Can i use HDMI on the graphics card for better sound?

neojapsz · 18 Jul 2016 at 22:27

Im looking at a new PC, it has 2 HDMI ports, an optical, and the standard 3.5mm.
The onboard sound is from a realtek Hi-Fi ACL892, now is it possible to bypass this, and just use one of the HDMI ports to a digital AV receiver which ive yet to purchase. The other HDMI port would go to my monitor.

Im guessing this would give better sound quality than using the onboard?
I can't install a seperate sound card into this particular PC as no space, other option is external soundcard.

Im just after the best sound i can get, 2 channel only, dont need anything else.

neojapsz · 18 Jul 2016 at 22:42

never used optical before, thought it would be best to stick to HDMI as that is a newer type of port? Depends on what is most simple to set-up and have no issues, does opitcal bypass the soundcard as well then, and your AV receiver does that job?

neojapsz · 18 Jul 2016 at 23:07

im guessing if its just one HDMI cable to the AV receiver and then another one from that to the monitor, then the AV receiver needs to be on, or will it just passthrough

neojapsz · 19 Jul 2016 at 01:53

just been looking at new av receivers and the only ones with HDMI inputs are the ones for surround sound home cinema, which isnt something i need. I was looking at just the Hi-Fi receivers so they only have optical and usb. So i guess i could output via USB from the PC? So this would bypass the onboard sound and the new hi-fi receiver would be the DAC?

neojapsz · 20 Jul 2016 at 13:16

thanks for all the replies, as its not a game PC, just music on a 2 channel with very good mission speakers and i will get hi-fi amp, in the region of £300-£400, which isnt going to have HDMI because its not a home cinema one,.

Then from what everyone has said i will go with the optical out as my best option as that bypasses the cheap onboard soundcard and my amp will do the DAC conversion.