Soldato
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That's what I thought.
Would probably better off putting the money toward upgrading the monitor first.
Benefits of a sound card?
- Thread starter Snookums
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Would probably better off putting the money toward upgrading the monitor first.
Maybe there is no difference and it's all placebo!
It's a good thing, not being able to notice a difference; means you aren't constantly wasting money trying to find the next improvement.
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I'm sticking with the essence one definitely considering getting a bottlehead Crack OTL but I'll still use the DAC part. The crack is partly because I want to make it myself. and 2 I'd like to play with tubes and what not a bit.
This is a question i'm interested in, I've got a Rampage IV Extreme black edition. My sound set up at the moment is x2 Tannoy Reveal 402's and a Sennheiser G4me. At the moment i'm using the onboard audio from my motherboard, would you guys suggest i would benefit from a dedicated soundcard if so, internal or external?
Soldato
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If you have the cash I can highly recommend the Asus Xonar STXII, Fantastic and 1 hell of a step up over even decent onboard audio.
It depends.
If I didn't play games, I might not bother with a soundcard. There are other options.
For me a souncdard is more about the processing than outright audio quality. Quite simply pretty much any game that uses hardware based audio (few and far between these days unfortunately) is transformed by a soundcard capable of taking advantage of it.
However I do regard myself as an audiophile. In terms of pure sound quality, it doesn't really matter how it's achieved. It could be a soundcard. It could be a DAC or receiver - but motherboard audio doesn't really cut it when paired with higher end speakers or headphones.
If I didn't play games, I might not bother with a soundcard. There are other options.
For me a souncdard is more about the processing than outright audio quality. Quite simply pretty much any game that uses hardware based audio (few and far between these days unfortunately) is transformed by a soundcard capable of taking advantage of it.
However I do regard myself as an audiophile. In terms of pure sound quality, it doesn't really matter how it's achieved. It could be a soundcard. It could be a DAC or receiver - but motherboard audio doesn't really cut it when paired with higher end speakers or headphones.
Associate
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I always end up with a soundcard I can't resist when I build up a new system
Would recommend the essence STXii too. Well worth the money, plus it has two phonos out for securer connection than a jack. The sound is brilliant and card punches well out of its price grouping. Plus you can change the opamps which gives you a little flexibility to match your setup and preferred sound
Soldato
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Amen to that
I have the HDX and it's very nice..hear so much more detail in games , music and films too...hearing so many more sound effects that I didnt hear with my Sound Blaster z
Soldato
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While I don't doubt that Devil HDX is a very awesome soundcard. but comparing to the STX/STX II it doesn't have Dolby features such as Dolby Headphone, or Dolby Digtial Live over spdif is it?
I think that was in reference to the Asus rampage on-board sound, but those 2 things you've mentioned are sound features rather than sound quality
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Soldato
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Yea that I thought I remember. So it would be no-go for people who are planning on hooking it up to a receiver.Has none of those. Saves on Dolby licencing fees.