Xonar D2X vs onboard audio

CaptainRAVE · 5 May 2017 at 18:29

I still use my now very old xonar d2x to power my 5.1 setup. However, it does restrict airflow by sitting so close to my gpu. Will I lose much by using onboard audio on my gigabyte i7 motherboard? Do people use sound cards anymore?

Marsman · 5 May 2017 at 19:50

Are your speakers using analogue or digital connection?

CaptainRAVE · 5 May 2017 at 20:00

Just analogue I think via the 3 cables.

Might try it without the sound card and see how it goes.

Marsman · 5 May 2017 at 21:00

Yeah, best to judge for yourself really. Some people notice a difference between on-board audio and a sound card, some don't.

JasonM · 15 May 2017 at 12:30

It also depends on motherboard, on-board sound can range from terrible to quite high end.

CaptainRAVE · 15 May 2017 at 12:36

Ended up sticking with the motherboard. Bass isn't quite as good, but otherwise can't hear a huge difference. Most importantly gives my gpu breathing room.

JasonM · 15 May 2017 at 13:08

CaptainRAVE, just out of curiosity what Gigabyte board was it?

CaptainRAVE · 15 May 2017 at 18:56

JasonM said:
CaptainRAVE, just out of curiosity what Gigabyte board was it?

Z87-D3HP

JasonM · 15 May 2017 at 19:01

CaptainRAVE said:
Z87-D3HP

It's a small world, the computer i'm using at the moment has that motherboard. I'm used an Asus ST however, never tried the onboard sound from this motherboard.

EsaT · 15 May 2017 at 23:36

Those older especially lower end motherboars sure suck with their positioning of x1 PCI-e slots to either directly under gaming graphics cards or too close to.
High temperature doesn't even do good for sound cards.

That ALC892 Realtek is basically bottom of the barrel model.
But if motherboard maker didn't screw it up it won't automatically add any interference.
And actually puts out enough voltage to drive say 250 ohm Beyers to hearing unsafe volumes.
(though without HRTF would be bad for headphone gaming)

JasonM · 26 May 2017 at 14:17

Totally agree with above, not PCI-e but have a couple of PCI Asus Essence ST cards, one in a HTPC and another in my main computer running two gtx cards. Both cards get really warm, some is ambient heat from graphics cards.

Personally if anyone is just wanting 2.0 sound, then an external Amp/DAC running from motherboard optical or spdif is way to go and avoid sound card all together. In my experience even the cheap realtek digital out found on motherboards is fine for this.