Replacement for onboard audio?

[Armadillo]

Was using a SBZ, but noticed it would randomly mess with the audio channels, not often but enough to annoying. Seems to be a driver bug/issue as there's a big thread on it on Creative's forum, but Creative have washed their hands of it and just claim "not compatible with all motherboards", and tell you to buy their usb one .

Currently back on onboard, onboard is not bad, but the power saving feature realtek added that you can't turn off anymore can sometimes make a small noise/pop when the ports go live just before sound plays. Not a major issue, but bugs me and is what I wanted to get away from by going with the sbz.

Don't have an amazing setup, just a set of akg k92 and some cheap 2.0 speakers for when I want someone to listen to something and don't want to give them my headphones. Was thinking maybe one of the cheap xonar cards, but then read people moaning about drivers (seems like asking for good drivers for a soundcard is too much). Maybe a cheap usb option would be better, just want away from realtek.

Thanks.

 

[Marsman]

You could try modified drivers before you give up on it. If you have a look for PAX drivers, there's ones for the Z series. Might be a fix for Creative's incompetence.

 

[EsaT]

Was thinking maybe one of the cheap xonar cards

Channels getting mixed would be small problem in them.
C-Media chip based based Asuses have bug which can make it blow out full scale distorted sound/noise from output if you for example fast forward video...
Then again it wouldn't be wonder if that happens also because of MS screwing around with things.
MS is surely perfectly capable to breaking things with every Windows update.

 

[Armadillo]

You could try modified drivers before you give up on it. If you have a look for PAX drivers, there's ones for the Z series. Might be a fix for Creative's incompetence.

Thanks. Not got it in at the moment, but I'll definitely give it a try before giving up on it then. It's amazes me that Creative can just wash their hands of it. I bought mine used for cheap, so not too fussed, can't say I'd be happy if it was full priced and Creative just said "buy our new one".

Channels getting mixed would be small problem in them.
C-Media chip based based Asuses have bug which can make it blow out full scale distorted sound/noise from output if you for example fast forward video...
Then again it wouldn't be wonder if that happens also because of MS screwing around with things.
MS is surely perfectly capable to breaking things with every Windows update.

.

Thanks. Those are out then. Apparently asking for good drivers on a soundcard is too much

 

[V F]

I haven't touched a soundcard since the mess the days Creative messed with Auzentech. I loved my Prelude until it got the short end. The drivers werent full of endless gunk. I do miss it though.

Is Creative still a mess with drivers that everyone hated them for?

 

[XRoyalT]

Do people still recommend buying soundcards or are the onboard ones good enough?

 

[Marsman]

I haven't touched a soundcard since the mess the days Creative messed with Auzentech. I loved my Prelude until it got the short end. The drivers werent full of endless gunk. I do miss it though.

Is Creative still a mess with drivers that everyone hated them for?

From what I've seen, the Z series has been much better for drivers compared to around the time people were having issues with X-Fi. Microsoft haven't helped matters in the recent past though, with their W10 updates screwing around with sound from time to time.

Do people still recommend buying soundcards or are the onboard ones good enough?

Depends on a few things. Quality of headphones/headset or speakers being used and whether or not positional sound effect stuff like Dolby Headphone or SBX is wanted for headphone use.

Some people notice a difference in sound quality with a sound card, some don't. With a cheapish headset or speakers and no need for positional effect stuff, a sound card isn't going to bring much benefit.

 

[EsaT]

Is Creative still a mess with drivers that everyone hated them for?

It's long time since Creative's drivers were pile of includes kitchen sink shovelware.
I sure remember that time 15 years ago when it was better to install driver and needed/wanted parts of software manually one by one to avoid having all splash screens and other useless stuff installed by auto-installation.
And for Z-serie software is very compact.

Apparently asking for good drivers on a soundcard is too much

Don't worry, if everything else works Microsoft will update Windows so that things break up.
Apparently one of the latest Win10 updates has change to mess Creative drivers.
And just in last month read about Asus cards having problems after some update.

https://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/top10.html
Well, at least then you could choose when to update...

 

[XRoyalT]

From what I've seen, the Z series has been much better for drivers compared to around the time people were having issues with X-Fi. Microsoft haven't helped matters in the recent past though, with their W10 updates screwing around with sound from time to time.



Depends on a few things. Quality of headphones/headset or speakers being used and whether or not positional sound effect stuff like Dolby Headphone or SBX is wanted for headphone use.

Some people notice a difference in sound quality with a sound card, some don't. With a cheapish headset or speakers and no need for positional effect stuff, a sound card isn't going to bring much benefit.

Thank you very much for such a in depth reply.

 

[JasonM]

Have you considered an external DAC/Amp (or just a DAC), one of the advantages here is when drivers change the external DAC/Amp is never redundant providing you can get an S/PDIF or optical to it.

Down stairs I have an old P55 motherboard powering a HTPC, and I use the on-board Realtec s/pdif as source for digital amp, no pops or anything with Windows 10, infact Realtec S/PDIF into external DAC/Amp is higher quality then the Asus Essence ST I also own.

Someone asked if soundcards are worth it over onboard, it depends on the motherboard you have. Some motherboards the DAC is terrible, others like some of the higher end Gigabyte boards they have made a good effect to produce good sound. Over the years i've had everything from AWE32 cards, Gravis Ultrasounds, X-Fi Music extreme, Creative Titanium HD, for just listening to 2.0 music / sound the Asus Essence ST is the best out of everything I've ever had. The Asus Essence is a very honest card thats true to the source.

The problem with the Asus Essence ST (and all cards including onboard) it's the interference that the cards/onboard picks up. So despite the Asus Essence ST being the best card i've ever owned, I still prefer using the DAC inside the amp (and powering it by a $5 realtek s/pdif chip) as opposed to the Asus ST. The DAC inside my amp just does a much better job at eliminating interference.

 

[rids57]

that's just it though, you're comparing a sound card inside an incredibly noisy (electrically) environment to a purpose built device with as little emi as possible.

By using SPDIF you are removing the PC from the equation entirely as you are sending raw, digital data to the external DAC. The DAC on the ST is actually high end for when it was made. So it may be that the better sound quality comes from manually removing any EMI by using an optical feed, rather than the amp/dac being of higher quality.

 

[JasonM]

So it may be that the better sound quality comes from manually removing any EMI by using an optical feed, rather than the amp/dac being of higher quality.

That's possible, my amp also has a direct mode where it by passes tone and graphics equaliser circuits, but this direct mode only works if sending the amp a digital source. Running the amp in direct mode gives a cleaner output, not just less interference but music reproduction is better.

I have run the Pioneer amp out of direct mode, and simultaneously ran the Asus ST and the S/pdif from the Realtek into amp dac. I've played various tracks and switched between dac's while music playing. The Asus ST and the Pioneer DAC as near as identical in the sound that's reproduced, they are honestly that close in a blind test most would struggle to know what one was in use, it's just less interference from the amp dac, especially when running the amp in direct mode.

To try and make things more relative.

I also own a Creative Titanium HD. There is more difference between a Titanium HD and the Asus ST, then there is between Asus ST and the Dac inside the Pioneer, this is how close the Asus ST and Pioneer DAC's are.