Will I need a sound card?

Dracula Punch · Jan 9, 2011

Hey I am building my first computer and I am wondering about sound cards. I plan to remix music and was wondering if the audio chipset in a ASUS Crosshair IV Formula Motherboard - AMD 890FX will be able to handle that or if I will need something else. If a sound card is needed my price range is up to $200, but if it isn't necessary than I will do without. Thanks for any help you can offer!

Update: I have changed my mobo to an ASUS P6X58D Premium Motherboard, so the same question is now asked for a different mobo.

Update: I am an idiot and now the mobo is an ASUS P8P67-M LGA 1155 Intel P67 Intel Motherboard. Great catch by firestrider

King107s · Jan 10, 2011

I think you will be more than happy with the onboard sound of that mainboard.

Dracula Punch · Jan 10, 2011

Thanks but what if....

I am also curious about the ASUS P6X58D Premium Motherboard and how the audio chip is on that. I have changed my computer build slightly, mostly becaue the intel i7 2600 was way too tempting, so how would that mobo do for sound?

Firestrider · Jan 10, 2011

Dracula Punch said:
I am also curious about the ASUS P6X58D Premium Motherboard and how the audio chip is on that. I have changed my computer build slightly, mostly becaue the intel i7 2600 was way too tempting, so how would that mobo do for sound?

The alc889 realtek chip is good enough unless all you listen to is lossless audio and have $200+ headphones or $300+ speakers.

Also the 2600 core i7 cpu is socket 1155, while that mobo is socket 1366... didn't know if you were aware

King107s · Jan 10, 2011

Firestrider said:
The alc889 realtek chip is good enough unless all you listen to is lossless audio and have $200+ headphones or $300+ speakers.

Also the 2600 core i7 cpu is socket 1155, while that mobo is socket 1366... didn't know if you were aware

Good catch... and I concur

BTW I'm like 45min away from you Fire, over in Lakeland

Dracula Punch · Jan 10, 2011

Good catch indeed

I was wondering about that and started looking around immediately. For the fourth time I am changing the mobo I plan to use. It is going to be an ASUS P8P67-M LGA 1155 Intel P67 Intel Motherboard. So once again, the question has been changed to fit the new mobo.

King107s · Jan 11, 2011

Any half way decent modern mainboard has pretty good onboard sound now adays... My advice is get your system going with what you got and try the onboard sound first, you can always get a sound card later if you feel you really need it but I doubt you'll be able to tell the difference without some high end audio equipment.

Theocnoob · Jan 12, 2011

Am I the only one who can hear that even the TIMING on onboard audio is wrong? (yes there is such a thing look it up

No dynamic range. Garbage frequency response. No midrange. Huge amounts of distortion and noise. Garbage timing. These are the ways of onboard audio.

I can't stand it for more than 2 weeks at a time. I honestly have no emoticon for how much I hate on board sound. Even if you have a top tier motherboard. It's garbage.

King107s · Jan 13, 2011

Theocnoob said:
Am I the only one who can hear that even the TIMING on onboard audio is wrong? (yes there is such a thing look it up

No dynamic range. Garbage frequency response. No midrange. Huge amounts of distortion and noise. Garbage timing. These are the ways of onboard audio.

I can't stand it for more than 2 weeks at a time. I honestly have no emoticon for how much I hate on board sound. Even if you have a top tier motherboard. It's garbage.

Has not been my experience... Sounds like there may have been another issue causing your poor sound quality (and there could many possible sources/factors). Still doesn't hurt him to see how it works out initially because you can always add a card later.

Theocnoob · Jan 13, 2011

King107s said:
Has not been my experience... Sounds like there may have been another issue causing your poor sound quality (and there could many possible sources/factors). Still doesn't hurt him to see how it works out initially because you can always add a card later.

So the onboard sound across about 15 platforms and configuration happens to have sucked for me?

The problem is that most people are very hearing deficient.

Randyman... · Jan 13, 2011

My hearing is not the best - but I do "dabble" (

) a little in Pro-Audio (see my sig). I have no major complaints with onboard audio. I can't use it for my own stuff as I need like 32-40 inputs and low latency (I use RME and SSL to get analog audio into my recording DAW).

However I have no complaints with all of my friend's that use onboard sound with descent speakers. Onboard sound won't match a Lavry or Prism converter (or even my lowly SSL

), but they are absolutely passable to me for consumer use. I actually like to pop my mixes on their systems to see what they sound like to the average joe...

Spend the extra $200 on better speakers - they are ALWAYS the weakest link! Instead of $100 speakers and a $200 soundcard, buy $300 speakers.

Theocnoob · Jan 13, 2011

Randyman... said:
My hearing is not the best - but I do "dabble" ( ) a little in Pro-Audio (see my sig). I have no major complaints with onboard audio. I can't use it for my own stuff as I need like 32-40 inputs and low latency (I use RME and SSL to get analog audio into my recording DAW).

However I have no complaints with all of my friend's that use onboard sound with descent speakers. Onboard sound won't match a Lavry or Prism converter (or even my lowly SSL ), but they are absolutely passable to me for consumer use. I actually like to pop my mixes on their systems to see what they sound like to the average joe...

Spend the extra $200 on better speakers - they are ALWAYS the weakest link! Instead of $100 speakers and a $200 soundcard, buy $300 speakers.

Buy the $300 speakers, and then buy the $200 soundcard, and put $50-100 into better cables.

Randyman... · Jan 13, 2011

He'll be plenty happy with the $300 speakers IMNSHO

$100 cables are a joke. Buy some Mogami or Belden with some Neutrik connectors and DIY!

If you are going to recommend a $200 soundcard (which is still in the "onboard" ballpark in my book) - I'd counter with using the MoBo's onboard SPDIF and buy an external DAC instead. A $200 dedicated DAC will be superior to a $200 full blown soundcard

King107s · Jan 14, 2011

I have a THX 2.1 Klipsch sound system hooked up to my onboard sound and it blows most people away when they hear it... They say "I can't belive how clear it still sounds with it this loud!" That being said, it does NOT compare to my home theater Denon/Klipsch setup but then again I spent a hell of a lot more money on that system. In the end its all in what you are will to spend.

Theocnoob · Jan 14, 2011

Randyman... said:
If you are going to recommend a $200 soundcard (which is still in the "onboard" ballpark in my book) - I'd counter with using the MoBo's onboard SPDIF and buy an external DAC instead. A $200 dedicated DAC will be superior to a $200 full blown soundcard

Absolutely. However most people want less boxes not more. But yes it will you are 100% right.

Theocnoob · Jan 14, 2011

Randyman... said:
If you are going to recommend a $200 soundcard (which is still in the "onboard" ballpark in my book) - I'd counter with using the MoBo's onboard SPDIF and buy an external DAC instead. A $200 dedicated DAC will be superior to a $200 full blown soundcard

Absolutely. However most people want less boxes not more. But yes it will you are 100% right.

King107s-- My uncle has that setup. I have to say it sounds better on an Audigy 2 than AC 97, and better on a Xonar D2 than on the Audigy 2... so something's going on

.

King107s · Jan 17, 2011

Theocnoob said:
Absolutely. However most people want less boxes not more. But yes it will you are 100% right.

King107s-- My uncle has that setup. I have to say it sounds better on an Audigy 2 than AC 97, and better on a Xonar D2 than on the Audigy 2... so something's going on .

Again, its all in how much you want to spend... Bottom line is expectations and cost

HybridOverclock · Jan 18, 2011

A sound card will blow you away. The Asus Xonar Essence STX/ST are the best. The ST is the PCI x2 version while the STX is the PCIe x1 version. The Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD is good too.

DaveHCYJ · Jan 18, 2011

I noticed the OP said remix music. If you plan on using the line in or mic it would be worth investing in an aftermarket sound card. You will get a lower noise floor. For listening I agree onboard is probably good enough if you aren't super picky. If you are super picky I still wouldn't recommend an aftermarket card, but rather use the digital output of the onboard sound; send it to a reciever and you're good to go.

Theocnoob · Jan 18, 2011

HybridOverclock said:
A sound card will blow you away. The Asus Xonar Essence STX/ST are the best. The ST is the PCI x2 version while the STX is the PCIe x1 version. The Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD is good too.

NO Xfi compares to an OxygenHD/CMI8788 card. Even a crappy one. The controller is just that much better.

Will I need a sound card?

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