How bad is onboard audio? Do I need a sound card?

[Jumpem]

I have always used a sound card for the last twenty plus years. Just how bad is onboard audio quality wise? How much CPU does it consume?

I wouldn't mid moving to a mITX platform, but the lack of a second slot for a sound card is holding me back.

 

[BrightCandle]

Most sound is software processed now and the quality of 95+ SNR is beyond what most average listeners can detect. Many motherboards isolate the sound as well which further improves certain aspects. Whether you can tell all any difference really depends on your listening equipment.

Realtek still doesn't have a convincing headphone surround mode. It has one but it doesn't really work as well for positioning for most people.

 

[mikeymikec]

I stopped using sound cards at around 2001. Even since I quietened my computer right down, I can't say I've noticed anything wrong with the audio quality of the onboard sound (with a ~£400 UKP hi-fi connected - nothing hugely special but hardly a set of PC/monitor speakers).

 

[postmortemIA]

I had OMG factor last night when I managed to turn on EAX for older game and newer OS. It sounds so better.

Where sound card excels is:
-some games
-all analog speakers (including heaphones)
-SW audio positioning (CMSS 3D)

Here's nice comparison video for BF:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1_20T8x_OI

But it also comes down to sound listening preferences ... some people claim that they don't hear the difference, but I clearly do.

For example, I had one mobile phone that had nice audio (rezound) and nothing comes close to it.

 

[Rakehellion]

Are you listening to lossless audio on $5000 speakers or Youtube videos on earbuds? It probably makes a difference.

 

[DigDog]

onboard audio is indistinguishable from a high end audio card unless you play music at *very* high volume

source: my EMC recording of keith jarret plays mozart told me so.

 

[Jumpem]

Are you listening to lossless audio on $5000 speakers or Youtube videos on earbuds? It probably makes a difference.

Just gaming with a pair of speakers or headphones. Usually at a low volume so it doesn't over power the television.

 

[BrightCandle]

For headphones the BF4 surround sound comparison matters to you. If you can tell the difference and you care about the difference (ie one positioning tech is more accurate than another to you are your ears and equipment) then you have a reason. Otherwise you probably don't have a good reason.

 

[DigDog]

more accurate doesnt mean anything unless you are in a studio and you are trying to reproduce something specific.

might one have a smaller soundstage than the other? a larger one perhaps? a different spectrum?

it doesnt matter, none of it, unless you have full-flat reference monitors and you are trying to get that specific sound. which is silly because *any* system will have coloration.

some have nicer coloration. some have not so nice coloration.

with a modern 898 you need loud volume in a listening room to be able to say that one system is worse than the other.
or not. i dont like discussing audio with people (not even my college and studio mates) because most just dont get it.

so test it empirically: use an onboard, play it loud, and ask yourself "is this not good enough?"

 

[dave_the_nerd]

HDMI and Displayport include digital sound, and most motherboards have SPDIF output too. You literally cannot get more accurate or "better" than that.

The rest is up to the D/A converter (receiver) and speakers.

If you're using analog output from the motherboard... if you have to ask, you probably don't need a "high quality" sound card. Do not believe anything a Best Buy employee tells you, however.

 

[lamedude]

Tom's gave the crab a smart buy.