Will the new Asus Maximus VI Impact be a upgrade?

[ShearMe]

But....but I want mini-ITX  :(

Do you think the Gigabyte G1.Sniper M5 has better onboard sound than the Maximus VI Gene?

I think the Gigabyte board uses an old Creative chip.

 

I think there's not a difference humans can perceive, at least not on the chip level.

[Markus]

Okay, what about an external solution, as previously suggested? Are they any good?

[ShearMe]

Okay, what about an external solution, as previously suggested? Are they any go

 

If you're planning on building a smaller computer anyways, try out your on board before deciding you need anything extra. If you do want/need something extra, then the FiiO E10 is great. I've been using mine since I got it instead of the setup in my profile pic.

[LAwLz]

But....but I want mini-ITX  :(

Do you think the Gigabyte G1.Sniper M5 has better onboard sound than the Maximus VI Gene?

I think the Gigabyte board uses an old Creative chip.

I wouldn't spend that much on any motherboard, at least not an LGA 1150 one. You could probably get the exact same performance, and still get the same features you want, out of a 100-150 dollar motherboard. High end motherboards are usually just a waste of money and something people get for e-peen.

 

 

Okay, what about an external solution, as previously suggested? Are they any good?

I prefer external over internal when it comes to DACs and AMPs. If you want something pretty cheap and good, then you could always get the FiiO E10 for 60 dollars. It might not make a whole lot of difference with your PC360s though.

[ShearMe]

I prefer external over internal when it comes to DACs and AMPs. If you want something pretty cheap and good, then you could always get the FiiO E10 for 60 dollars. It might not make a whole lot of difference with your PC360s though.

 

$55 yo! FiiO E10

[h264]

This sound bus card will sound better because it looks better and as you can see has some pretty decent specs:

It is also designed for small enclosures like the OP wanted :D

 

saved!

[Markus]

The Fiio E10 looks interresting, can I connect my speakers and my headphones to it without using a splitter?

I am using a splitter from my sound card right now because I dont want to change the output everytime I want to use my speakers/headphones.

 

 

Edit:

I wouldn't spend that much on any motherboard, at least not an LGA 1150 one. You could probably get the exact same performance, and still get the same features you want, out of a 100-150 dollar motherboard. High end motherboards are usually just a waste of money and something people get for e-peen.

 

I don't really care that much about performance, since all 1150 motherboards perform almost the same, it's the features I'm looking at, especially the onboard sound on the board.

[h264]

The Fiio E10 looks interresting, can I connect my speakers and my headphones to it without using a splitter?

I am using a splitter from my sound card right now because I dont want to change the output everytime I want to use my speakers/headphones.

 

Yes, I believe it plays music from the line out and headphone out at the same time though.

[ShearMe]

The Fiio E10 looks interresting, can I connect my speakers and my headphones to it without using a splitter?

I am using a splitter from my sound card right now because I dont want to change the output everytime I want to use my speakers/headphones.

 

Yes! There is a 3.5mm line output on the back of the unit as well as Coaxial out. Sound will play out of both the front headphone port and the speaker port while the device is operating, so if this is a problem you'd have to turn the volume wheel down on the headphones.

[Markus]

Yes! There is a 3.5mm line output on the back of the unit as well as Coaxial out. Sound will play out of both the front headphone port and the speaker port while the device is operating, so if this is a problem you'd have to turn the volume wheel down on the headphones.

 

That's just kinda perfect

[ShearMe]

That's just kinda perfect

 

Pretty much. 

[Markus]

I will come back to this thread when more people have experience with the board, so they can say what they think of the sound  ;)

[mr moose]

I will come back to this thread when more people have experience with the board, so they can say what they think of the sound  ;)

But what if the only person you find who has that specific board is tone deaf?  You might also be waiting a long time before you get any info.

[Markus]

But what if the only person you find who has that specific board is tone deaf?  You might also be waiting a long time before you get any info.

 

Well, then Asus has a problem  :P

[JamesThresher]

I can't comment directly on the Impact, but i have tested the Maximus VI Formula against an Essence STX and whilst sound is a very subjective thing, the STX was noticeably better (to me at least) than the onboard audio. What was more interesting was that i could detect no different between the Forumla onboard sound and the onboard audio on an Asus P8P67Deluxe board in one of my other rigs.

 

If you search about, the thread where i posted about this originally should be around somewhere.

[h264]

I can't comment directly on the Impact, but i have tested the Maximus VI Formula against an Essence STX and whilst sound is a very subjective thing, the STX was noticeably better (to me at least) than the onboard audio. What was more interesting was that i could detect no different between the Forumla onboard sound and the onboard audio on an Asus P8P67Deluxe board in one of my other rigs.

 

If you search about, the thread where i posted about this originally should be around somewhere.

 

Yeah, I remember your posts.  I'm still concerned that the STX was simply louder than the onboard chips, as it would be with those IEMs at just about any volume on the STX.

[JamesThresher]

Yeah, I remember your posts.  I'm still concerned that the STX was simply louder than the onboard chips, as it would be with those IEMs at just about any volume on the STX.

 

I adjusted for volume levels by ear, the STX certainly did sound better to me. I was slightly dissapointed as I would have sold the STX otherwise.

[Markus]

I can't comment directly on the Impact, but i have tested the Maximus VI Formula against an Essence STX and whilst sound is a very subjective thing, the STX was noticeably better (to me at least) than the onboard audio. What was more interesting was that i could detect no different between the Forumla onboard sound and the onboard audio on an Asus P8P67Deluxe board in one of my other rigs.

 

If you search about, the thread where i posted about this originally should be around somewhere.

 

Thats strange, the Formula has a headphone amp, it should be better than the older board you have, at least with headphones on.

But if thats true, I may just go with the Gene, but I'll wait for some results from people who has the Impact.

[JamesThresher]

Thats strange, the Formula has a headphone amp, it should be better than the older board you have, at least with headphones on.

But if thats true, I may just go with the Gene, but I'll wait for some results from people who has the Impact.

 

The IEM's i use aren't high impedance, so the amp won't make much of a difference, it could be a whole different story with some high impedance headphones though.

[Markus]

The IEM's i use aren't high impedance, so the amp won't make much of a difference, it could be a whole different story with some high impedance headphones though.

 

Well my PC 360 has an impedance of 50 ohms, so a headphone amp wouldn't make much of a difference?

[h264]

Well my PC 360 has an impedance of 50 ohms, so a headphone amp wouldn't make much of a difference?

It would only get louder.

[Markus]

It would only get louder.

 

Ah, makes sense. I am concidering an external sound card or DAC, I've been looking at the Xonar U7, Sound Blaster X-Fi HD, Fiio E10, D03K and D07.

Are any of those any good? I know the E10 is good.

[h264]

Ah, makes sense. I am concidering an external sound card or DAC, I've been looking at the Xonar U7, Sound Blaster X-Fi HD, Fiio E10, D03K and D07.

Are any of those any good? I know the E10 is good.

All of those are fine as long as your headphone impedance is over 80 Ohms. The E03k is just an amp iirc. The E7 has a digital volume control if you want that. The FiiO ones are my recommendations though.

[Markus]

All of those are fine as long as your headphone impedance is over 80 Ohms. The E03k is just an amp iirc. The E7 has a digital volume control if you want that. The FiiO ones are my recommendations though.

 

My headset impedance is 50 ohms, why must it be over 80?