Should I get a sound card? (1 Viewer)

[giantjoebot]

The motherboard that I'm using is a DFI LANPARTY nF4 SLI. It has a Realtek based onboard audio. I'll be using the digital coaxial output. Would a sound card with a digital coaxial output give me better sound? Here are the specs of the onboard sound

Realtek ALC850 8-channel audio CODEC
6 audio jacks
1 CD-in connector
1 front audio connector
S/PDIF-in/out interface

I was looking at the AuzenTech XPlosion 7.1 soundcard

 

[Marcusb]

pretty sure that digital out is the same quality whatever the card. The work is done when it's converted to analog.

 

[Telstar]

If you want the best sound quality, get an external soundcard like EMU 1212 or RME Fireface. Or an USB DAC.

 

[Marcusb]

If you want the best sound quality, get an external soundcard like EMU 1212 or RME Fireface. Or an USB DAC.

Is that really needed when the PC uis only doing digital sound? From the way I read the first post, the digital signal is sent to the amp, where the amp then decodes it to digital. In that case, surely a high quality DAC in a sound card is a waste?

 

[Telstar]

If you want the best sound quality, get an external soundcard like EMU 1212 or RME Fireface. Or an USB DAC.

Is that really needed when the PC uis only doing digital sound? From the way I read the first post, the digital signal is sent to the amp, where the amp then decodes it to digital. In that case, surely a high quality DAC in a sound card is a waste?

Yes it is, because almost ALL DAC included in internal souncards are pretty bad (the exception being Lynx).
It is an analog signal that is sent to the amp, unless the OP plans to use a truly digital amp (like TACT/Lyngdorf)

Note that i'm talking about high-end stuff, in the range of 400-200€ for the DAC (soundcard) or 2-5000€ for the digital amp.

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Sure is.

Marcus is totally correct, it's the conversion that may cause issues, not the digital output.

as the old saying goes what comes in, goes out.

No conversion, no problem.

Cheers

 

[fphredd]

The Emu 1212m previously mentioned has excellent D/A conversion internally for about $150.00 (USD). You will need 2 pci slots as the analog outs are on a second card.

Unless you want to spend a lot more on the Lynx (awesome cards) this is a very good affordable choice to plug into a standard receiver or preamp that does not have its own DAC.

 

[Telstar]

The Emu 1212m previously mentioned has excellent D/A conversion internally for about $150.00 (USD). You will need 2 pci slots as the analog outs are on a second card.

Actually I recommended the external usb version.

 

[fphredd]

The 1212 is internal; I don't know about the external emu stuff since I planned on internal from the start. On the emu website, they show a 0202 external usb unit; perhaps the equivalent (sound) of the 1212m internal?

Probably can't go wrong either way for the price!

 

[giantjoebot]

This is the receiver that I just got on Black Friday for half price $100 US

Sony 600W 5.1

I can't use 2 PCI slots, thats all I got, and I need one for my tuner card.

Honestly I'm a bit confused.

"It is an analog signal that is sent to the amp"

But I'm using digital coaxial. How is that analog?