Soundcards vs Onboard Audio - DEFINITIVE ANSWER?

[nikko1974]

Hi,

I've just got to scratch this itch.....as I've never had the age old question of whats superior for a HTPC's audio answered. I've tried on a number of different forums, including this one and people say one thing - then another and then it gets way offtrack.

So ......once and for all - what is superior for a HTPC's audio - a dedicated soundcard or a quality onboard solution?

PLEASE USE THESE ASSUMPTIONS WHEN ANSWERING:

* Both the onboard & soundcard can be connected via either SPDIF or analogue out.
* The onboard solution is the current level - so around 105-110dB SNR
* Dedicated soundcard circa $100-150 level
* Will ONLY be used for HTPC use - NO GAMING!
* Signal amplification is via a mid level AVR eg $500-1000 worth or so
* Assume mid level speaker quality

I've accepted what generally has been told - that is that onboard sound via SPDIF out to your AVR is the best solution....or atleast its VERY CLOSE to as good as a dedicated soundcard.

Signal is kept untouched and the AVR's DAC's do all the decoding.

BUT........Ive always had a suspicion that a good soundcard via analogue connections would be superior.

So whats the order?

Soundcard+Analogue > Soundcard+SPDIF > Onboard+SPDIF > Onboard+Analogue ?

Thx in advance.

FTR my motherboard has a pretty crappy onboard, Soundmax AD1986A - I've always been underwhelmed by the quality of it and had a feeling a soundcard would be better. BUT that'd cost as much as a whole new motherboard and some have 110dB SNR chips - so whats best?

Thanks in advance.

Nick

[arkay]

Unfortunately you're quest for the holy grail is not going to be an easy one.

There is no simple answer. Technically speaking onboard SPDIF vs external SPDIF should be identical. What you have to factor in is the driver. No one has ever really been able to confirm or deny whether the driver is in actual fact manipulating the bitstream on the way through.

After a lot of research on the topic I did find some information that listed a very few spdif cards that could be configured to pass through unadulterated SPDIF in a bit perfect fashion. Apparently very few do. I would say that it doesn't matter if it's onboard or not for SPDIF as long as it works.

Analog is a different story and I would say a 3rd party card would give better results than onboard audio.

The Chaintech AV710 was rumored to be one of the best "bit perfect" cards at the time but required special firmware to be loaded on as well.

To be honest I don't know what audible difference there would be... If any.

Cheers,

Arkay.

[nikko1974]

Haha yes....its a very convoluted area isn't it.

I know what you're talking about in particular Creative's cards were known for resampling all 44.1khZ material to 48khz. If you're using MCE2005 I don't know if you can get around resampling with any card........as audio will go through WMP and I think that resamples too? I know the people who use the Chaintech tweak have to use FooBar 2000 and use a setting to get 'bit-perfect/kernel streaming' audio- haha or something like that.

I have read a lot about the vaunted Chaintech's......and that tweak you can do to them.

I mean just keeping it simple...does it seem logical that an onboard soundchip - that sells for a few dollars each is able to put out EFFECTIVELY the same audio quality as a soundcard costing $100 or so?

It doesn't seem logical.....I mean thats just when I look at it from that very, very simplistic perspective.

When I've tried to raise this on other forums the thread is seized by gamers who will swear onboard sound is rubbish and you need a dedicated card.....which from what I read for games may be the case.

I'd have thought the DAC's on a decent current soundcard would be better than on a mid level AVR.

Is bloody complicated...hence I've done nothing and kept using my onboard via SPDIF.

[vlad]

In 2005, when I have built my first HTPC, I have got an audio card called Maya.
It had PCI timing issues. I had to change a motherboard with on-board s/pdif and never had any problems since.
You can do analogue audio with the same quality as digital, after all sound will get converted to analogue in order to get to the speakers.

I don't think that it is matter of what is better, but what is simpler

[krypto]

My mobo has onboard Realtek 889a with supposed SNR of over 105db.

Only empirical, but when playing through analogue to my old high grade amp and speaker, there is distinct background noise. This was never there using my previous sound card.

[nikko1974]

Originally Posted by vlad

You can do analogue audio with the same quality as digital, after all sound will get converted to analogue in order to get to the speakers.

I don't think that it is matter of what is better, but what is simpler

Yes...so you need to figure out where the best DAC's lie at - in your AVR or a soundcard?

Simpler...oh yes but come now - you know HTPCs aren't about simple. I see your point but I am sure a quality soundcard IF it offered a real significant benefit wouldn't be that hard to install and configure.

[nikko1974]

Originally Posted by krypto

Only empirical, but when playing through analogue to my old high grade amp and speaker, there is distinct background noise. This was never there using my previous sound card.

Yes....well analogue out via any onboard solution tends to always give a lot of background noise due to the electrical interferance.....I think decent soundcards are a different kettle of fish though.

Hence with onboard you really can only use SPDIF - but soundcards should give best results via analogue...using their DACs which should be pretty good.

[logifuse]

The interferance outside of the box is something to consider too.

Analogue connections would be more likely to be impacted by interferance, so keeping the signal in digital form for as long as possible would be desirable. SPDIF or HDMI audio to the AVR keeps the analogue path as short as possible.

Justin

[nikko1974]

Oh yes sure - interferance is a major consideration with the analogue signal path - but most people are going to be using decent quality cabling - thats going to negate this to a very large degree.

Haha is funny as the more this thread goes the more I'm convinced that the REAL answer is very very very hard to get to......would be nice if there was a review or proper testing done by some site out there to find an answer.

Even if it was just a review on soundcards vs onboard that'd give one a rough idea......well something anyway.

Once again I think there has to be SOME more merit for soundcards......BUT is it worth it?

I don't know....and I do agree with Vlad that the simplicity of the onboard solution - that being that its right there, needs next to no configuring is hard to beat when SO MANY QUESTIONS are seemingly unable to be answered.

Bummer bummer bummer.....