Does /g/ use a sound card? If so, what do you use, and how do

>>59845432
sidenote: running through an old Yamaha receiver, RX-V592. Decent enough for me, then Polk speakers. Sennheiser HD280's for headphones.

whats a sound card?

>>59845467
This pls answer op

I have a Xonar DGX because my motherboard's integrated sound card died for some reason.

It's ok.

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>>59845432
I really want to buy one of these just to see if it's worth it, but they're pretty expensive so I can't just drop a lot of money on one.
Basically, I feel like integrated audio doesn't give me enough control over things like volume.
Is a dedicated sound card worth it?

soundfonts

>>59845432
Anyone looking to do high end PC audio these days is just using digital out or USB to a custom DAC.

X-fi Titanium with the Daniel_k drivers ever since 2010, it replaced an Audigy 2 ZS

>>59845467
>>59845638
Wait really? Not bait?

Long and short, a peripheral that replaces your computers on-board audio card and runs it through a different system. I might be wrong, but sound cards convert digital signal to analog to run through whatever audio system you're using, if it has analog input.

I think the dedicated soundcard pushes more signal and a clearer signal through to the speaker system.

I noticed that between my desktops soundcard, and my macbooks default audio out, that the sound felt a lot richer, for lack of a better term. Less trashcan cymbals, thicker bass hits, stronger middle voices, and high pitches that weren't as tinny. Overall, builds the sound from the bottom-up, so if you think of a triangle, the bass takes up the bottom third, the mids take up the middle third, and the highs take up the least space on it at the top third, the bass providing a foundation for the rest of the triangle. Band kids will get the triangle analogy, hope it comes across.

>>59845708
The card I gave away was a Creative X-Fi 5.1, still goes for 30 bucks on newegg. Breddy gud, I thought.

>>59845804
I see a lot of that. Running headphones through this amp really does provide a nicer sound, than just plugging into the mobo directly, but I haven't tried any DACs. Had a laptop PCI soundcard, back when that was a thing, and it pretty okay, least to memory it was.

>>59845871
Also, someone with more technical knowledge about sound cards enlighten me, I'd like to know more for future reference.

>>59845432
>Does /g/ use a sound card?
Ever since I remeber
Via chipset atm.

>If so, what do you use, and how do you like it compared to stock audio, Realtek?
If by stock audio you mean motherboard audio, usually it is very noisy compared to dedicated audio cards.

>Thoughts?
If I was buying now it would probably be asus.

>>59845432
The old SB Live and Audigy cards are dirt cheap (pretty much free) and if you get the right model they work with KX drivers aka even on Windows 10.

But you need a PCI port, which is harder to find on new mobos.
But if your onboard isn't noisy I wouldn't bother, anyway.

So it's mostly a thing for older PCs. New PCs should have good enough onboard sound.

>>59845708
KX drivers give you a ton of control. If you're someone who likes to tinker it's great.

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Main setup uses a Schiit Modi 2 DAC (pictured, $100).
LAN setup uses a Sabrent Aluminum USB sound card ($8).

Sound cards are only really useful if you actually use a full 7.1 speaker setup.
Else a cheap $5-10 USB sound card will work just fine for most everyone else, and will still be a modest boost in quality, both for your audio and microphone.
It'll provide more power than a motherboard's audio port, and reduce the low end hum you get from cheap setups, or setups experiencing electrical interference.

But DAC's seriously have a harsh return on investment. The difference between my Modi and the Sabrent is definitely noticeable across all my headphones, but it'd be very hard to convince the average user to spend the extra $92 for the difference.

>>59845871
It's bait.
Desktop DAC's > PCI soundcards any day.
If you talk about buying a soundcard in one of the headphone threads, they'll laugh you out.

>>59845964
You seem to have some experience
Why isn't there ethernet soundcards, or are there?

>>59845958
KX drivers are buggy

>>59845964
>Desktop DAC's > PCI soundcards any day.
It depends. Probably true for most use cases, but no need to generalize.
Also why do you use this retarded vocabulary where every external soundcard is a "DAC"?
I know that it's become a meme at this point, but it's just stupid. A DAC is a DAC, an audio device/soundcard is something else.

>>59845993
There are. Very niche, though.

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>>59845993
You mean something like the "Game Blaster?"
It's just a DAC and a NIC on the same board.

There isn't really a purpose for PCI NIC's in modern systems, and USB or desktop DAC's are still better value or better quality than PCI DAC's.
Basically it's just a marketing gimmick.

>>59845964
I figured it was. On the DAC front, you mentioned reduced hum? I get a pretty strong whine on some games through the headphones/speakers, not sure where it's coming from. Seems that only the Frostbite games (DA:I, BF3/4/1, ME:A) get really bad on that, most of the other games are considerably less bad than those.

If a DAC can improve sound quality through a stereo setup and remove that fucking BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ in my ears, then sign me the fuck up.

>>59846022
They've been solid for me. But I didn't bother with any complex configs, just the basic 2 stereo outs and a mic input.

>>59846054
Naw man

Like there is usb audio cards (usb is shit)
Is there ethernet audio cards I can just have anywhere in my flat (close to audio devices) and run audio off pc to it.

>>59846054
>plugging your speakers in with rj47
fuckin advanced levels of autism here bro

>>59846051
A sound card is a DAC you turbo tard, how else do you think stored digital audio is played through an analog output

On board is kill so i have to

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>>59846051
>>59846135
Because it's faster to type "DAC" than "audio device."
No other reason desu.

There's very specific uses for sound cards, and there's of course shitty externals out there, but for most everyone else there's a better equivalent external out there for any given price point.

>>59846068
If it's only on Frostbite games, you might want to look up if it's just a common issue with them in particular.
Else an external DAC should definitely help.
At the very least you could pick up that $8 Sabrent USB I mentioned before and see for yourself, given it's so cheap.
I was pleasantly surprised when I grabbed it for my portable LAN setup, and I've recommended it to a few friends, too.

>>59846111
Oh, gotcha.
If you look at higher end DAC's, they often have other input methods because of this - but I'm not aware of using ethernet as your digital audio cable.

>>59846135
So with your logic, a TV is a DAC, a phone is a DAC, your fucking car is a DAC?
Just because something CONTAINS a DAC doesn't mean you should call it that.

>>59846155
Also its some off the shelf Taiwanese pci card, I mostly play spotify and it sounds fine
Helps remove the humming and buzzing that the on board has

>>59845964
>Desktop DAC's > PCI soundcards any day.
>If you talk about buying a soundcard in one of the headphone threads, they'll laugh you out.

There actually are very decent sound cards around, it's just that no one in /hpg/ knows about them. Mostly because people in /hpg/ do 0 research on their own and blindly follow whatever they read there. And it's the same recommendations over and over for years, I'm actually surprised people don't recommend KPP there anymore.
Anyway, I own AIM SC808, $100 pcie sound card with replaceable Op Amps and very good Wolfson AMP capable of driving 600 Ohm headphones without problems. Drivers are very stable and allow for easy switching between RCA and 6,3 jack out. It's purely made for stereo, you can't even use it for 7.1 without using additional board (which fucking sucks by the way so I don't use it). It doesn't even have mic in actually.

It's unknown here because:
1) muricans don't really give a crap about value
2) muricans have schiit fulla 2

AIM SC808 is probably the best DAC/AMP solution poorfag can get. By the way SC808 is basically Xonar STX, except done right and for half of the the price.

>>59845432

Yes, the one that comes with the mobo.

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First of all, get a proper equalizer like APO and the Peace addon.

If that doesn't suffice, get a USB DAC (and a separate amplifier if you have high-impedance headphones).
I'd recommend the Objective2 DAC. All you could ever need.

If you just have cash to waste and see if you like audio, get a USB sound card like my X-Fi Go! Pro.
7ohm output impedance, drives 60-200ohm headphones perfectly. Preamp is finicky with sub-60ohm headphones as you might hear distortion at lower volumes, but that's easily solved with a volume control cable.

I have HD665s - 68ohm (supposedly) 40mm headphones which sound extremely clear and bassy.
I also have a modified pair of HD662s whose bass is felt through my head and treble can be made deafening.

All in all, 8/10 would recommend.

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>>59845993
the pro audio world is all over it
there's basic layer1 usage like RJ45 terminated MADI or AES50 but there's also a lot of actual audio-over-ip protocols like Dante, ravenna/AES67 and AVB. the MOTU AVB devices are even actually pretty affordable in comparison
it's not a thing on the consumer market (yet) though, since the real time uncrompressed audio streams need some proper networking hardware and QoS with a little more complex systems and it's completely unthinkable with wireless networks, so unusable for 99% of all the 5% of consumers that would possibly interested in technology like that, when bluetooth and DLNA/upnp steaming and such just werks

>>59845964
> dacs, pci, cards REEEEEE
Why not both then anon?

>internal sound cards

why

if you are having isolation problems then use an external DAC or better yet, just trust your fucking audio receiver to do its job. if its dac is that shitty you can bet its analog path is just as if not more shitty.

>>59845964

Since you have some Schiit gear, how do you feel about the Fulla 2?
I was going to get the standard Schiit Modi/Magni stack, but it seems the Fulla 2 does both of their jobs in a smaller, portable (?) package. I think it's also expandable so if I want to eventually get a better amp, I can run it solely as a DAC right?

>>59846581
>why
Saves space on my desk, for one. I don't need another box gathering dust for no real gain.
Also, I don't run all my audio through a receiver.

>>59846644
>saves space on desk
>runs 5.1 analog cables from the back of his pc

you don't get to have that excuse, if anything an external dac should declutter your desk since you can run a digital connection to the dac that is a single cable and keep the box next to your speakers

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>>59846600
The Fulla's not bad, but it's definitely not a replacement of the Modi/Magni.
Modi will be a modest little upgrade, but the Magni puts out over 7x more power than the Fulla.

But yeah, I think you could get a 3.5mm to RCA adapter and run it from the Fulla into the Magni.
Though I'd also consider looking into the FiiO E10K.
From my understanding the Fulla functions better as an amp than the E10K, but the E10K functions better as a DAC out of the two.

So if you're looking to buy a combo unit, and later add the Magni amp, the E10K might be better in the long run.

>>59846694
What 5.1 cables? You're not making sense.
I'd have two analog cables regardless (one to the hifi amp, the other to headphones).
Internal soundcard is absolutely less clutter.

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I use an Origen+ and I really like it. It is my first DAC/headphone amp. It has a preamp out, which I use with a splitter to send signal to my active sub/bookshelf speakers. This means it acts as a volume knob for the speakers as well as headphones.

It has toggle switches to switch between headphone/preamp (and high/low gain), so if you like leaving headphones plugged in, that's not a problem.

I've had it since December and it's been great so far, would recommend

ITT: placebos

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>>59845432
I don't have a sound card but I'm thinking of getting one for both my headphones and microphone.
Currently using a Fiio E17 with a pair of beyerdynamic DT 770's.
Pic related

>>59845432
Steinberg UR242. Before that it was Xonar Essence ST.

M-Audio audiophile 2496, best stereo card you can buy.

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>>59846432

>SCHIIT

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>>59845432
>soundblaster meme cards

for what purpose?

>>59850322
that card is trash.

here's a real fucking card.

Digigram VX882e 8 Channel AES Digital/Analog 24-Bit/192kHz Broadcast Sound Card

>>59848482

>he doesn't know what audio interfaces are for

pleb

>>59845432

>these faggots have no E-MU 1212m's
>these faggots have no ESI waveterminal 192l's
>these faggots have no RME anything

jesus fucking christ

pic related, my soundcard

192 channels i/0 with latency under 2ms.

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>>59850503

>>59848482

>he doesn't know what audio interfaces are for

pleb

>>59845432 (OP)

>these faggots have no E-MU 1212m's
>these faggots have no ESI waveterminal 192l's
>these faggots have no RME anything

jesus fucking christ

pic related, my soundcard

192 channels i/0 with latency under 2ms.

>>59845432
my motherboard from 2006 had a bad hum.
used a pci soundcard to fix the hum.

the only reason i have a graphics card on my current setup is because i have a faulty CPU. i get random BSOD whenever i didnt have the graphics card installed.

anybody know a cheap fan-less gpu for under 80$?
i don't game.

>>59850526
also. just remembered that my current motherboard didn't come with 5.1ch surround sound.
so i bought a usb sound card.

>>59850526

quadro NVS cards

>>59850526

Gigabyte nvidia 8500/8600 with heatpipe are nice cards if you can get one. I used an 8600 for years.

>>59850474

>stereo

>>59850591

>32/32 w/ onboard DSP chip

you don't know much do you?

I was looking at the Asus Essence STX II, which I need it for analog -> digital recording along with replacing my motherboards' shitty onboard audio. No USB DAC seem to advertise ADC capabilities at all, and all the high quality vinyl rips on What.CD always listed a high-end soundcard in the lineage with no external USB DAC.

Since the card itself is cheaper than the schiit stack, and it has listed technical specifications that are as good or better than anything schiit puts out, am I doing good, or am I buying into a terrible meme?

>>59850625

>putting a pro studio card in a consumer pc
>comparing it to a stereo card

You're not real smart are you? Or secure for that matter...

>>59850836

sorry you're a poor-faggot, i accept only the first best for my pleasure.

>>59850876

>small penis syndrome

>>59850913

>anyone with better things and a better life and better women and better looks and a better car and a better portfolio than me

>must have a smaller penis

heh

nothing personal

kiddo

>>59850577
>>59850558
thanks.
i just googled silent gpu's.
found GeForce GT 730
i might buy it on ebay for 40$.
it's slightly less powerful than my current video card but it uses half the power.

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My MSI motherboard already has this "Audio Boost 2" thing. Should I still invest in a good sound card if I want to use a headset and microphone?

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I use one of these. Got it for nothing from a friend, and it sounds a lot better than my computers on-board sound.

>>59851032
Yes.
Mine touts "SupremeFX" shielded audio and some other marketing gimmicks.

Volume of my headphones aren't as loud.
I still hear low-end hum.
My mic sounds like garbage.
$8 USB sound card fixed all this.

A lot of features motherboards (especially ones geared towards gamers) aren't actually anything special like they advertise them to be.

>>59850924

UR pretty defensive, sorry about the peepee mr.

>>59845432
I use an auzentech x-fi prelude with modded drivers and a dodgy passthrough workaround to stop the audio drivers crashing randomly.

I should probably just use optical out with a dac or something, would make things much easier since it's pci and high end mobo's with pci are rare as shit now.

i dont think ill ever get rid of my creative x-fi card unless it dies somehow

when it does die id probably just get a newer card because onboard audio is still ass and amps dont have microphone slots for my gaymen headset

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>>59845432
>compared to stock audio
Stock audio output quality varies GREATLY between different motherboards and can even be affected by what cards and power supply are installed, and you really can't tell by the model number of the Realtek chip.

My experience is that most onboard audio has noise issues and shitty drivers. Creative add-on cards have shitty drivers too, and some of them don't even solve the audio quality problem.

I agree with the anon who says buy a used pci card. Audigy2 ZS is godlike and probably $10 on ebay right now.

If you don't have PCI, I'd recommend your best bet is to go with a pro-audio device like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or similar. Personally I run an 18i8 and it sounds great and has almost perfect Linux compatibility.

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My laptop's audio port stopped functioning for some reason, so I use this instead:

>>59850513
looks autistic.
I approve

>>59852344

it is and you should

>>59851032
>headset
don't worry Xxdoritowarrior420scopedxX you won't hear a difference with your shity 80$ trashcans.

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>>59845432
http://www.m-audio.com/products/view/audiophile-192

I've used the same audigy 2 ZS for many years now, just because it's the only way I can get proper 5.1 sound to pass through my old Creative receiver (proprietary connector) which I have no intention of replacing until it dies. When it does I'll probably just settle with a 2.1 system anyway since all PC 5.1 systems made now are garbage with wired volume controls and amplifiers built directly into the subs.


Every time I've used analogue onboard audio the output always seems to be quite weak. Even with the system volume at 100% my speakers need to be cranked a lot higher than when using a sound card in order to sound good.

>>59852550

audigy zs2's are memes in the best way possible.

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>>59845708
Your lucky...

My recent z270i gaming motherboard just beat out my 85 dollar Hifimediy uh1 fax amp. I have now lost all faith in external dac amps.

>>59852607

meme shilling

>>59852647
Not even, it drives my k7xx way better bringing the bass and miss closer to the sound stage. Headphones have come alive. I use to buy the old saber USB DACs that did their job but proper amperage and impedance really is more important.

>>59852717

muh words

>>59845871
Wtf i hate onboard soundcard now.

>>59846714
i bought beyers dt880 a few years ago but only with 80 Ohm, how big is the imporvment vs pleb onboard with a magni/modi or would oyu recomment the fulla 2

>>59845657
Same

I have it because the onboard doesn't work and the HDMI audio out from my monitor sounds like crap and stops working if i switch to DVI for my passthrough. Plus it make the audio sound more clear through my receiver.

>>59846234
This, it's inaccurate to call a sound card or USB audio device a DAC.

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>>59848892

Do it anon.

This baby was a night and day difference for my setup.

>>59845964
>owns the schitt stack
>doesn't address the meme
reeee
Literally why I bought it

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>>59854486
>But DAC's seriously have a harsh return on investment. The difference between my Modi and the Sabrent is definitely noticeable across all my headphones, but it'd be very hard to convince the average user to spend the extra $92 for the difference.

Wouldn't call it a meme. Granted they're popular, they still sound fantastic.
Given you'd need good headphones or speakers to even tell the difference between the Schiit stack and a DAC costing 1/3 the price.

They mostly shine with audio equipment with a large soundstage in my experience, such as AD900's or KEF speakers, but even then the difference is marginal.

I might have to buy one. Ryzen matx boards lack digital optical outputs.

>>59845432

I have a Soundblaster Audigy in my IBM Thinkcenter that I use for Cubase......

2 millisecond latency.

>>59846054
>USB or desktop DAC's are still better value or better quality than PCI DAC's.
They are better value, not quality. PCI DACs use the same chips.

>>59854733
the only reason you pay more for the PCI DACs is convenience, having it built in

>>59854733
By externalizing your DAC, you're also isolating it from any potential electrical interference from the rest of your hardware.

>>59854486
Wtf you retard, I meant calling it the schitt stack as in that's what its called. The whole company is a meme thanks to the autistic name. where did you pull all of that shit out of my post

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>>59845432
Yeah, still got this old baby.

>pre-amped mic input
>midi
>firewire
>legacy joystick support

I can't use it in any form of new setup anymore and it bother the shit out of me. The card does everything I need, except connect to modern hardware and have the drivers for it. Even now I need hacked drivers to run it, but it works. If I want similar functionality with new stuff I need separate cards for everything. It will be a shame to have to dump this perfect card soon.

>>59845871
>He fell for the bait
Thanks for the detailed explanation though.

>>59850513
hi joel

>>59851658
kek
>>59850876
just because you can doesn't mean you should, tiny dick

Can I SLI two of these for better sound quality?

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>>59850513
>not the madiFX
poor pleb

>>59850513
>e-mu cards
their drivers are fucking terrible. dont buy e-mu.

>>59856538
yes
[spoiler] you could actually just Chuck two in a system and use them both if you use asio or similar[/spoiler]

>>59846111
Not for non-professional use, as far as I know. I've only used professional audio hardware that includes stuff like this. They're using MADI or Dante as their standards.

I use one so I can hook up my shitty sound system using an optical cable. I probably could've used the three channel audio on my mainboard instead.

>>59845432
TI Burrbrown USB DAC, louder and clearer than stock

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>>59846080

I had an Asus D2X.

Absolutelt fantastic soundcard, but they never released drives for W7 and later.

Just sitting in a box somewhere now.

My current mobos on board audio is just fine, though I'd like ti trt a dragonfly one of these days.

I use my motherboard sound card because I'm not a dumb audiophile who falls for snake oil
Just get a pair of $50-$250 nice headphones depending on how much of a poorfag you are and never waste another cent on audiophile bullshit.

>>59856718
Let me help, google "UniXonar" use those drivers

???

be happy..ier

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I use onboard for my main set and a c-media stick for secondary.
NwAVguy didn't like it.

>>59854783
Except most proper cards are shielded and interference on the power lines can still happen over USB

>>59845432
Schiit.

Fulla2, Magni2, Modi2.

>>59850474
Soundblasters were good in the 2000s to delegate audio to relieve stress from the CPU. When I heard a recording of UT2004's audio used with a creative card, I was blown away at how fucking amazing the sounds were for a 2004 game. Unfortunately I can't justify buying one even though it's the only game I play.

Soundcards are pretty much an audiophool thing right now, but it's not exactly a bad thing to have one either. They way they are priced makes them an unnecessary expense most of the time. I had a SB Audigy lying around and would've used it if it werent PCI, so i gave it away to a grandpa cause their integrated audio didn't work.

>>59852399
I was looking at Sennheiser 598s you dumb faggot