Sound card recommendation

oaksmokedbacon · 29 Jan 2015 at 17:16

Hi all

moving to guy a sound card as the next step in my build as the onboard is always a poor choice.

Last card I had was a SB Audigy about 10 years ago. Can people give me some views on what to get. Looking at £50-60 spend and it will be for games and music. I have Sennheiser Momentum headphones to use so I want to be worth it for them.

thanks in advance

rids57 · 29 Jan 2015 at 19:59

Internal: Creative Sound Blaster Z

External: Asus Xonar U7

oaksmokedbacon · 31 Jan 2015 at 12:00

thanks for the response... What about the Asus cards? People seem to think they are pretty good as well and slightly better priced?

PapaLazaru · 31 Jan 2015 at 12:11

oaksmokedbacon said:
thanks for the response... What about the Asus cards? People seem to think they are pretty good as well and slightly better priced?

For £60 the above two recommendations are the best. I would go for the U7. External all the way.

Marsman · 31 Jan 2015 at 12:25

Either of the two previous recommendations, or a Xonar DGX for those who don't want to spend a lot.

If you've got speakers to use as well, SB Z or the Xonar U7 are the best choices. Both have connections for headphones and speakers. Anything else for around the same budget or less, you have to use a switcher or front case audio in order to connect both.

Given your headphones, I'd probably favour the U7, mainly because the Momentum's are low impedance, whereas the SB Z is high gain output with no options for lower setting. In other words, you get stupidly loud volume from only a low percentage of the SB Z volume slider.

oaksmokedbacon · 31 Jan 2015 at 18:20

Thanks all. Didn't realise that external cards were so popular and interestingly from what you've all posted "better" than internal.
a quick question, why external? I'm just curious

rids57 · 31 Jan 2015 at 18:28

Internal sound cards are more susceptible to interference from the graphics card, specially when two or more are use in SLI or Crossfire.

PapaLazaru · 31 Jan 2015 at 18:29

Plus with an external, you get a volume knob. So much easier.

oaksmokedbacon · 31 Jan 2015 at 18:32

Interestingly looking at my motherboard the two pcie slots free are either side on an 970 (fan side or behind) so might get a bit hot as well.

Thanks for the help