 200MB, 300MB
Sound Variation (options are): Small, Medium, Large
Click to expand...

Sound Channels referrs to the number of unique sounds that can play simultaneously. Memory obviously deals with how much memory the sound bites can be stored into RAM. I can only assume Sound Variation will limit the number of unique sounds used if you are using a slower computer. Max out all of these options for the best experience.

As already stated, since you are using HDMI, you are not actually using the onboard sound. The optical connection would allow you to use the onboard sound, might be worth fooling around with if you want. You can read people's opinions and take their advice all you want, but do what sounds/works best for you
 
If you are using HDMI you are really using a PCM Digital bitstream to the receiver's dac. However, audiophile purist with dispute you to the last drop of ink concerning a little thing called "jitter" which happens to be highest in said HDMI connections. If you are satisfied with your current set up...leave well enough alone, but if you wish to come over to the dark side - along the winding road of upgraditis, I can help you out with that.

I may be a noobie here (I just never posted here), but I'm well known in the Audio/computer audio forums at blu-ray.com, hometheaterequipment.com, and several other sites. ;) :D
 
Since the thread is already here, I don't see any reasons to open a new thread with the few questions I have. Well, as I studied and researched on the subject, computer audio boils down to a few steps:
  1. Reading and decoding the audio file from storage;
  2. Convert the generated digital signal to an analog signal;
  3. Amplify the signal;
  4. Take that signal and produce sound.

My question is: what roles do computer parts play? I think the HDD/SSD and CPU are (1), the sound card or any other kind of external DAC is (2) and the (active) speakers are (3) and (4). Am I missing anything? In other words, a complete computer sound system could be composed of (aside from the basics -- an usual computer), a sound card and decent active speakers?
 
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Basically, yes. There are considerations such as the quality of the DAC on the analog output and the quality of the audio file, but that really is all it boils down to in the end; as long as the speakers can directly accept an analog (or digital, if they're pricey enough) audio input, you don't need anything else. If they don't, then you need an intermediary device--a receiver, or an external DAC--to connect the speakers and sound card to.
 
so yeah basically what redshirt said.. however it starts getting slightly more complicated

while any sound card + powered speakers (or amp + passive speakers) can make sound come out... how good it sounds depends on the various equipment

and too some extent will be dictated by the weakest component in the chain.


Speakers are probably the biggest thing ..as far as the overall sound, then amp then DAC.


of course and I learned this at first hand... when you move up to nicer gear if your digital audio content (mp3s..etc) are of low quality or you are listening to poor bitrate / encoded streaming content ... the limitations of the files will be really shown and stuff you could have listened to before w/ onboard sound and cheap Multimedia speakers will be painful and will make you want to just turn it off when playing such material with a decent dac and amp / speakers (or headphones for that matter.)

it is something like a car i guess... a geo metro with worn shocks will get you to the store but the trip isn't going to be as nice as if you go to the store in a E-class Mercedes.
 
atarione said:
of course and I learned this at first hand... when you move up to nicer gear if your digital audio content (mp3s..etc) are of low quality or you are listening to poor bitrate / encoded streaming content ... the limitations of the files will be really shown and stuff you could have listened to before w/ onboard sound and cheap Multimedia speakers will be painful.
Click to expand...

This is the truth, not just this though, the quality of the recording, mastering really takes on importance. I can't listen to anything that's been brickwalled in the mastering on my system anymore, the clipping is really obvious. In my car, or on my phone over cheap earbuds it's fine.
 
FWIW, HDMI is just DVI video signaling + S/PDIF audio on a single cable.

HDMI is no better/worse than S/PDIF or TOSlink optical for audio quality.
HDMI is better because it's only one cable, and easier to configure (don't have to assign a seperate S/PDIF/optical input to a video source or add a second step to change audio source after you change video source.
 
it isn't exactly comparable to optical as HDMI audio has horrendous Jitter due to the way it was implemented.

personally having tested it out w/ various receivers and pc setups... I will stand by my view that for music it is much better to use Optical audio vs. HDMI ... I tried it numerous times and every time the optical audio is better than teh HDMI audio.

but whatever ..people should try it out if they don't think it makes a difference or if they think it isn't worth the extra cable use the HDMI audio all y'all want for the moment i'm pretty set on using optical for my music listening at least.
 
tdowning said:
FWIW, HDMI is just DVI video signaling + S/PDIF audio on a single cable.

HDMI is no better/worse than S/PDIF or TOSlink optical for audio quality.
HDMI is better because it's only one cable, and easier to configure (don't have to assign a seperate S/PDIF/optical input to a video source or add a second step to change audio source after you change video source.
Click to expand...

HDMI signaling supports up to 8 channels of PCM audio streams. S/PDIF only supports 2. HDMI also supports bitstreaming things like DTS-MA and Dolby TrueHD.
 
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