best sound card around $100 - $150

[randy hutajulu]

i have no experience on soundcard, but i think i want to try it but i don't want to spend too much money on my first try. so what is the best soundcard that price around $100 - $150?

thx guys

[Firearm2112]

Whats your mobo? It might have capable sound already

[Oshino Shinobu]

If you have a fairly new motherboard, the only benefit will be a placebo.

[Lavachyste]

Asuw xonar are pretty great for the price

 

with a good headphone if you wanna have the result

[TheMcSame]

You wont need one if you have a recent mobo. Even the cheap ones have pretty decent audio. I'd only recommend a sound card if you're using some high quality, audiophile headphones.

 

 

Anyway, to answer your question. Any Xonar card within your budget. That's along the lines of what Linus says.

[Feronix]

Pretty much the Asus Xonar STX / STX II then.

 

Or you can get an external DAC (with amp)

[Scouten]

i have no experience on soundcard, but i think i want to try it but i don't want to spend too much money on my first try. so what is the best soundcard that price around $100 - $150?

thx guys

if you want a fully featured sound card the Xonar DX is capable and is regarded as one of the better if not best sub 100$ cards supporting 24bit 192khz other then that your next best option would be the essence STX for 200$ with slightly better overall specs and with interchangeable opamps

[randy hutajulu]

right now i'm using a home theater 5.1 channel setup for my PC. if i use a soundcard, will i get a better sound from that?

[Stagea]

right now i'm using a home theater 5.1 channel setup for my PC. if i use a soundcard, will i get a better sound from that?

 

How are things connected? 

 

If you are connected via HDMI, you probably won't see any change. For SPDIF, it depends on the application and feature set.

[NannerBeans]

Ignore all sound cards and go for a monoprice dac/amp.

[Sors]

In your profile you list a MSI Z87-G43 (MS-7816) motherboard, this has pretty much the same hardware you'll find in a soundcard, there is not going to be any benefit from using the soundcard over the integrated sound for your home theater.    You'll just waste money to get the same results.

[randy hutajulu]

How are things connected?

If you are connected via HDMI, you probably won't see any change. For SPDIF, it depends on the application and feature set.

I use analog to component and plug it to my amp

[randy hutajulu]

Ignore all sound cards and go for a monoprice dac/amp.

So my amp will do better then?

[randy hutajulu]

In your profile you list a MSI Z87-G43 (MS-7816) motherboard, this has pretty much the same hardware you'll find in a soundcard, there is not going to be any benefit from using the soundcard over the integrated sound for your home theater. You'll just waste money to get the same results.

So i dont need any soundcar anymore? That's a good info hahaha

[randy hutajulu]

In your profile you list a MSI Z87-G43 (MS-7816) motherboard, this has pretty much the same hardware you'll find in a soundcard, there is not going to be any benefit from using the soundcard over the integrated sound for your home theater. You'll just waste money to get the same results.

So i dont need any soundcar anymore? That's a good info hahaha

[BoredErica]

I'm worrying a bit about your connectivity. Many amps are just one quarter inch plug... (If you surround setup has multiple 3.5mm plugs for example.) What's your mobo?

[randy hutajulu]

I'm worrying a bit about your connectivity. Many amps are just one quarter inch plug... (If you surround setup has multiple 3.5mm plugs for example.) What's your mobo?

So far it works kust fine. Im using MSI Z87-G43. I use the analog jack to component jack on my amp.

[creatip123]

If you have a fairly new motherboard, the only benefit will be a placebo.

 

Not quite true though, as sometimes onboards can get static and noises from the mobo. But then again, when that happens, the thing to get is an external solution altogether. 

 

I use analog to component and plug it to my amp

 

Is it an amp or AVR? Hmmm, how many cables going from your PC to your amp, and what cables are you using? 

 

If it's an AVR, then it's better to use optical cable, provided both the onboard and the AVR got the connection. Tell us more about your setup.

[MayflowerElectronics]

right now i'm using a home theater 5.1 channel setup for my PC. if i use a soundcard, will i get a better sound from that?

None what so ever.

[randy hutajulu]

None what so ever.

yea.. everyone said that. hahahaha

[randy hutajulu]

Not quite true though, as sometimes onboards can get static and noises from the mobo. But then again, when that happens, the thing to get is an external solution altogether. 

 

 

Is it an amp or AVR? Hmmm, how many cables going from your PC to your amp, and what cables are you using? 

 

If it's an AVR, then it's better to use optical cable, provided both the onboard and the AVR got the connection. Tell us more about your setup.

i'm using a converter from analog (green) audio jack to component (red and white) goes to my amp

[creatip123]

i'm using a converter from analog (green) audio jack to component (red and white) goes to my amp

 

Ah ok, I'm guessing it's 3,5mm to RCA interconnect cable, plugged to an AVR. That means you're upmixing the signal from 2 channel (stereo) to 5.1 (if you really use 6 speakers set). 

 

That's good for stereo signals, but with true 5.1 signals (such as watching DVDs), sometimes the upmixing sound kinda off. Check both your AVR and your onboard audio for an optical cable jack (TOSLINK). If both of them got the optical cable jack, just get an optical cable. There are cheap ones available in Indonesia, below Rp.100k. 

 

Using optical cable means the onboard is feeding digital audio data to the AVR, and support real surround signals. 

[randy hutajulu]

Ah ok, I'm guessing it's 3,5mm to RCA interconnect cable, plugged to an AVR. That means you're upmixing the signal from 2 channel (stereo) to 5.1 (if you really use 6 speakers set).

That's good for stereo signals, but with true 5.1 signals (such as watching DVDs), sometimes the upmixing sound kinda off. Check both your AVR and your onboard audio for an optical cable jack (TOSLINK). If both of them got the optical cable jack, just get an optical cable. There are cheap ones available in Indonesia, below Rp.100k.

Using optical cable means the onboard is feeding digital audio data to the AVR, and support real surround signals.

I think my mobo doesn't have any optical cable jack. Is there any expansion card for optic cables?

[creatip123]

I think my mobo doesn't have any optical cable jack. Is there any expansion card for optic cables?

 

I don't think so (card solely for optical cable). You can get a soundcard that have a toslink connection, if you want. The xonar DG (or DGX) is reasonably priced, and got toslink jack.

[randy hutajulu]

I don't think so (card solely for optical cable). You can get a soundcard that have a toslink connection, if you want. The xonar DG (or DGX) is reasonably priced, and got toslink jack.

Hhhmmm.. Does that sound card give me another benefit except that optical output?