Graphics Card or Motherboard - Which is best to use

[nheather]

I have a new Windows 10 installation.

It has automatically picked up the Graphics Card (a Radeon 7800 series) as the sound device.

My motherboard has a Realtek ALC1150 which the advertising blurb says is a high performance, audio-quality capacitors etc.

Just connected to a 2.1 using the green stereo output.

Which is the best to use? Is the Realtek better than what is on the graphics card - in which case I will install the driver software. But if the same or worse then I won't bother.

Cheers,

Nigel

 

[stuie]

The graphics card will be audio out via hdmi so you would need a suitable screen or preferably a hdmi receiver to make use of that output

 

[nheather]

The graphics card will be audio out via hdmi so you would need a suitable screen or preferably a hdmi receiver to make use of that output

Yes, I was aware of that but have disregarded it because I have no need to output sound over HDMI.

Cheers,

Nigel

 

[stuie]

ok im not entirely sure what your asking then. To use the graphics card you need a hdmi audio receiver youve said you have no requirement for that so the question is mute, it doesnt matter which is better as you have no requirement for the only output the card supports.

If I was to answer the question completely id say use the hdmi digital out from the card into a high grade receiver and pair that with speakers or a top end headphone to give you the best quality out of the 2 options.

If you dont want, use, have or require that setup then the current setup youve got of the 2 youve listed is the only one that is possible to use

 

[Safetytrousers]

Which is the best to use? Is the Realtek better than what is on the graphics card - in which case I will install the driver software. But if the same or worse then I won't bother.

The audio experience you will get from each route will be governed by what you are listening through. Any difference in the quality of the DAC on each route will be negligible.

 

[nheather]

ok im not entirely sure what your asking then. To use the graphics card you need a hdmi audio receiver youve said you have no requirement for that so the question is mute, it doesnt matter which is better as you have no requirement for the only output the card supports.

If I was to answer the question completely id say use the hdmi digital out from the card into a high grade receiver and pair that with speakers or a top end headphone to give you the best quality out of the 2 options.

If you dont want, use, have or require that setup then the current setup youve got of the 2 youve listed is the only one that is possible to use

Ahhh, thanks. Your comment made me look again. I have a whole bunch of devices called AMD High Definition Audio Device which are not plugged in, and then which is plugged in saying High Definition Audio Device. I missed that it didn't have 'AMD' at the front.

So that must be the MoBo Audio which windows has detected and provided some default drivers.

Probably better installing the proper RealTek drivers then.

Cheers,

Nigel

 

[stuie]

Right ok got you, following a bit more now. Yes the non AMD HDAD will be the built in on board system. As for the drivers yes using the proper ones will probably add more functionality in terms of audio quality it probably wont make noticeable difference