Soundcards. Why?

[Guest]

What is a reason I would want a sound card in my computer? Are they just for HTPC's? Would they serve any useful purpose in gaming? I obviously don't have to have one. I have sound from my motherboard. Thank you.

[Skiiwee29]

Honestly, unless your a sound fanatic and need to hear every single little hz and ohm, you are fine with your onboard sound. 

[Curufinwe_wins]

There once was a time when on board audio was bad and incapable of providing enough power for specific high quality headphones.

 

By and large that time has passed, and unless you have one of the really really gamery non-alc audio solutions, if your on board is capable of driving your headphones to a volume you are comfortable with, you probably don't want/need a sound card.

[Guest]

I use my computers orange Digital output plug. I run that into a Sony receiver and out to stereo speakers and my subwoofer. It sounds fine to me. Would a good soundcard make it noticeably better?

[manikyath]

there's a few reasons why you'd want a sound card:

- on-board audio does not suffice for your super fancy headphones.

- need more than one sound card

- need a specific type of connector that on-board audio does not have. (optical out, the bigger audio jacks, etc.)

- need a higher quality signal (not for plebs, talking studio use here)

- on-board audio died (the jack is iffy, the chip plain died, other irregularities)

 

mostly, if you dont know if you need an add-in sound card, you dont need one.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Thread212 said:

Well.. its true. nowadays onboard sound card in modern motherboard is pretty well built.

 

The video you linked says they are similar to separate DAC and Amps, right?

[Thony]

They all sound little different. Thats about it. I am sure those more expensive ones will give u better sound than your mobo but human hearing still sucks to notice any significant difference. Not sure I would want to run some super high end speakers or headphones from onboard audio though. 

And then there are AMPs and DACs that improve the sound quality/output strength.

[spwath]

26 minutes ago, legacy99 said:

Honestly, unless your a sound fanatic and need to hear every single little hz and ohm, you are fine with your onboard sound. 

You don't hear Hz or ohms..... That literally makes no sense.

 

Sound cards are not really needed today.

[Kalm_Traveler]

I am one of the few who still need a dedicated sound card. The only reason is that I prefer to use the DTS Connect over optical cable in conjunction with the software that Creative has for getting sound to my home theater system. Sure, I could use the analogue outputs (even on the onboard sound) and pick up a bunch of interference in the walls and ceiling running it across the room to the receiver, but I find it much more convenient to use an audio cable and DTS C to do the job. Sounds nice and clean to boot.

 

If you're not doing this, I can't imagine why spending anything for a sound card would really be worth it.

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, Kalm_Traveler1 said:

Sure, I could use the analogue outputs (even on the onboard sound) and pick up a bunch of interference in the walls and ceiling running it across the room to the receiver

That's what cable shielding is for.

[KaminKevCrew]

2 hours ago, legacy99 said:

Honestly, unless your a sound fanatic and need to hear every single little hz and ohm, you are fine with your onboard sound. 

This comment is wrong on so many levels...

2 hours ago, Emma Nieuwenhuis said:

I use my computers orange Digital output plug. I run that into a Sony receiver and out to stereo speakers and my subwoofer. It sounds fine to me. Would a good soundcard make it noticeably better?

no. 

28 minutes ago, Emma Nieuwenhuis said:

That's what cable shielding is for.

Or balanced cables. Balanced cables are better

[iLoiter]

Quick general answer: If you hear a constant buzzing/humming noise when you plugged your headphones in your motherboard or you can't get it loud enough, get a sound card(external amp/dac is better).

[KaminKevCrew]

5 minutes ago, iLoiter said:

Quick general answer: If you hear a constant buzzing/humming noise when you plugged your headphones in your motherboard or you can't get it loud enough, get a sound card(external amp/dac is better).

Which is why sound cards are pretty much pointless...

[samiscool51]

because @Emma Nieuwenhuis......

#OVERKILL

[Kalm_Traveler]

3 hours ago, Emma Nieuwenhuis said:

That's what cable shielding is for.

Sure, but the run from the wall plate near my PC to the wall plate near the AVR is about 35 feet. Running 6 analogue low-power cables that far through the walls and ceiling is not going to sound as clear as an all-digital signal, nevermind the much higher cost and extra pain in the rear of running 6 copper-wire cables VS 1 optical cable

[PRTI]

There's also one reason why people buy additional audio equipment,for microphones

 

Motherboard's can't give us enough voltage for microphones (Not talking about USB ones but XLR microphones)

 

Microphones with XLR require a minimum of 4.5V to sound like anything,and 48v to sound loud and at full

 

So people buy Audio-Interfaces,Phantom Power Supplies etc...

 

As for the topic,the topic about do you need a sound card,the answer is Yes and No,depends on you,your needs

[KaminKevCrew]

43 minutes ago, keNNySOC said:

There's also one reason why people buy additional audio equipment,for microphones

 

Motherboard's can't give us enough voltage for microphones (Not talking about USB ones but XLR microphones)

 

Microphones with XLR require a minimum of 4.5V to sound like anything,and 48v to sound loud and at full

 

So people buy Audio-Interfaces,Phantom Power Supplies etc...

 

As for the topic,the topic about do you need a sound card,the answer is Yes and No,depends on you,your needs

That's a claim for an audio interface, not a sound card. Consumer sound cards do not generally support phantom power.

[PRTI]

4 minutes ago, KaminKevCrew said:

That's a claim for an audio interface, not a sound card. Consumer sound cards do not generally support phantom power.

Did you even read my post? 

 

49 minutes ago, keNNySOC said:

As for the topic,the topic about do you need a sound card,the answer is Yes and No,depends on you,your needs

 

[DreamcastFan]

4 hours ago, samiscool51 said:

because @Emma Nieuwenhuis......

#OVERKILL

It's not overkill, if I use my headphones with onboard they are too quiet as they require higher power than most. Having some of the additional hardware level controls and features is a bonus too.

 

A good soundcard with a strong amplifier is usually about the same price as any mid-range headphone amplifier, so if you don't plan on taking an amp around with you a soundcard is a much better deal.

[samiscool51]

@DreamcastFan

meh! some think it's overkilll, some think it's useless, some think it's useful

it's personal preference.

[DreamcastFan]

Just now, samiscool51 said:

@DreamcastFan

meh! some think it's overkilll, some think it's useless, some think it's useful

it's personal preference.

It's not a preference if you have high impedance headphones, they are unusable without amps for me because they are very, very quiet otherwise.

 

Like I say for me the price of an OK desktop headphone amp was almost as much as my Xonar Essence STX so the choice was easy

[samiscool51]

@DreamcastFan

see? personal preference. you want to use high impedance headphones but intergreated sound in the MB makes it quiet so you got a sound card to make it louder!

[DreamcastFan]

36 minutes ago, samiscool51 said:

@DreamcastFan

see? personal preference. you want to use high impedance headphones but intergreated sound in the MB makes it quiet so you got a sound card to make it louder!

No I just wanted to use some higher end headphones and my options were a bit limited because most of them had higher impedance  

[samiscool51]

Just now, DreamcastFan said:

No I just wanted to use some higher end headphones and my options were a bit limited because most of them had higher impedance  

lol

[KaminKevCrew]

40 minutes ago, DreamcastFan said:

It's not a preference if you have high impedance headphones, they are unusable without amps for me because they are very, very quiet otherwise.

 

Like I say for me the price of an OK desktop headphone amp was almost as much as my Xonar Essence STX so the choice was easy

impedance has nothing to do with how loud a pair of headphones get. Please learn something about audio before making these ridiculous, misleading assertions!