DS3 or new soundcard

amanojakou · 12 Oct 2007 at 14:45

Hi, Gonna be receiving my new amp, I have a ds3 mb which has coax and opti out and wondered if theres any point me getting a new soundcard if im using a digital connection. I figured its going to be the same signal from my motherboard as it would be a soundcard that is sent to my amp.

Thanks
Chris

FatRakoon · 28 Oct 2007 at 01:32

The O/B Audio on my DS3 is pants compared to... Well, any other card I have really.

I have an Audigy 2 ZS with drive bay thingy and to be honest I have been 100% happy as lerry with it till only 3 days ago... Its started to pop and crackle and I have not yet cured that, but its almost gone and no longer si a hassle.

But the onboard effort is seriously dire.

Minstadave · 28 Oct 2007 at 19:10

If you're using the digital out it won't matter if you use onboard or dedicated AFAIK.

Columbo · 28 Oct 2007 at 19:19

Just use the onboard, stick the sound into 'pass through' in the drivers and let the amp do the work.

Hxc · 30 Oct 2007 at 18:26

Just got some good headphones and the onboard sound is awful. I'll be getting a dedicated card in the near future. Can hear popping when the audio isn't playing and gosh it is annoying.

FatRakoon · 30 Oct 2007 at 20:01

Hxc said:
Just got some good headphones and the onboard sound is awful. I'll be getting a dedicated card in the near future. Can hear popping when the audio isn't playing and gosh it is annoying.

OnBoard compared to a Dedicated card is pathetic.

If you have a crappy Speaker/Amp setup, you wont really notice too much, but if you have a good setup, the differences are vast.

I would NEVER waste my time with onboard efforts unless I only need to play the odd MP3 while Im browsing, but for any machine that I will be playing games on, Id rather do without.

Hxc · 30 Oct 2007 at 20:12

Yeah, I got Audio Technica A900s in the post today and they are making the onboard sound like crap...any recommendations on something reasonably cheap but better?

FatRakoon · 30 Oct 2007 at 20:32

Audio Technica ?

Ah, I got a pair of those, but the bloody headset broke on them.

To be honest mate, I have gone through so many sets of headphones in the last couple of months that I have decided that Im going to buy a cheap and nasty set, and last week, I bought a set of SONY MDR v150 jobs for a tenner, and for the price, Im amazed. I got a set of MDR-1000 and they aint cheap but then they also dont go near my kids either LOL

Ok, so they do have that "Cheap-Muffled" edge to them that lets me know they only cost a tenner, but thats only because I am comparing them to my 1000's

Another great set of headphones I got ( Another paid that broken now ) that are dirt cheap and are excellent are the Sennheiser HD457, again great range, useable bass without too much distortion, and comfy... The Sony MDR V150 I find area little tight and hurt your ears after an hour or so, but the Sennies stay comfy for longer.

Dont really know too much about HeadPhones really, so I can only go on the ones I have.

Hxc · 30 Oct 2007 at 20:44

Oh god sorry I meant a replacement sound card! The phones are quality, but they bring out the worst in the sound card.