Need Help with Audio and Mic

[xCaptKirk]

I'm looking to get a pair of headphones or a headset and a mic of some sort.  The onboard audio on my Hero VII motherboard just isn't cutting it.  Lots of static and I practically have to holler to get the mic to record a decent volume.  Needing some ideas on what to get.  I've seen sound cards external internal, usb dac/amps, astro mixamp.  For headsets I'm considering the AD700x or the Sennheiser HD558 w/ modmic.  For Headsets I really don't know because everything seems overprice ex. ATH-ADG1, Sennheiser G4me One.

[FlighterLuid]

What is your current setup? Sounds like you might need an external sound card, not just amp+DAC.

[ShearMe]

Yeah, sounds like you need a new source. Syba DAC is cheap and does the job.

[xCaptKirk]

Running a headset in front or rear audio ports.  The mic barely pics up under playback devices.  The level monitor barely moves when talking and when recording my voice is really low with a consistent hiss coming through.  I noticed with the Astro Mixamp it doesn't happen. The only problem with using the mixamp is that when I move to my consoles I have to unhook and move wires and crap and really dont' want to have to do that.

[xCaptKirk]

I guess the question should be what can I do to fix the mic in terms of its ability to pickup or raise the levels without messing with the gain as it raises the hiss or static.

[ShearMe]

Running a headset in front or rear audio ports. The mic barely pics up under playback devices. The level monitor barely moves when talking and when recording my voice is really low with a consistent hiss coming through. I noticed with the Astro Mixamp it doesn't happen. The only problem with using the mixamp is that when I move to my consoles I have to unhook and move wires and crap and really dont' want to have to do that.

Which is why you should just get another source for your PC. Getting another headset will simply leave you with the same problems that you're already having.

[xCaptKirk]

So an external soundcard would be best correct?

[ShearMe]

So an external soundcard would be best correct?

yes. That is exactly what we are saying.

[xCaptKirk]

So many to choose from any under a $100 that is worth the money?

[xCaptKirk]

Well I hooked my A40's without mixamp to my work laptop using IDT High Definition Audio Codec under device manager and anyway the volumes are great and my mic sounds 10 times better than hooked to rear or front audio inputs on my Maximus Hero VII motherboard.  Any ideas. I'm on the latest drivers.  Should I uninstall the Asus Audio Suite and just let windows find drivers for me?  Just strange that a crappy laptop audio is better than this motherboard.  If I have to use an external device for mic and audio what should I get.  I see a lot of dac/amps but none have a mic input.

[xCaptKirk]

Just tried something just cause I could.  I uninstalled all of the Asus Supreme FX Realtek crap and let windows install some audio drivers and low and behold the hiss is gone the mic volume is great had to actually turn it down.  I know I've lost the surround sound bs but don't really need it anyway.  Crazy how all of that Supreme FX propaganda was causing the issue to start with maybe ASUS will put out some decent drivers in the future but I doubt it.

[Guest]

Just tried something just cause I could.  I uninstalled all of the Asus Supreme FX Realtek crap and let windows install some audio drivers and low and behold the hiss is gone the mic volume is great had to actually turn it down.  I know I've lost the surround sound bs but don't really need it anyway.  Crazy how all of that Supreme FX propaganda was causing the issue to start with maybe ASUS will put out some decent drivers in the future but I doubt it.

 

Asus only pretends to be an audio company, but you could still try reporting the issue to them.

[xCaptKirk]

So my question am I better off just using the microsoft driver or will it be hindering the audio at all.  Not sure it sounds better but my headphone and mic volumes sound so much louder that i actually have to turn them down.  I just don't understand why the Asus Realtek driver is so bad.

[weez]

So you have the Astro A40's? And do you also have the mixamp? I use the mixamp with my pc and it's very nice for mic input. If you can, use the mixamp and disable the onboard. Or if you have speakers then use the onboard for those and use the mixamp for your headphones and mic. The mixamp is very hard to beat

[xCaptKirk]

I use the mixamp with my consoles.  So I guess I need/want internal,external or dac/amp.  I'm willing to spend around $100 just not sure what to get internal, external soundcard or dac/amp(haven't seen any with mic inputs).