Sound card vs dac

[Ashley84]

Hi all.

I currently have a cambridge audio amp https://www.richersounds.com/cambridge-audio-axa25-lunar-grey.html and a pair or book shelf loud speakers https://www.richersounds.com/dali-oberon-1-dark-walnut.html

They sound amazing together but I am running the signal to the amp via 3.5mm to RCA cables from my onboard motherboard sound card. I feel I can achieve a much better sound experience if I was to run a dac or high end sound car (mainly looking at the xonar card with rca our put or a DAC, but I do t have much experience dealing with audio.

What do you guys recommend?

 

[Space Monkey]

Hi and welcome,

I've removed the link for the sound card as it's classed as a competitor, this forum is run by and paid for by Overclockers UK PC retailer so links to competitors are strictly against the rules.

If you need to link either use the OCUK shop links or the manufacturers website, thanks.

 

[EsaT]

Integrated sound cards sure were total garbage when they first appeared.
Interference like constant "static" noise and transients from data signaling burst (like moving mouse) were very common back then.
But now those are rare.

Also better motherboards use really quite good components.
It's unlikely that in volume matched blind testing between good integrated sound card and separate sound cards/DACs would show difference.
Anykind sighted listening is simply psychologically biased and blind testing is only scientifically valid testing.
Still would have expected different results from this, considering ALC889's D/A conversion quality being at level of budget/entry level sound cards:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/high-end-pc-audio,3733-19.html

So what motherboard you have?

 

[Ashley84]

Hi, sorry about the link.

I cant really remember but it was similar to this board, I got it around 2015.

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/Z170A-GAMING-PRO.html

 

[JasonM]

I'll give you my own experience.

The best sound source I have is the DAC's inside my Pioneer amps. My HTPC in the front room uses these.

The second best sound source I have is the Asus Essense ST cards (i own 2). These have a little bit of transients that can be heard, it's really low however, I have to turn a 120RMS Watt amp to max and have to have ear 1 foot from speaker to hear it, however it's there.

The worst audio source I have is the Gigabyte Z370 on-board, I have cassette tapes recorded on quality separate units that are better. One of these days i'm going to make a YouTube video called 'Mother board audio sounds worse than compact cassette', I will take the source out into a high-end dac and A/B between motherboard and tape, and people can listen and see for themselves. Gigabyte audio truly shocking, thin sound, mid range and bass washed out, sounds like $5 worth of Chinese junk, worse oscillating interference from the HDD's. In the 90's I had a Gravis Ultrasound that would put it to shame, all the spec's on the Gigabyte audio are just marketing.