Sound card vs onboard.

S

spleenpoker

New member
Hey guys, I'm getting the MSI Z97 GAMING 3 mobo and was wondering if I should use that or my sound card(Xonar DG)

I know onboard sound has come along way but just have to check

EDIT: Using Logitech Z-5500 speakers.
 
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Honestly, unless you have super hearing, the best speakers money can buy positioned 100% accurately in a quiet room listening to uncompressed lossless audio you will not hear the difference
 
If your onboard sound does what you're looking for -- what is necessary -- is it really worth buying another sound card?
 
spleenpoker said:
Hey guys, I'm getting the MSI Z97 GAMING 3 mobo and was wondering if I should use that or my sound card(Xonar DG)

I know onboard sound has come along way but just have to check

EDIT: Using Logitech Z-5500 speakers.
Click to expand...

Compare them. The Realtek chip on the MSI board will be good enough for most things, but they've catered more towards USB headsets than anything else. The Xonar will probably deliver cleaner sound, for what it's worth.
 
8 Ohms speakers, hmmm. really wouldn't waste my money on adding things. Your onboard can do the 5.1 configuration using, Speaker out, line out and left and right. If you had pro equipement then i would have recommended a DAV but pretty pointless with such small resistance speakers.
 
I have internal and external sound cards.

Internal sound card just does not cut it. All headphones I use, are quiet even on 100% volume level.
While external card provides sufficient loudness @ 15-25% volume level. 50%, if fancy. I think, external sound card comes with built-in amplifier.

Only thing I use internal sound card for, microphone input. Since external sound card a tad noisy, yet internal provides great microphone sensitivity and does not record PC noise, like external does.
 
Jagtiger said:
I have internal and external sound cards.

Internal sound card just does not cut it. All headphones I use, are quiet even on 100% volume level.
While external card provides sufficient loudness @ 15-25% volume level. 50%, if fancy. I think, external sound card comes with built-in amplifier.

Only thing I use internal sound card for, microphone input. Since external sound card a tad noisy, yet internal provides great microphone sensitivity and does not record PC noise, like external does.
Click to expand...

Most sound cards have built in amplifiers; Some onboard sound cards have amplifiers. They all have their pros and cons. I have a Sound Blaster X-Fi, which will probably be the last sound card I own (being a PCI card) and I honestly cannot with my current configuration see any difference between the hideously expensive (for its time) Sound Blaster and the on-board sound card my motherboard has
 
Since we're on the topic of sound; can anyone explain a "hum" emanating from my speakers. It becomes increasingly audible when the volume is set to its lowest.
 
Hagan said:
Since we're on the topic of sound; can anyone explain a "hum" emanating from my speakers. It becomes increasingly audible when the volume is set to its lowest.
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This would generally indicate a short or a poor connection; Could also be power line hum.
 
Another interesting thing, it comes with software that allows to set custom equalizer or use presets.
Some manufacturers don't supply integrated cards with software and one must use whatever sound effects operating system provide.
It's not nice.
 
Jagtiger said:
I have internal and external sound cards.

Internal sound card just does not cut it. All headphones I use, are quiet even on 100% volume level.
While external card provides sufficient loudness @ 15-25% volume level. 50%, if fancy. I think, external sound card comes with built-in amplifier.

Only thing I use internal sound card for, microphone input. Since external sound card a tad noisy, yet internal provides great microphone sensitivity and does not record PC noise, like external does.
Click to expand...

Buy a headphone AMP, or move towards USB powered headsets. They have their own built in amps.
 
Glordit said:
Buy a headphone AMP, or move towards USB powered headsets. They have their own built in amps.
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Thanks, currently I am happy with things as they are...:)

Only few things I'm not comfortable with:
Amps are designed for high-end, high-impedance headphones and priced accordingly.
There's one small problem with USB headsets... Obviously, one can't plug it into a iPod/Smartphone/non-PC device.
 
Hagan said:
Since we're on the topic of sound; can anyone explain a "hum" emanating from my speakers. It becomes increasingly audible when the volume is set to its lowest.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately that is likely the result of a bad speaker...specifically a poor converter (240hz AC > 12V DC). The hum you hear is the 50hz frequency of our power grid. Sometimes proper grounding can help, but most PC speakers come with 2 point plugs which kinda blows. Not much you can do about it...
 
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