Sound Card Purchasing Decisions

[Precourser]

Currently I have a Turtle Beach x12, 2.1 stereo Logitech speakers, and am using the on-board audio on my ASUS Z77 board. I am going to buy a Audio Technica ATH AD-700x. I want a sound card to accompany it that is <$75 with surround sound capabilities through a single 3.5 mm audio jack, also with capibilities to push both audio solutions through the same card, and on the back panel (I explain more in the full story). Any suggestions? --- SKIP BELOW FOR SORT OF RAMBLE-Y FULL STORY ---

 

---EDIT---

Also I want a desktop mic that runs through the 3.5 mm jack of the sound card. Any suggestions that sounds good but doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

 

FULL STORY (WARNING, I RAMBLE A LOT!)

 

 

I am thinking about purchasing a Audio-Technica ATH-AD700x. I am currently using a Turtle Beach x12, so it will be a worthwhile up-grade. I am also currently using the on-board sound on my ASUS P8Z77-V LE Plus. I recognize this is generally considered crappy, but I haven't had the money to up-grade in the past. Now, I am starting to realize how crappy it sounds. I am using the Razer Surround audio controller so I have at least surround sound in my games, but I am in need of an upgrade badly. This is where the sound card comes in. It would probably be an easy decision normally, but I have some 2 or 3 year old 2.1 Logitech stereo speakers on my desk comes that I occasionally use. Right now I have my headset plugged in on the back of my case, and the speakers plugged in on the front panel so I don't have to physically switch the plugs when I want to use the speakers. but I still have to switch the audio controller in the control panel so they aren't in the Razer headphone specific equalizers. I want a sound card in which I can plug the speakers in and the headphones at the same time and be able to switch between the two by just taking the headset off and turning on the speakers (there is a separate control dongle for the speakers because they are internally amplified by being plugged into the power strip behind my desk). I would like the card to be less than $50, but $75 I could do. At the very least I want 5.1 digital surround audio with a single 3.5 mm jack, but 7.1 digital audio would be for the best. I don't really care about the audio in capabilities of the card, only that it works and is shielded properly so no static happens. I am currently in Germany on vacation from school, (even though it is still technically in session [grrr... homework catch-up will not be fun for being gone for a total of 8 school days]) so I am stuck on an old HP compaq nx7010. Sorry for the long post and so many edits.

[Precourser]

Yay, 5 people reading this. I fell lonely. I must apoligize for the rediculusly long post, but I tend to ramble and didn't want to retype it or revise myself.

[helping]

This is a bit difficult to parse, but I don't think you need what you think you need.

 

At the lowest amount of expenditure possible, you might want a DAC (i.e. E10) and the AD 700x with a mod mic, Blue snowflake, or Zalman inline mic, this would pretty much make the Turtle beach and the sound card obsolete. You can plug the 2.1 system into your onboard which is more than good enough for a pair of Logitech speakers and switch between the two in the sound device panel in Windows. Alternatively, you can use the Line Out on the E10.

 

A 7.1 card won't give you  7.1 sound in a stereo headset, 5.1 and 7.1 headsets are gimmicky, you need surround virtualization which that Razer software provides so you're fine on that aspect. What the sound card can output will be completely irrelevant since you won't have the equipment to take advantage of any of it.

You could look up SRS sandbox, it should provide similar virtualization and might be easier to work with compared to Razer's suite. Note I'm  not sure (pretty sure it won't) if the E10 will accept a preprocessed signal and how either software suites will interact with it since it is a stereo device and is designed to bypass onboard processing by nature.

 

Another option is for you to get a Y splitter and split your 3.5mm to the headphones and the 2.1 sound system, but that will probably drop the volume too much (but that is fixable by a small amplifier.)

 

 

You might honestly be better off getting different PC speakers that come with an audio passtrhough and enable surround virtualization when you're using the 700x.

Edited September 25, 2013 by helping

[Precourser]

This is a bit difficult to parse, but I don't think you need what you think you need.

 

At the lowest amount of expenditure possible, you might want a DAC (i.e. E10) and the AD 700x with a mod mic or Blue snowflake, this would pretty much make the Turtle beach and the sound card obsolete. You can plug the 2.1 system into your onboard which is more than good enough for a pair of Logitech speakers and switch between the two in the sound device panel in Windows. Alternatively, you can use the Line Out on the E10.

 

A 7.1 card won't give you  7.1 sound in a stereo headset, 5.1 and 7.1 headsets are gimmicky, you need surround virtualization which that Razer software provides so you're fine on that aspect. What the sound card can output will be completely irrelevant since you won't have the equipment to take advantage of any of it.

You could look up SRS sandbox, it should provide similar virtualization and might be easier to work with compared to Razer's suite. Note I'm not sure if the E10 will accept a preprocessed signal and how either software suites will interact with it.

 

Another option is for you to get a Y splitter and split your 3.5mm to the headphones and the 2.1 sound system, but that will probably drop the volume too much (but that is fixable by a small amplifier.)

One thing I hope to achieve in just to turn on my speakers to switch to them, and not have to go into the control panel to switch between the two. I have thought about the y-connector, as I could get a cheap amp for the headphones, but I don't want it to be ghetto. I am such a hypocrite, as I am using Sony studio monitors right now to listen to my iPod. The only reason I'm not using them is they look horrible with all the electrical tape I have all over them and they are over-ear.

[helping]

One thing I hope to achieve in just to turn on my speakers to switch to them, and not have to go into the control panel to switch between the two. I have thought about the y-connector, as I could get a cheap amp for the headphones, but I don't want it to be ghetto. I am such a hypocrite, as I am using Sony studio monitors right now to listen to my iPod. The only reason I'm not using them is they look horrible with all the electrical tape I have all over them and they are over-ear.

They're low impedance so you probably won't need an amp, but I would probably look for something with a passthrough instead of a sound card.

 

Something like what the X-540 comes with

 

 

But anyway, wait for the opinion of the others.

[ShearMe]

 Note I'm  not sure (pretty sure it won't) if the E10 will accept a preprocessed signal and how either software suites will interact with it since it is a stereo device and is designed to bypass onboard processing by nature.

 

Razer Surround puts an effect on outbound digital audio - it'll work fine with any external DAC/

 

 

One thing I hope to achieve in just to turn on my speakers to switch to them, and not have to go into the control panel to switch between the two.

 

The FiiO E10 outputs a signal through the headphone port and the line out port at the same time, so that'd be exactly what you want.

[h264]

I am also currently using the on-board sound on my ASUS P8Z77-V LE Plus. I recognize this is generally considered crappy, but I haven't had the money to up-grade in the past. Now, I am starting to realize how crappy it sounds. I am using the Razer Surround audio controller so I have at least surround sound in my games.

 

First Question:  Why have you been realizing lately that your onboard is crappy, but you didn't before?

 

Second Question:  Does your game have a "headphone" mode in the audio options?  Did you ever try that instead of Razer surround?

[Precourser]

First Question:  Why have you been realizing lately that your onboard is crappy, but you didn't before?

 

Second Question:  Does your game have a "headphone" mode in the audio options?  Did you ever try that instead of Razer surround?

First Answer: I used to use the Turtle Beach mix-amp that came with an older pair of x11s. I stopped using it when it started to introduce crackling with the audio signal. Also, I have always been a PC gamer/ "power" user forever. I came from console gaming (360) about 6 months ago. Also I haven't been watching Linus' videos forever, so I haven't had him driving the fact that on-board audio solutions are crappy forever, however I have started binge watching him lately to get the most tech information from him.

 

Second Answer: Yes, I had, but I was under the impression that it only used a stereo signal and did the same thing as Razer Surround. When I us Razer Surround, I can just put the audio mode in 7.1 surround, instead of enhanced stereo mode. I admit I've only used Razer Surround because I can, with it, use the same interface and drivers as my Blackwidow. I can't excactly try using headphone mode instead Razer Surround now, as I am in Germany on vacation. I am stuck with my 10 year old laptop. This is why the timing of this post isn't great, but it is 9:30 am for me right now.

[ShearMe]

First Answer: I used to use the Turtle Beach mix-amp that came with an older pair of x11s. I stopped using it when it started to introduce crackling with the audio signal. Also, I have always been a PC gamer/ "power" user forever. I came from console gaming (360) about 6 months ago. Also I haven't been watching Linus' videos forever, so I haven't had him driving the fact that on-board audio solutions are crappy forever, however I have started binge watching him lately to get the most tech information from him.

 

Ah, so, because Linus says on board audio is crappy, well, then, it must be! 

 

I'd suggest you give it a chance after buying your new headphones before purchasing a new source. There's a blatant misconception about "crappy on board audio" left over from the days when all on board audio was indeed pretty horrid, and in the past few years audio chips for computers have really improved. Usually there's no benefit in getting a soundcard outside of "features" - especially for low impedance headphones where impedance mismatch comes into play.

[Vague]

Ah, so, because Linus says on board audio is crappy, well, then, it must be! 

 

I'd suggest you give it a chance after buying your new headphones before purchasing a new source. There's a blatant misconception about "crappy on board audio" left over from the days when all on board audio was indeed pretty horrid, and in the past few years audio chips for computers have really improved. Usually there's no benefit in getting a soundcard outside of "features" - especially for low impedance headphones where impedance mismatch comes into play.

Oh Shieeet.