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Sound card - Is it worth it? (also new speaker suggestions)

EarthDog said:
We know.. this is like the 5th thread on your build. Didn't the staff already combine a couple of your threads here: https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/time-for-a-new-build-go-big-or-go-home.250119/
Click to expand...


Nope, hyperbole much?

Only threads I have created recently are as follows

- Dual sapphires / Power supply issue
- GPU-Z PCI bus error
- New build
- Cleaning tips
- Stan Lee
- Escape from Tarkov (game)
- Shadow tech (remote pc system)
- WCG thread
- New build
- FS thread of parts I'm selling
- Bathesda thread
- Linux.org thread
- Largest cases on the market topic
- Sound card suggestions.

(May have missed some but definitely not multiple threads being merged ;-) even kept my WC discussions contained in the build thread.
 
Hellfire said:
Nope, hyperbole much?

Only threads I have created recently are as follows

- Dual sapphires / Power supply issue
- GPU-Z PCI bus error
- New build
- Cleaning tips
- Stan Lee
- Escape from Tarkov (game)
- Shadow tech (remote pc system)
- WCG thread
- New build
- FS thread of parts I'm selling
- Bathesda thread
- Linux.org thread
- Largest cases on the market topic
- Sound card suggestions.

(May have missed some but definitely not multiple threads being merged ;-) even kept my WC discussions contained in the build thread.
Click to expand...
Sorry...the build thread felt like 5 threads in one. Lololol!

But this thread should really be in there since it's about that build.

Anyway... try it out first. Onboard audio has come a long way in recent years. Anything running the alc1220 codec and that has it's own audio bits, should please the vast majority of people.
 
Hi Guys,

@EarthDog, I'll give you that, it was a bit of a bad/long thread, I've learnt from it)

Thanks for giving me some great thoughts and a lot to think about. I am definately happy to try on board sound card before investing money in this, Like I said I've lived with on board for ages and I've never had a problem.

Few bits of information I didn't add.

- Firstly, I want to try and get the best sound experience I can, while I can. I have progressive hearing loss (around 70-75% loss at present and use hearing aids). Don't know if that makes a difference with what is suggested. It may sound silly why someone who can hardly hear wants to look at good audio, but I want to enjoy what little time I have left, in 20 years I may have no hearing left

- Secondly, The room, It is my living room/office the PC will be located in, it's a corner desk, hard oak wood flooring with the only soft furnishings being a four person sofa, the rest are hard wood furnishings/tables and plastered walls.

- Finally, I currently use on board with a Logitech X540 set of speakers, (although no rear speakers due to no where to mount them in the corner desk. These speakers are going with my old PC to my son, Recommendations on new cans would be much appreciated, and like others have said, maybe this is where I should focus initially rather than the sound card itself.

the boards I've been looking at (Asus boards) offer this in terms of audio, which to me, means absolutely nothing.

ROG SupremeFX 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC S1220
- Impedance sense for front and rear headphone outputs
- Supports : Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
- High quality 120 dB SNR stereo playback output and 113 dB SNR recording input
- SupremeFX Shielding Technology
- ESS® ES9023P
- Supports up to 32-Bit/192kHz playback *4
Audio Feature :
- Gold-plated jacks
- Optical S/PDIF out port(s) at back panel
- Sonic Radar III
- Sonic Studio III + Sonic Studio Link
Click to expand...
 
With your room being that full of hard surfaces I would get some good headphones.

My personal favourite sound is Sennheiser, as they have low sibilance (hard s sounds).

For “sound card” I would get a Schiit modi 3. Use it as a external sound card over USB.

A Magni 3 would pare god with that, it would leave less than £200 of the original £400 budget.

My first hit searching for HD650 uk was a shop selling them for £310, you might be able to get them cheaper with some knowledge of the uk market.

But my recommendation would be:

Schiit Modi 3
Schiit Magni 3
Sennheiser HD650

You could also save some money going for the HD599, it should be possible to find at the £200 mark
 
For non-powered speakers, you're better off sending the signal off to a receiver/amplifier then off to your speakers. If you were doing this for headphones, a DAC or sound card would probably be preferred.

I've tried onboard sound on 4 different current gen boards (2 high end/2 mid range) and generally sound quality isn't so bad, but amplification definitely is lacking.
 
DAC is better

1544675263024.png
 
Hellfire said:
the boards I've been looking at (Asus boards) offer this in terms of audio, which to me, means absolutely nothing.
Click to expand...
maybe they process the sound better but i still prefer something with opamp
 
I just ditch my SBZ and got one of these DAC's: Topping D30 amazing sound no regrets

124172
 
sound cards occupy a pcie slot and that may be bad depending on how your computer is set up. An external dac and amp would be better, check this out https://www.schiit.com/products/vali-1

Also an external dac amp can be taken anywhere, soundcard needs a computer.
 
It all depends on your budget. Sound is more complex than graphics and many options are available. Internal, external, onboard, digital receiver, USB DAC. For $160 you could just get a nice 2.1 speakers set and run onboard sound or a card. When you start looking at USB DAC or a Digital receiver then it get expensive quick. I just sold my Yamaha RX 571 for $100. Switch to a Samsung sound bar I can yell at with Alexa

I have a set of Klipsch B20 book shelf speakers just sitting
 
The most important piece of a sound system is the speakers.
Get a board with a alc1220 and invest in the best speakers that are in your budget.
Add a DAC down the road if you want to upgrade.
 
I use a "gamer" dac: Sennheiser GSX 1000 (Sennheiser, yes, not Suzuki hahahaha).
It's handy for profile and output switching, but it adds more stuff on the desk and more cables...
 
Back in ALC 1150 days, Asus stated that theor on board solutions were equivalent to their $90 sound cards. With ALC 1220, I'd say a comparable card might be $125 or more. However, I would avoid any MoBo with < ALC 1220.
 
I went with a Shiit DAC Modi. Less noise and interference with an outboard DAC.
 
I have a external portable DAC (Chord Hugo) but the internal battery is dead, needs replacement.
 
CityCultivator said:
Separate thread.
Click to expand...

It comes with PC software drivers on a USB stick, so it's in the correct thread. You hook it to an external AMP or just plug your headphone direct into the unit.

connection to PC is done via USB/Optical Fibre or Bluetooth.
 
delshay said:
It comes with PC software drivers on a USB stick, so it's in the correct thread. You hook it to an external AMP or just plug your headphone direct into the unit.
Click to expand...

It was meant about repairing them. And it has two battery cells.
 
delshay said:
It comes with PC software drivers on a USB stick, so it's in the correct thread. You hook it to an external AMP or just plug your headphone direct into the unit.
Click to expand...
What battery issue are you talking about?
 
CityCultivator said:
What battery issue are you talking about?
Click to expand...

I'v never open it up. I think the battery is solder inside the unit, but this is just a guess as I think what i'm suppose to do is sent it back the Chord company for new battery. It's a very expensive unit & it is sealed.
 
 
Hello. I got mother board gigabyte ga-970a-ds3p with stock audio and windows 10 64bit. Using almost year and start to think-something is missing in sound. Maybe upgrade audio to Creative sound blaster z card? Just for music listening, video watching. Nothing more.
 
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