Onboard vs Sound Card

[alan]

Hi all,

Just wondering whether I would notice a big difference in sound quality (mainly aimed at gaming - seems I cant hear anything compared to others) with upgrading from my onboard sound vs a dedicated sound card? I use a Creative Fatal1ty headset if that matters too.

Onboard = Realtek® ALC892 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC (on Asus
p8z68-v pro mobo)

If there is a significant difference, what are typical recommended sound cards? (without spending a fortune, possibly ~£30-40)

Thanks in advance

 

[alan]

ALC892 is pretty much bottom of the product barrel codec.
Even Audigy Fx would be clear step higher in D/A conversion quality.
Xonar DGX is technically similar, but has that mediocre Dolby Headphone and you don't know when Asus decides it's too old card to get any software support.
Those are at level of ALC889 tested in this comparison.
And ~50£ Sound Blaster Z has two steps better DAC.
(though headphone output is rather standard)

Anyway algorithms processing sound signal to include cues brain uses to process directions are at lest equally important.
(and missing from Realteks)
But as cheap closed design that headset is likely very incapable to any kind binaural sound stage.
Besides directionality there should be good sense of distance to various gun shots in first minute of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1_20T8x_OI
And especially this is really nice with good binaural sound stage headphones:
https://youtu.be/B8xZp0WPwxs?t=18m51s

So if you want to really get game immersion to good level you would also need capable (as in no gaming trinket) headphones.
With best headphones anything better would basically mean game showing locations of sound sources on map.
And cosed design is huge challenge even for actual audio makers and cheap trinket production gaming garbages are likely at "head in bucket" level in sound stage.

Not sure about other models of Superlux, but Beyerdynamic copying HD330 does extremely well for its price.
Though that's still couple steps below best.

So basically I need a new sound card and better headset to hear any directionality?