Soundcard advice

[Stephen1991]

I'm looking for some soundcard advice. I have the Audioengine A5+ speakers with my desktop. For purposes of the soundcard, I use the computer for video editing and listening to music ( a wide variety - source being iTunes, various CDs, and internet (radio, Utube, etc.) about 80% of the time, and gaming about 20% of the time. Most of the time I listen to the speakers, though occasional I do use headphones.

I'm currently looking at the Asus Essence STX II and the HT Claro Halo, though I'm open to other soundcards. Advice?

 

[rojo]

I vote just stick with whatever you have integrated. There won't be much audible difference if any at all, even if you spend a ton on a gold-plated wonder. If you need to spend money on something, get a UMIK-1 and use it + REW to load appropriate correction into a parametric eq. See this post.

Or do you have an audible hum you're trying to squash or something?

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

 

[shadyJ]

Since you just have a two channel setup, I would just go with a Behringer U-Control. There doesn't look to be any features of the more expensive sound cards that you are using that the Behringer can not handle. The Behringer has very clean output jacks as well. Don't spend your money on a bunch of features you aren't likely to use.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I agree with both with 2 notes: A) if you integrated whatever does not produce hub and buzz - stick with it. B) Behringer uc - don't use 3.5mm out - it sucks- but rca out is ok

 

[slipperybidness]

I vote just stick with whatever you have integrated. There won't be much audible difference if any at all, even if you spend a ton on a gold-plated wonder. If you need to spend money on something, get a UMIK-1 and use it + REW to load appropriate correction into a parametric eq. See this post.

Or do you have an audible hum you're trying to squash or something?

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

If he is using a digi feed, then you may be right. If he is taking an analog signal off the integrated mobo sound, then there will probably be significant improvement with going to a soundcard. I say this from experience, most of the integrated mobo audio that I have personally experienced has not been high quality (unless I use the digi out on the integrated audio). The biggest problems with mobo and soundcard audio are the facts that inside a computer chassis is an EM noisy environment, and the SMPS of computers.

As far as my recs for an audio soundcard, I would be using one of these. I did a lot of research on this quite a while back, but I have not used either (as I prefer the digi out to the DAC). Note that the Xonar has good shielding, and that is key to a soundcard.
1) Amazon.com: ASUS PCI-Express x1 Sound Card XONAR ESSENCE STX/90-YAA0C0-0UAN00Z: Computers & Accessories
2) M-AUDIO - Audiophile 192 - High-Definition 4-In/4-Out Audio Card with Digital I/O and MIDI