Looking for an audio add-in card...

[BTGbullseye]

Ok, so the ALC892 on my motherboard isn't bad per se, but I can clearly tell that it's not outputting the best quality. (currently using Sennheiser HD 429s headset, will likely upgrade that soon too) I'm looking for an add-in card (no external DAC suggestions please, I don't have the space for them) for PCIe.

 

Honestly, I would like to know what the best are overall for stereo audio music and gaming, virtual 3d is unimportant to me, but if it has a really good implementation (way better than I've yet to hear from any card released before 2016) it may be able to sway me between similar cards.

 

Dunno if they even make dual slot add-in audio cards, but has to be single slot. Other than that, not really any physical or budget restrictions. (will save up for it) USA availability is kinda mandatory.

[BTGbullseye]

Nothing? Does nobody have information on any single add-in card that will beat out an ALC892?

[rice guru]

On 9/14/2019 at 5:35 AM, BTGbullseye said:

Ok, so the ALC892 on my motherboard isn't bad per se, but I can clearly tell that it's not outputting the best quality. (currently using Sennheiser HD 429s headset, will likely upgrade that soon too) I'm looking for an add-in card (no external DAC suggestions please, I don't have the space for them) for PCIe.

 

Honestly, I would like to know what the best are overall for stereo audio music and gaming, virtual 3d is unimportant to me, but if it has a really good implementation (way better than I've yet to hear from any card released before 2016) it may be able to sway me between similar cards.

 

Dunno if they even make dual slot add-in audio cards, but has to be single slot. Other than that, not really any physical or budget restrictions. (will save up for it) USA availability is kinda mandatory.

I always like to say the most significant upgrade you can have I terms of audio quality are the speakers or headphones themselves. You can worry about the source when you have something better.  But I think you should state your budget so people know what your working with. Fiio k3 as well as the dradonfly black are tiny and non intrusive options you can look into for an external solution.

[BTGbullseye]

18 hours ago, rice guru said:

But I think you should state your budget so people know what your working with.

But I did state a budget... No limit, as I will save for it. I also specified no external as I have no room for it.

[WolfoftheShadow7465]

1 hour ago, BTGbullseye said:

But I did state a budget... No limit, as I will save for it. I also specified no external as I have no room for it.

But you have to state roughly the amount you would like to spend, saying no budget means people can just find the absolute best option for you even if its realistically not what anyone would buy, and most external cards are not that large, I am curious to know how little of space you have that you cannot fit a box.

[rice guru]

1 hour ago, BTGbullseye said:

But I did state a budget... No limit, as I will save for it. I also specified no external as I have no room for it.

Look at the size of the stuff I reccomended one is a tiny box and the other is a usb stick sized dac.

[rice guru]

Just now, WolfoftheShadow7465 said:

But you have to state roughly the amount you would like to spend, saying no budget means people can just find the absolute best option for you even if its realistically not what anyone would buy, and most external cards are not that large, I am curious to know how little of space you have that you cannot fit a box.

Or a dragonfly red/black for that matter

[BTGbullseye]

12 hours ago, WolfoftheShadow7465 said:

But you have to state roughly the amount you would like to spend, saying no budget means people can just find the absolute best option for you even if its realistically not what anyone would buy, and most external cards are not that large, I am curious to know how little of space you have that you cannot fit a box.

The amount I would like to spend is less than $300, (but I can go higher) and I have 0 available USB slots or desk space, hence the "no external at all ever" statement. Why can nobody accept this?

[rice guru]

38 minutes ago, BTGbullseye said:

The amount I would like to spend is less than $300, (but I can go higher) and I have 0 available USB slots or desk space, hence the "no external at all ever" statement. Why can nobody accept this?

Because a lot of external solutions are cheaper and generally better we though it was a space thing but I mean.. usb hubs exist. But I hear good things from EVGA cards or the creative ae series. Haven't seen many trustworthy measurements from them though so I don't quite trust their reviews and won't fully reccomend them