Are Sound Cards Worth It?

[AcidElite]

So I'm getting a new PC and I'm wondering if it's worth it to get a separate sound card for my system. If so, which one should I get. I'm not willing to spend anymore than I have to on a sound card, probably $200 is the max.

[_ASSASSIN_]

at that point you might as well get an external solution with that much money.

[flibberdipper]

No. With that much money, get an external setup.

[x Relentless Xx]

So I'm getting a new PC and I'm wondering if it's worth it to get a separate sound card for my system. If so, which one should I get. I'm not willing to spend anymore than I have to on a sound card, probably $200 is the max.

All depends on the impedance of your headphones. If you have headphones that are rated at 32 ohms, then you dont need a sound card. On the other hand, if you have headphones rated at something like 250 ohms, then a sound card with a headphone amplifier will make a huge difference. Most people are going to tell you to get a DAC and not a sound card. Id personally recommend a sound card unless you are immensely into audio quality.

[Lays]

All depends on the impedance of your headphones. If you have headphones that are rated at 32 ohms, then you dont need a sound card. On the other hand, if you have headphones rated at something like 250 ohms, then a sound card with a headphone amplifier will make a huge difference. Most people are going to tell you to get a DAC and not a sound card. Id personally recommend a sound card unless you are immensely into audio quality.

 

 

Impedance isn't the only factor that goes into driving headphones ._.

 

 

If he has $200 to spend, why spend it on something that won't give him the best bang for his buck? 

[nsyedhasan]

No not really I would just get something like ODAC or a Fiio.

[calarahil]

All depends on the impedance of your headphones. If you have headphones that are rated at 32 ohms, then you dont need a sound card. On the other hand, if you have headphones rated at something like 250 ohms, then a sound card with a headphone amplifier will make a huge difference. Most people are going to tell you to get a DAC and not a sound card. Id personally recommend a sound card unless you are immensely into audio quality.

 

I agree with you I find most will tell you get a external dac/amp. I personally have a sound card and I love it I have the ASUS Xonar Essence STX. Which is really only a headphone card its really its main draw and as I don't use speakers or don't need to my monitor has that if I have to use speakers (ASUS PB238Q).

 

questions to ask yourself

 

1.) Are you powering high impedance headphones. (y/n)

yes: a sound card or sound dac/amp may be appropriate. I don't like external units but you may be okay with this.

no: maybe stay away from a sound card/dac/amp

2.) Are trying to to bolster your sound quality/making your sound floor better with your standard headphones(meaning less then 32 impedance?

yes: maybe a sound dac would be a good solution for you.

no: May want to stick with your onboard audio.

3.) Do you use a headset or headphones.

3a.) if headphones then a dac/soundcard would be for you.

3b.) if you don't use headphones and you use a headset a sound card may be more appropriate for you as it will have a 3.5 mm jack for a mic one depending on the sound card of course.

[AcidElite]

I don't have a headphone set just yet. (looking for one right now) I may sound like a N00B but I don't know what impedance means or what it's values are. Some of the headphones I'm looking at are some nice Audio Technica. (would those need a sound card or are they better of?)

[Lays]

I don't have a headphone set just yet. (looking for one right now) I may sound like a N00B but I don't know what impedance means or what it's values are. Some of the headphones I'm looking at are some nice Audio Technica. (would those need a sound card or are they better of?)

 

 

Which headphones in particular?

[ShearMe]

I don't have a headphone set just yet. (looking for one right now) I may sound like a N00B but I don't know what impedance means or what it's values are. Some of the headphones I'm looking at are some nice Audio Technica. (would those need a sound card or are they better of?)

 

I don't know of any headphones from AT that need an amp.

[NannerBeans]

Pretty much all sound cards are overpriced for what they are. They usually have high output impedeance and don't do the job any better than an external solution for the same price. 

[AcidElite]

Pretty much all sound cards are overpriced for what they are. They usually have high output impedeance and don't do the job any better than an external solution for the same price. 

So don't get a sound card?

 

I don't know of any headphones from AT that need an amp.

So basically anything fairly good from AT won't need a sound card or anything fancy to sound better?

[Dylan lol]

xonar dgx is the best for the price and is alot louder than onboard

[calarahil]

So don't get a sound card?

 

So basically anything fairly good from AT won't need a sound card or anything fancy to sound better?

 

With headphones I would be careful I would research and find out what the omph is for a headphone. What basically omph means is the power that is required to power the headphones. A lot of headphones don't require a amp along with the dac. 

 

It is really reliant on how much money you have and if you want a external device laying around. Personally I didn't want a external device laying around however you may feel differently. 

 

Lets start here okay? What are you wanting to spend for your audio equipment as a total. the 200 dollars you have outlined is that between both a headphone and a amp/dac? Do you need a microphone on the side? Also to note are you more of a open headphone person where you can hear things around you and the sound is more open or are you more noise cancelling closed back headphone of a person?

[ShearMe]

So basically anything fairly good from AT won't need a sound card or anything fancy to sound better?

 

Oh, something fancy might make them sound better, but they don't need anything fancy to make them loud.

 

I'd say stick with onboard. If it turns out to be bad and you don't want to attempt an RMA/return, you can always get an external device that'll be better than a soundcard, but you don't need to get anything for most headphones.

 

What basically omph means is the power that is required to power the headphones. 

 

Incorrect. Ohms restrict current, but current is only half of the story behind power.

[NannerBeans]

So don't get a sound card?

Yes. You would get better sound if you used the money you were going to spend on a sound card and put it towards better headphones instead. 

[AcidElite]

Yes. You would get better sound if you used the money you were going to spend on a sound card and put it towards better headphones instead. 

Better headphones would be?

[calarahil]

Oh, something fancy might make them sound better, but they don't need anything fancy to make them loud.

 

I'd say stick with onboard. If it turns out to be bad and you don't want to attempt an RMA/return, you can always get an external device that'll be better than a soundcard, but you don't need to get anything for most headphones.

 

 

Incorrect. Ohms restrict current, but current is only half of the story behind power.

 

Well its still in the picture in terms of power. For example for all intensive purposes I have a HD598 which has the total input impedance if 50 OHMS. My sound card has 3 settings for Impedance Normal Gain <64 which falls on my headphones then you have high gain which is between 64 and 300 OHMS and then you have 300-600 OHMS for extra high gain. I could blow out my headphones running at the higher power settings if I'm not mistaken. It's good to know this because in most cases yes you won't need a amp because the impedance is so low however in some cases as you move up in audiophile equipment you may. You have the HD800's which use 300 OHMS not something you can ignore. If even its a small part of the equation its still part of it. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1Z80Y54805

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD800-Over-Ear-Circum-Aural-Headphone/dp/B001OTZ8DA

[calarahil]

Better headphones would be?

 I know that  people really like these. I've always kind of liked Sennhesier's offering a little more because they are more flat and not super big on the base. 

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATHM50RD-Pro-DJ-Headphones/dp/B00B0FR2QO/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1399948684&sr=1-3&keywords=Audio+Technica+ATH-M50

 

Youtuber Marquis Brownlee going into the headset

[NannerBeans]

Better headphones would be?

So $200 for headphones? Phillips fidelio X1 or AKG K612 for open and DT 770 or custom one pros for closed but those also went up in price so if you can find them for like $160 that would be a good deal. 

[NannerBeans]

Well its still in the picture in terms of power. For example for all intensive purposes I have a HD598 which has the total input impedance if 50 OHMS. My sound card has 3 settings for Impedance Normal Gain <64 which falls on my headphones then you have high gain which is between 64 and 300 OHMS and then you have 300-600 OHMS for extra high gain. I could blow out my headphones running at the higher power settings if I'm not mistaken. It's good to know this because in most cases yes you won't need a amp because the impedance is so low however in some cases as you move up in audiophile equipment you may. You have the HD800's which use 300 OHMS not something you can ignore. If even its a small part of the equation its still part of it. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1Z80Y54805

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD800-Over-Ear-Circum-Aural-Headphone/dp/B001OTZ8DA

What he's saying is that you can't base it only on the impedance. It's not the only thing that determines how hard a headphone will be to drive. The very low impedance Hifimans are harder to drive than the 300 ohm Sennheisers. The Sennheiser are actually not hard to drive at all. 

 

Edit: Also, most youtubers actually don't know anything about audio. 

[calarahil]

What he's saying is that you can't base it only on the impedance. It's not the only thing that determines how hard a headphone will be to drive. The very low impedance Hifimans are harder to drive than the 300 ohm Sennheisers. The Sennheiser are actually not hard to drive at all. 

 

Edit: Also, most youtubers actually don't know anything about audio. 

 

I felt comfortable with mentioning marquis hes been on the wan show and linus himself has talked about the http://www.amazon.co...echnica ATH-M50 with good praise. And fair enough with the omph I just use that as a guideline as to what I buy in order to drive what I'm doing. I know that my ASUS essence STX can go up to 600 OHMS so I feel pretty safe with my 50 OHMS headphones

[SSL]

I felt comfortable with mentioning marquis hes been on the wan show and linus himself has talked about the http://www.amazon.co...echnica ATH-M50 with good praise. And fair enough with the omph I just use that as a guideline as to what I buy in order to drive what I'm doing. I know that my ASUS essence STX can go up to 600 OHMS so I feel pretty safe with my 50 OHMS headphones

 

"Being on the WAN show" is not actually a credential.

[calarahil]

 

"Being on the WAN show" is not actually a credential.

 

 

Fine if you want to argue for the sake or arguing go ahead. The headphones are pretty good headphones will you please guys give me some slack here shit. 

[NannerBeans]

I felt comfortable with mentioning marquis hes been on the wan show and linus himself has talked about the http://www.amazon.co...echnica ATH-M50 with good praise. And fair enough with the omph I just use that as a guideline as to what I buy in order to drive what I'm doing. I know that my ASUS essence STX can go up to 600 OHMS so I feel pretty safe with my 50 OHMS headphones

I wouldn't agree with 3 out of his top 5. And the STX has an output impedance of 10 ohms so because of the dampening effect, it would warp the freqency signature of headphones under 80 ohms.