What sound cards is everyone using these days?

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dalearyous

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jun 21, 2008
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its been almost 4 years since i built a new computer and im about to do it. i currently own an audigy 2 plat sound card and was wondering if the onboard sound these days is any good? if not what cards are you using?
 
i really do like the xfi cards. especially the titanium champion series (has the front access panel) but its whopping $200
 
[H]adouken;1033672570 said:
Do sound cards *significantly* improve sound quality/control or anything?
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I haven't been able to notice a difference between my P5K Deluxe's onboard sound and an X-Fi Platinum. Both were SPDIF-optical connected to an Onkyo TX-DS595 receiver with Paradigm Mini Monitor speakers.
 
JaYp146 said:
I haven't been able to notice a difference between my P5K Deluxe's onboard sound and an X-Fi Platinum. Both were SPDIF-optical connected to an Onkyo TX-DS595 receiver with Paradigm Mini Monitor speakers.
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That's because you're using SPDIF... Lol. Obviously, you're not going to notice audio quality difference.
 
I have never and will never buy a gimmicky "gaming" soundcard. External USB or S/PDIF DAC's are all you need. Leave surround sound to movies where it belongs. A proper 2.0/2.1 stereo setup can blow the doors off most of those "computer" marketed speaker setups from Klipsch/Logitech aswell as give you accurate positional audio.
 
I have 3 active cards (not counting my wife's computer).
MX-300 Vortex2 on my retro PC.
X-Fi Fatal1ty modded on my main pc.
x-fi Prelude on my HTPC.
Ive tried both the sonar d2 and the prelude on the same machine and both were CLEARLY better than the build in sound card...thats an Asus p5k-e.
Of course, you need gear capable of making those differences audible but there is no question about it...the difference is BIG.

Regards
 
Yeah you know onboards gotten pretty impressive. I'm a very subjective audio listener and I've been told I'm not very good with bass (as In most people go from 20-20k, I go from 40-20k :( ), but 256k mp3, this onboard "Supreme FX II" (I think its just realteks ALC888 but I'll check, and my now year old sennhieser HD515s keep me perfectly happy.
 
Razer Barracuda AC-1. Gives me crystal clear sound through SPDIF and plenty of settings to play with.
 
harmattan said:
Razer Barracuda AC-1. Gives me crystal clear sound through SPDIF and plenty of settings to play with.
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Crystal clear sound into what speakers/headphones? Playing what? Music?

Then again, audio is super relative. If you haven't heard anything that is higher end that you can compare things to, then you can be quite happy with your current setup.
 
harmattan said:
Razer Barracuda AC-1. Gives me crystal clear sound through SPDIF and plenty of settings to play with.
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The quality of your sound output when using digital out is dependent mostly on your amplifers DAC, not the soundcard itself.
 
Nenu said:
The quality of your sound output when using digital out is dependent mostly on your amplifers DAC, not the soundcard itself.
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This.

I find it absolutely hilarious that people spend money on a soundcard then use the S/PDIF out...

The S/PDIF OUT on a fancy soundcard is bit-for-bit identical to the S/PDIF out on you're mobo.

If you didn't have a S/PDIF out on you're mobo and thats all you wanted, there are plenty of cheap soundcards that offer one.
 
Criccio- I tohught some mobo's s/pdif actually send out 48khz instead of the ideal 44.1khz? Or is that fixed and/or non-issue nowadays?
 
Alai said:
Well, you're also using a Platinum which is one of the lower quality cards in terms of DACs.
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I thought the mediocre sound quality was more due to the output opamps then the DAC's...but this can be remedied if you have some decent soldering skills:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/hotrodding-x-fi-laymans-guide-no-56k-226975/

To the OP:
A discrete sound card only matters if you're using analog outputs. Digital will be the same as others have mentioned. Also, you may or may not notice any difference depending on how good your speakers or headphones are. If you're using cheap stuff, you likely won't be able to tell a difference.
 
im going to be using it with a 5.1 logitech speaker set...i really want optical out because i have a klipsch f3 synergy series surround sound system with my yamaha receiver and i use the computer with my home theater alot. so as long as there is an optical out on the mobo i guess i wouldn't need one
 
450 said:
Criccio- I tohught some mobo's s/pdif actually send out 48khz instead of the ideal 44.1khz? Or is that fixed and/or non-issue nowadays?
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Which is ideal is subjective to the media you are playing back. Redbook CD's are 44.1khz while film audio tracks (DD/DTS) is 48khz.

My onboard can output whatever you want, and what I select is reflected on my Pre/Pro's screen.

Untitled-28.jpg
 
kniah said:
I thought the mediocre sound quality was more due to the output opamps then the DAC's...but this can be remedied if you have some decent soldering skills:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/hotrodding-x-fi-laymans-guide-no-56k-226975/

To the OP:
A discrete sound card only matters if you're using analog outputs. Digital will be the same as others have mentioned. Also, you may or may not notice any difference depending on how good your speakers or headphones are. If you're using cheap stuff, you likely won't be able to tell a difference.
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The op-amp upgrade can be a helpful way to improve sound quality but...
If you dont have a decent DAC to feed the op-amps, you wont get the full benefit of the upgrade and will still be suffering from the limitations of a cheaper DAC.

ie the X-Fi op-amp upgrade will not make the X-Fi sound as good as the Prelude because you wont be upgrading the X-Fi DAC unless you have exceptional electronics skills.
The Prelude has a pretty good DAC and socketed Op-amps too so they can be changed very easily to match the tonal quality of your system/personal preference.

This is a good upgrade for the X-Fi though, props to you for mentioning it.

Note: the Preludes DAC is not as good as some of the stereo external DACs as some of them are truly amazing, way beyond what you will get in any amplifer unless you spend inordinate amounts of money and choose very wisely.
However, I havent seen a multi channel (more than stereo) external DAC that is better than the Prelude.
You cannot use 3 high quality stereo DACS to get 5.1 from a PC unless you have a very old (not well featured) Creative soundcard that has 3 x SPDIF out for multichannel.
 
I've heard that the HT Omega cards are superior to the X-Fi as far sound quality and customer support goes. They supposedly have far fewer problems than the Creative cards.
 
Shrimpanzee said:
I've heard that the HT Omega cards are superior to the X-Fi as far sound quality and customer support goes. They supposedly have far fewer problems than the Creative cards.
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I've heard that as well. Well tomorrow I'll be able to see for myself as I'm getting a HT Omega Clario Halo which will replace my 3 year old X-Fi extreme music card. A built in amp is a definite plus for me since I use headphones all the time except when I want other people to be able to hear stuff.
 
I ordered an Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 with some upgraded opamps, but sadly the card is still on backorder, so I'm using an Audigy 2ZS. Once the card comes in it'll get put in along with new opamps and 2 XLR to RCA cables. Here's to hoping :)
 
Both the Prelude and the Xonar D2 sound fantastic (analog of course) but the thing that made me go with the Prelude is that it features the same high end DAC for all its speakers instead of just the left and right channel like the Xonar.
The center channel is too important for movies so the decision was made right there. Also, the ability to enter distances and angles in the prelude's control panel is very welcome.
Regards
 
Nenu said:
The quality of your sound output when using digital out is dependent mostly on your amplifers DAC, not the soundcard itself.
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Should have mentioned I'm running it through a modded Zero DAC/amp.
 
sculelos said:
I've heard that as well. Well tomorrow I'll be able to see for myself as I'm getting a HT Omega Clario Halo which will replace my 3 year old X-Fi extreme music card. A built in amp is a definite plus for me since I use headphones all the time except when I want other people to be able to hear stuff.
Click to expand...
Let me know how it turns out. :)
 
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