What's the best consumer level sound card money can buy?

[Jumballi]

Currently looking at the soundblaster zrx and the asus strix raid dlx. Money is not an issue. Headset I'm using is the astro a50 for wireless support.

[79wjd]

The one built into your motherboard is more than good enough. 

[LukeSavenije]

what about schiit audio? creative labs isn't what it has been. magni modi combo is a good choise for 200 bucks. but they also have some other amp dac combo's

[Mugenjynn]

2 minutes ago, 79wjd said:

The one built into your motherboard is more than good enough. 

Lol he’s obviously looking for a better one, I love these comments 

[79wjd]

Just now, Mugenjynn said:

Lol he’s obviously looking for a better one, I love these comments lol

He can buy a better one all he wants, it will literally do nothing. Wireless is going to deteriorate sound far more than a few traces running around the audio chipset.

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, 79wjd said:

He can buy a better one all he wants, it will literally do nothing. Wireless is going to deteriorate sound far more than a few traces running around the audio chipset.

good point, didn't even see that's a wireless one. a soundcard is worthless here. get a better bluetooth adapter if it's not good enough sound

[Jumballi]

3 minutes ago, 79wjd said:

He can buy a better one all he wants, it will literally do nothing. Wireless is going to deteriorate sound far more than a few traces running around the audio chipset.

 

6 minutes ago, LukeSavenije said:

what about schiit audio? creative labs isn't what it has been. magni modi combo is a good choise for 200 bucks. but they also have some other amp dac combo's

 

6 minutes ago, 79wjd said:

The one built into your motherboard is more than good enough. 

The a50 has pretty good quality at its 5.8ghz range at 4ft away, wireless is just to never take it off. its just that I'm looking for the best sound card with optical out, as it is the only way I can get 7.1 out of it. the motherboards I see only support up to 5.1.

[79wjd]

8 minutes ago, Navid Jamali said:

The a50 has pretty good quality at its 5.8ghz range at 4ft away, wireless is just to never take it off. its just that I'm looking for the best sound card with optical out, as it is the only way I can get 7.1 out of it. the motherboards I see only support up to 5.1.

Which A50s do you have (base station or not)?

 

As a side note, the extra two channels in 7.1 compared to 5.1 aren't particularly important or impactful -- especially in headphones.

[Jumballi]

2 minutes ago, 79wjd said:

Which A50s do you have (base station or not)?

 

As a side note, the extra two channels in 7.1 compared to 5.1 aren't particularly important or impactful -- especially in headphones.

I've got gen 3

[79wjd]

1 minute ago, Navid Jamali said:

I've got gen 3

If you have the base station, then you can just connect it directly your computer via USB. Otherwise pick a sound card with Dolby Digital Live and it will be good.

[Jumballi]

Just now, 79wjd said:

If you have the base station, then you can just connect it directly your computer via USB. Otherwise pick a sound card with Dolby Digital Live and it will be good. 

so what you're telling me here is that the a50 gets better audio with just the usb and without the toslink.

[anothertom]

USB and the optical connection would be sending exactly the same signal, so makes no difference which you use. USB obviously has wider use in consumer equipment.

 

Either way, using a wireless headset is by far the weakest link in the system.

[Reckless95]

On 10/17/2018 at 3:19 PM, anothertom said:

USB and the optical connection would be sending exactly the same signal, so makes no difference which you use. USB obviously has wider use in consumer equipment.

 

+1

 

They both send a digital signal.