mobo cd-in header...

[Silver Bull3t]

Just wondering if there's any point in using the CD-IN audio header on my mobo... I'm reconfiguring my rig and was debating trying it out. I know that all modern mobos just port audio form the ROM drive via the IDE cable. The seperate header seems to be really more of a legacy component.

Have you guys seen ANY benefit using the little audio cable from the ROM drive to the motherboard CD-IN header?... Like increased S/N ratio??? I'd prefer not to have another cable in my case, but if I can clean up my signal a bit I don't mind.

My mobo is like 3 years old, and I'm pretty sure we havn't needed to use the dedicated cable since the ISA interface days.... just curious as to why it's still being included if it was redundant. :confused:

[Silver Bull3t]

I guess I was thinking that the CD-IN header completely bypassed the northbridge and shunted the audio directly to the Realtek ALC655 AC97 chip. I have no idea if this is the case or if the audio still gets run thru the NF4 northbridge.

I'll probably give it a try and run my test CD to see if it sounds cleaner. I DO have some noise right now that I can't seem to get rid of.


Long-shot, considering the lack of input so far, but does anyone know of a test program that would let me run a stereo jack from my audio out jack to my audio in jack and analyze the pre-amp signal? Then I could see exactly how much better (or worse) the S/N ratio got.

I'm running a 2-channel setup with small self-amplified Harmon Kardons.