Right Mark Audio results
 

Anyone can obtain these free testing tools on their homepage: http://audio.rightmark.org/ and check out, how the mainboards and dedicated sound cards perform in reality (read, outside of the PR BS)...

So, few days ago I made my loopback connector - 3.5" jack to 3.5" - (I got like 25 years of soldering practice and I tried do my best, used gold-pleted jacks, shielded wires and such...) and I fired up Right Mark Audio Analyzer v5.5 and did this test on mobo I just completing for friend, using the Biostar TForce 6100-M7 mobo and there are the results of it:

http://ax2.old-cans.com/Biostar%20TForce%206100-M7.htm

It is just a crappy onboard audio, of course, but it was just my first try. I started to be interesting in this program, because I intent to recap (eg. change capacitors) on my X-Fi Fatal1ty and I would love to know, if there will be some difference to the good side, of course.

X-Fi is using Jamicons, witch are not good caps at all. I plan to use Elna RFS ones there... On the Biostar are used OST caps, RLG type. The better of bad caps, tough...

My next target to test using RMAA will be probably already completed machine using Asus A8R32-MVP DLX mobo. Panasonic FJ ones are used there, but I suspect they are fake anyway. Slightly different color and nonstandard font/writing making me very suspicious... :o :p

So let's look at results from the Asus A8R32-MVP Deluxe mobo:

http://ax2.old-cans.com/A8R32-MVP%20DLX.htm

Again onboard audio only, so the results aren't very good. Yet surprisingly for HD audio and much more costy mobo (+Asus, not Biostar...) are the results somewhat unsatifactory, aren't they? :( :slap:

For comparsion how great sound should look, look at these results:
http://www.ixbt.com/proaudio/esi/max...loopback.shtml
Clearly the ESI MaXiO 032 kick some a$$es badly :D


Also is good to include these load results from RightMark3DSound to one can compare how much load the system take from using the audio:

Biostar TForce 6100-M7 Sempron 2800+ 240x8, onboard Realtek Audio
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Empty......DirectSound2D......DirectSound3D......D irectSound3D+EAX
1,3105.....4,5353.............12,7118............1 2,4371


Asus A8R32-MVP DLX Opteron 148 250x11, onboard Realtek hi-definition Audio
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Empty......DirectSound2D......DirectSound3D......D irectSound3D+EAX
2,2395.....3,6578.............8,9467.............8 ,7774