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Difference between external sound cards?

A

Antoneo

Diamond Member
I'm looking at several external sound cards, nothing expensive since I'm just looking for optical out.

I always thought 24bit vs. 16 bit would only matter if you were doing analog to digital (ADC) or digital to analog (DAC) processing with the signal. I've seen Creative advertise their Soundblaster Mp3+ External as a 16 bit solution and their new Audigy 2 NX external as a 24 bit solution.

Since I am only connecting my laptop to a receiver, the use of a USB sound card with optical out would mean a all digital path to the receiver right? No conversions so there is no loss in quality? That 16bit and 24bit is irrelevant in my situation?

The choices I am looking at is a Soundblaster Mp3+ External, Onkyo UD5, and a M-Audio Sonica.
 
USB audio solutions are notoriously troublesome, you'd be better looking at a firewire alternative, but they can get fairly pricey as they're intended for pro audio use. If you just want a card for gaming and general use then 24bit really doesn't matter at all. The signal between your laptop and amp would be 16bit digital unless you have an 24bit amp, which is about as likely as a hobbit in a harem. The only time you really want 24bit is when recording voice and instruments for professional mixing, and even then many people manage quite happily without.

What do you intend to use the card for?
 
Originally posted by: IdahoB
USB audio solutions are notoriously troublesome, you'd be better looking at a firewire alternative, but they can get fairly pricey as they're intended for pro audio use. If you just want a card for gaming and general use then 24bit really doesn't matter at all. The signal between your laptop and amp would be 16bit digital unless you have an 24bit amp, which is about as likely as a hobbit in a harem. The only time you really want 24bit is when recording voice and instruments for professional mixing, and even then many people manage quite happily without.

What do you intend to use the card for?
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've read some stories about USB troubles but I'm just hoping that my stupid laptop would behave itself for once.
rolleye.gif


Nope, I'm not doing any pro audio or recording just want a good link between my laptop and receiver. I am sure my analog line out on my laptop is absolute crap. My receiver is a Denon 3802, no 24 bit DAC if that was what you were referring to. Perhaps I should have waited a year for the 3803 but the sound from it is good enough already. No firewire on my laptop sigh. I've read reports a while back on the Extigy being limited (not sure what they meant) by the USB bandwidth and I imagine it has remained the same.

I plan to use the laptop as a DVD/mp3 player and would like get AC3 out while playing DVDs. Gaming? Perhaps, but I do little of it. Just want some clean sounding audio for a decent price.
 
Hmm... in that case the Extigy would be OK, except Creative's audio products haven't exactly excelled for the past few years. Have you considered the Terratec Aureon 5.1? Looks pretty good to me, and Terratec's products have always impressed me (as a wannabe audio producer, that's not easy).



 
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