Want to go MiniITX but is there some way round the not so good sound ?

nightrider1470

nightrider1470

nightrider1470

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Just noticed MiniITX motherboards only have 1 PCI-E slot so there is no option to add a decent sound card

In my case I am building a small form factor PC to go in my lounge/cinema room to play some games on my large projector screen

Sound is really important to me as I have a £2000 set of speakers and a expensive Onkyo amp.

Can I get round the not so good sound quality from these boards or lack of PCI slots by connecting it direct to my expensive AMP for that to do the processing of the audio ?

Am a little confused, maybe even thinking going Mico ATX

Some help and advice is needed :)
 
Probably best to go microATX as you're looking at either onboard or an external USB card with miniITX, and from what i've read none of them are any good.
 
That's what I was going to say.

All it needs is either an optical/coaxial output or the audio feed through HDMI. Use those and you're sorted.

TBH I don't rate PC sound cards anyway. Even for standard audio (stereo and headphone listening) an external DAC fed from an optical output is absolutely the only way to go.

gt
 
I should think almost all boards have an optical output, or maybe coaxial spdif in some cases.

As always Zotac have feature packed mini-ITX, Z68 versions on the way, however I don't think Zotac are a good brand so I would wait for Gigabyte unless you are desperate. If you can live without OC'ing Asus have a nice H67 mini-ITX motherboard.Note that you can also go the USB route for an external sound processor, something like an X-Fi HD for gaming: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=701&catid=1925 or one of the many USB DACs that are now available for higher quality music listening.
 
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I think so for most of us, but if you're not getting a P67 or Z68 arguably there is no point getting a unlocked K chip, you may as well save a few £ and get a standard 2600 (or maybe an S instead)

forgot to say Asus have not announced a Z68 mini-ITX, so probably there won't be one any time soon.
 
Feature packed as that Zotac is, I wouldn't have another one after their s775 board(s). Had to bolt mod the NB heatsink to get the board stable for one. Not cool, quite literally.

Gigabyte all the way, I'd sit tight.
 
if youve got such expensive audio gear then get a 'proper' soundcard !

a usb/firewire one aimed at music production or club DJing , one that gives true sound.
 
as said above, if you want to game on your Mini-ITX rig then either use the optical out on the board (Gigabyte usually do), or get an ATI graphics card and run audio from that over HDMI
 
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