sound card vs motherboard audio

[V F]

Coincidentally I just came here to create a post about this very subject. I have a Gigabyte GA-ME770T-UD3P Rev 1.0 and have been using a Creative Soundblaster Audigy since the day it was released, I've cherished this soundcard for years and it's been in every PC I have ever built for home use and gaming. I just re installed Windows 10 on my PC and have removed the Soundblaster Audigy and have started using the on-board sound that comes with the Gigabyte GA-ME770T-UD3P. The surround sound works through my Creative 5.1 speaker system but my questions is:

Which is better the Soundblaster or the Gigabyte GA-ME770T-UD3P on board sound device?

Here's a few pictures of my trusty old Soundblaster:

The question I'm wondering for my next build soon, if I get one of those PCI to PCIe converters will the PCI sound cards work ok...

 

[Trebz]

Having checked the two specifications I guess I should re install my Soundblaster Audigy EX hehe

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-MA770T-UD3P-rev-10#sp

http://ccfiles.creative.com/manuald...B77/Audigy Platinum eX User Guide English.pdf

 

[rids57]

Considering you know what your Audigy sounds like and you've listened to the new motherboard audio, you're in a better position than anybody else to answer your own question.

 

[EsaT]

Having checked the two specifications I guess I should re install my Soundblaster Audigy EX hehe

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-MA770T-UD3P-rev-10#sp

http://ccfiles.creative.com/manualdn/Manuals/TSD/1054/0x84821B77/Audigy Platinum eX User Guide English.pdf

ALC888 is quite low end codec.
Just little above bottom dreg of product barrel ALC892, which is standard "slapped something in for that integrated sound card check box" model.
So that old Audigy has it beaten in technical signal quality.

 

[Rroff]

One thing I would say - old soundcards don't seem to sound anything like they did new if they've been kicking around a bit - not sure as to the exact why. I've rarely found motherboard solutions that don't sound dull somehow - even with high spec on paper and having detailed sound somehow they often seem lifeless compared to a decent soundcard or external DAC - I think one of the problems is they often have cheap electrolytic or even ceramic capacitors in the audio path as a cheap and small footprint way of managing DC, etc. even when everything else is decent spec.

 

[JasonM]

Which is better the Soundblaster or the Gigabyte GA-ME770T-UD3P on board sound device?

If it's anything like my Gigabyte Z370 HD3P then the on board is poor, and is well behind even a good quality separates CD player. Main problems was thin sound, washed out mids, and bad background inference.

I tested the on-board on what would be £800 of retail Yamaha speakers, and what would be at least £400 of Pioneer amp purchased today, it took 3 seconds to know the on board was bad. I only tested the on board by chance as I build the computer in my front room where all my main Hi Fi gear was and tested it out of curiosity.

To put things in perspective, I'm the type of person that will listen for 2 hours listening to differences in RCA cables.

 

[Rroff]

washed out mids

Noticed that with a lot of Gigabyte + Realtek implementations - not really noticed thin sound so much but it often just sounds washed out and dull - I suspect it is due to the use of cheap components in the audio path, like electrolytic or general purpose SMDs capacitors, etc. even when the overall setup has decent on paper stats.

 

[JasonM]

Noticed that with a lot of Gigabyte + Realtek implementations - not really noticed thin sound so much but it often just sounds washed out and dull - I suspect it is due to the use of cheap components in the audio path, like electrolytic or general purpose SMDs capacitors, etc. even when the overall setup has decent on paper stats.

What it sounds like to my hearing is the output stage is poor, but if you think about it the motherboard i'm referring to cost £130. There is not really much budget left for the audio, I would not be surprised if the audio part of the board is $5-10. Now if you think about a quality CD player costing £300+, how could the onboard audio sound any good in comparison.