amp or soundcard?

[V36]

Hey everyone, I'm finally upgrading some audio on my PC. I have some basic 2.1 desktop speakers (going to upgrade eventually), Pioneer HDJ-2000MK2 that I use for music/gaming, and I also have a Blue Yeti mic. I want to be able to switch from desktop speakers to mic pretty easy, I was looking into the Sennheiser GSX-1000 since I can switch with a quick press... But for the price I was thinking maybe a sound card would be a better choice? Could I hook the Blue Yeti to the sound card or amp too? Sorry for such a noob question, this audio stuff is all new to me.

 

Thanks!

[SupaKomputa]

No, blue yeti is a usb mic, it has its own "soundcard" inside.

Get something like this, 2 in 1 out audio switchers

[V36]

Just now, SupaKomputa said:

No, blue yeti is a usb mic, it has its own "soundcard" inside.

Get something like this, 2 in 1 out audio switchers

 ah cool! thats def something ill take a look at. What about for sound quality? My onboard sound doesn't push my headphones very well. I'm also using Voicemeeter Banana so my I don't have a physical volume knob which I find burdensome. 

 

also thanks for the quick reply!

[SupaKomputa]

The sound quality depends on the souncard output, it is only a cabling passthrough.

[V36]

4 minutes ago, SupaKomputa said:

The sound quality depends on the souncard output, it is only a cabling passthrough.

would you recommend a soundcard or headphone amp? 

[SupaKomputa]

For gaming the onboard soundcard is pretty good.

Unless you listened to uncompressed audiophile FLAC music.

[quasides]

staaap just staap lol

 

soundcard or heaphone amp? thats 2 different things sometimes somewhat combined.

 

look you have the toys - usually 2.5mm jacked headphones with low impendance low power. any soundcard can utilize these as they have a little amp built in.

however good soundcards also need good analog parts (big beefy filters and caps),

problem is youll spend easy 200 on the regular cards lieka sus or soundblaster and still wont get the real good stuff

 

also you dont wanna go from cheapo soundcard to amp, to high end headphone, not really and its a waste.

you can get something like focusright with a built in preamp for mics and heaphones

or you go focusright to amp via XLR

 

look the consumer stuff got so expensive in recent years that were already in entry pro stuff territory.

so it really worth to take a look into your local hifi shop and test some headphones to your liking

if you alwaso wanna record i could see something like

 

AKG heaphones

focusright scarlet

some xlr microphone (scarlet has a mic preamp too)

and if you hate your neighboors some yamaha or KRK or similar entry level monitors

 

forget pc speakers and stuff. that is all low power low imp crapware overpriced for what it is (specially in that 150+ range)

if money is an issue you can buy older pro stuff on ebay. that stuff usually last very very long

 

your starting point is yamha, focusright, roland ...

your cables are xlr and 5 1/4

you want it external

you forget that your mainbaord has something that produces noise :))